Date of Award

2007

Degree Name

Sociology

College

College of Liberal Arts

Type of Degree

M.A.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Richard Garnett

Second Advisor

Jaime Warner

Third Advisor

Donna Sullivan

Abstract

The commodification of tragedy is an examination of contemporary film that depicts real events of human tragedy that are imposed on human society. Commodities are the cultural products of capitalist society through which meanings are attached; nationally released film and documentary-style cinematic productions are objects for consumption that presents tragedy as a simplistic and distorted spectacle of simulated reality. Titanic, United 93, and We Are…Marshall! share the conspicuous traits of distortion in historical facts through fictionalization of the event and reduction of complexity carried out by the entertainment industry.

Subject(s)

Tragedy.

Motion pictures - Plots, themes, etc.

Motion pictures - Social aspects.

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