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Revision as of 04:42, 5 March 2024 edit 206.172.88.15 (talk) By examining "Titane" through the lens of Stockholm Syndrome, this analysis uncovers the intricate bond between trauma and affection, enriching the discourse on body horror, identity transformation, and societal norms. Incorporating scholarly insights, it situates the film in a wider philosophical and cinematic context, deepening the appreciation of its thematic complexity and cultural impact. Tags: Reverted Visual edit ← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 16:03, 20 October 2024 edit undo LongRedFox (talk \| contribs) 65 edits →Plot: Fixed typo Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
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Line 42: }} '''''Titane''''' ({{IPA-\|fr\|titan\|lang\|LL-Q150 (fra)-Poslovitch-titane.wav}}, {{lit\|Titanium}}) is a 2021 [[body horror]] [[psychological drama]] film<ref>{{cite news \|title='Titane' Review: 'Raw' Director Returns With Graphic, Gender-Exploring Body Horror Film \|url=https://www.thewrap.com/titane-film-review-julia-ducournau/ \|website=thewrap.com \|date=July 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Horror thriller Titane wins top prize at Cannes Film Festival \|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cannes-titane-spike-less-film-ahed-s-knee-memoria-1.6107269 \|website=cbc.ca \|date=July 17, 2021}}</ref> written and directed by [[Julia Ducournau]]. The French-Belgian co-production stars [[Agathe Rousselle]] in her feature film debut as Alexia, a woman who, after being injured in a car crash as a child, has a [[titanium]] plate fitted into her head. In adulthood, Alexia becomes a murderous [[Promotional model\|car model]] with an [[Mechanophilia\|erotic fascination with automobiles]], leading to a bizarre sexual encounter that sets off an increasingly outlandish series of events. [[Vincent Lindon]], [[Garance Marillier]] and Laïs Salameh also star. The film had its world premiere at the [[2021 Cannes Film Festival\|Cannes Film Festival]] on 13 July 2021, where Ducournau became the second female director to win the [[Palme d'Or]], the festival's top award, as well as the first female filmmaker to win solo.<ref name="aljazeera.com">{{cite news \|title=Cannes Film Festival: Julia Ducournau's 'Titane' wins Palme d'Or \|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/18/titane-wins-top-cannes-award-second-ever-for-female-director \|agency=Al Jazeera \|date=July 18, 2021}}</ref> It received critical acclaim and was selected as the French entry for the [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film\|Best International Feature Film]] at the [[94th Academy Awards]], but did not make the shortlist.<ref name="France">{{cite web \|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/oscars-titane-france-international-feature-submission-1234854548/ \|title=Oscars: France Selects 'Titane' As International Feature Submission \|work=Deadline \|date=12 October 2021 \|access-date=12 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="Pedersen">{{Cite web\|last=Pedersen\|first=Erik\|date=2021-12-06\|title=Oscars Sets Eligible Films In Animated, Documentary & International Feature Categories\|url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/oscars-2022-eligible-films-animated-documentary-international-categories-1234885683/\|access-date=2021-12-07\|website=Deadline\|language=en-US}}</ref> At the [[47th César Awards]], it was nominated for four awards, including [[César Award for Best Director\|Best Director]] for Ducournau and [[César Award for Most Promising Actress\|Most Promising Actress]] for Rousselle. At the [[75th British Academy Film Awards]], Ducournau received a nomination for [[BAFTA Award for Best Direction\|Best Director]]. At the [[11th Magritte Awards]], ''Titane'' received five nominations and won two awards, including [[Magritte Award for Best Foreign Film in Coproduction\|Best Foreign Film]].<ref name="magritte"/> Line 49: A little girl named Alexia annoys her father during a drive. As she removes her seatbelt, her father turns around to scold her, causing a car crash. Alexia suffers a skull injury and has a [[titanium]] plate fitted into her head. When she gets out of the hospital, she shuns her parents and embraces their car passionately. Years later, Alexia, now an adult with a large scar on the side of her head, works as a [[showgirl]] at a [[Auto show\|motor show]]. One night, after a show, a male fan follows Alexia in the showroom's parking lot, declares his love to her, and forcibly kisses her; she then brutally kills him using her large metal [[hair stick]]. As she returns to the showroom to shower, Alexia finds that the ~~car~~tuned cadillac she modeled with earlier has turned on by itself. She enters it naked, has [[Object sexuality\|sex with the ~~car~~tuned cadillac]], and [[Orgasm\|climaxes]]. It is revealed that Alexia is a [[serial killer]] who has murdered several men and women in the past few months. She still lives with her parents, who seem unaware of her connection with the crimes and with whom she has a distant relationship. Line 95: ===Critical response=== On [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 90% based on ~~249~~256 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Thrillingly provocative and original, ''Titane'' reaffirms writer-director Julia Ducournau's delightfully disturbing vision."