Incorporation of surrealism in drama film

izzythompson wrote: »

Does anyone have comments on the incorporation of surrealistic genre codes and conventions into drama film (such as Black Swan, Donnie Darko and Mulholland Drive, which are my examples) to help with my media coursework? I am exploring how surrealistic elements are used within the drama genre to convey meaning; any comments would help, thanks!!

Do you're own homework!


....and start by watching the expresionist masterpiece from the beginning of the Dadaist\surrealist movement 'The Cabinet of dr Caligari' and Elem Klimov 'Come and See' as two films that use surrealist and symbolist imagry as subtext to the narrative, Cocteau's 'La Belle et la Bete is also a masterpice of the genre, both films Criterion commentaries are worth a listen.
Surrealism had it's hey day in the early half of the 20th century, by the 90's the movies you mention are little more then a footnote in the movement's history.

Eraserhead