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/titane\|title=Titane (2021)\|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]\|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film holds a rating of 75 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/titane\|title=Titane\|website=[[Metacritic]]\|access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref> Nicholas Barber from [[BBC]] gave the film four out of five stars and called it "the most shocking film of 2021."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web\|last=Barber\|first=Nicholas\|title=Titane: The most shocking film of 2021\|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210715-titane-the-most-shocking-film-of-2021\|access-date=2021-07-26\|website=www.bbc.com\|language=en}}</ref> In his review for ''[[Variety (magazine)\|Variety]]'', Peter Debruge called the film, "a cross between [[David Cronenberg]]'s ''[[Crash (1996 film)\|Crash]]'' and the uterine horrors of [[Takashi Miike]]'s ''[[Gozu]],''" and praised Ducournau for her handling of the film's themes.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/titane-review-1235018105/\|title='Titane' Review: 'Raw' Director Delivers Psycho-Sexy French Thriller\|work=[[Variety (magazine)\|Variety]]\|first=Peter\|last=Debruge\|date=13 July 2021\|accessdate=November 9, 2021}}</ref> In ''[[The Observer]]'', [[Mark Kermode]] also compared the film to ''Crash'' whilst praising its cinematography and emotional depth,<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Kermode\|first=Mark\|date=26 December 2021\|title=Titane review – Agathe Rousselle is extraordinary in Palme d'Or-winning body horror\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/26/titane-review-julia-ducournau-palme-dor-cronenberg-agathe-rousselle\|website=[[The Observer]]}}</ref> and listed it as one of the best films of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Kermode\|first=Mark\|date=26 December 2021\|title=Mark Kemode's best films of 2021\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/26/mark-kermode-best-films-of-2021\|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Clarisse Loughrey in ''[[The Independent]]'' praised Rousselle and Lindon's performances and Ducournau's direction.<ref>{{Cite web\|date=2022-01-07\|title=Titane is a gnarly ride that oozes with blood, oil, and semen – review\|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/titane-review-plot-agathe-rousselle-b1981483.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/titane-review-plot-agathe-rousselle-b1981483.html \|archive-date=21 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|access-date=2022-01-24\|website=The Independent\|language=en}}</ref> In ''[[NME]]'', Lou Thomas gave the film five out of five stars and called it a "masterpiece".<ref>{{Cite web\|date=2021-12-21\|title='Titane' review: shocking and stunning body-horror masterpiece that you can never second-guess\|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/titane-review-julia-ducournau-3123770\|access-date=2022-01-24\|website=NME\|language=en-GB}}</ref> In a more negative review, Peter Bradshaw, writing for ''[[The Guardian]]'', gave the film two out of five stars and compared it unfavorably to Ducournau's previous film, stating; "...everything is so laboured and crudely directed, without the style and sympathy of ''[[Raw (film)\|Raw]]''."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jul/14/titane-review-julia-ducournau\|title=Titane review – freaky Cronenbergian body-horror show is a car crash\|work=[[The Guardian]]\|first=Peter\|last=Bradshaw\|date=14 July 2021\|accessdate=November 9, 2021}}</ref> Jude Dry in ''[[IndieWire]]'' was also critical of the film, calling it a "deeply misogynist movie with a healthy side of [[transphobia]]".<ref>{{Cite web\|last=Dry\|first=Jude\|date=2021-10-02\|title=Cross Dressing and Car Fetishes: 'Titane' Twists Trans Tropes Into Perverse, Lifeless Body Horror\|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/10/titane-body-horror-trans-transphobic-1234668724/\|access-date=2022-01-24\|website=IndieWire\|language=en}}</ref> Line 396: \|- \|} ~~== Themes ==~~ ~~=== Stockholm Syndrome ===~~ In analyzing the 2021 film "Titane" through the lens of Stockholm Syndrome, it is crucial to engage with scholarly discourse on horror cinema and the philosophical underpinnings of the relationship with the monstrous. Directed by Julia Ducournau, the film intertwines themes of identity, transformation, and human-machine relationships in a narrative that is both visceral and emotionally complex. The protagonist, Alexia, exhibits a profound and disturbing connection to cars, a bond that is initially forged through trauma and later evolves into a source of identity and transformation. This relationship is interpreted as a metaphorical representation of Stockholm Syndrome, where affection or bonding is directed towards something that has caused harm, highlighting a perverse form of dependency and identification with the aggressor. Stockholm Syndrome, within the context of "Titane," transcends the traditional understanding of captor and captive, extending into the realm of identity formation and self-perception. The car crash in Alexia's childhood, rather than fostering a fear or resentment towards automobiles, paradoxically engenders a deep-seated affection and obsession. This is emblematic of Stockholm Syndrome, where the victim develops a psychological alliance with their captor as a survival strategy during captivity. Hugo Clémot's analysis of monsters in horror cinema provides a valuable framework for understanding this complex relationship (Clémot, 2014). According to Clémot, the monster in horror films often symbolizes the unknown and the uncanny, eliciting both fear and fascination. This duality is reflective of the protagonist's relationship with cars, which are both the source of trauma and the basis of identity. The film also delves into the notion of body horror and transformation, exploring the boundaries between human and non-human entities. The protagonist's metamorphosis throughout the film can be seen as a physical manifestation of Stockholm Syndrome, where the captor (in this case, the car and the trauma it represents) becomes an integral part of the captive's identity. This blurring of boundaries between captor and captive is further complicated by the film's exploration of gender, body autonomy, and identity, challenging conventional notions of identity and otherness. Carroll's theory of horror, which posits that the genre is defined by the discovery narrative of a monster whose identity defies cultural categorization, offers a lens through which to view "Titane" (Carroll, 1990). The car, and by extension the trauma it represents, becomes a monstrous entity that both horrifies and fascinates, encapsulating the paradoxical pleasure derived from horror. Moreover, Ducournau's film utilizes the theme of Stockholm Syndrome to critique societal norms and the often-destructive relationships individuals form with those norms. The car, as both a literal and metaphorical captor, symbolizes the oppressive structures that shape individual identity and desire. This is illustrated through the protagonist's violent tendencies, which can be interpreted as acts of rebellion against, as well as submissions to, the societal expectations and norms that have shaped her. In conclusion, "Titane" offers a harrowing yet insightful exploration of Stockholm Syndrome, using the protagonist's bond with cars as a metaphor for the complex relationships individuals form with their captors, whether they be people, societal norms, or aspects of their identity. The film's narrative weaves a cautionary tale about the dangers of such relationships, emphasizing the need for self-awareness and the courage to confront and transcend them. Through its visceral imagery and unsettling storytelling, "Titane" challenges viewers to reflect on the nature of dependence, transformation, and the quest for autonomy in a world that often blurs the lines between captor and liberator (Clémot, 2014; Carroll, 1990). ==See also== Line 428 ⟶ 415: [[Category:2021 drama films]] [[Category:2021 films]] [[Category:2021 ~~LGBT~~LGBTQ-related films]] [[Category:2021 horror films]] [[Category:2020s avant-garde and experimental films]] Line 438 ⟶ 425: [[Category:Arte France Cinéma films]] [[Category:Belgian horror drama films]] [[Category:Belgian ~~LGBT~~LGBTQ-related films]] [[Category:~~Body~~Belgian ~~horror~~splatter films]] [[Category:French body horror films]] [[Category:Cross-dressing in French films]] [[Category:Films about female bisexuality]]▼ [[Category:Films about automobiles]] ▲[[Category:Films about female bisexuality]] [[Category:Films about firefighting]] [[Category:Films about identity theft]] Line 451 ⟶ 439: [[Category:French horror drama films]] [[Category:French-language Belgian films]] [[Category:French ~~LGBT~~LGBTQ-related films]] [[Category:French psychological drama films]] [[Category:French serial killer films]] [[Category:French splatter films]] [[Category:Lesbian-related films]] [[Category:~~LGBT~~LGBTQ-related horror drama films]] [[Category:Magritte Award ~~winners~~winning films]] [[Category:Palme d'Or winners]] [[Category:Transgender-related films]] [[Category:Wild Bunch (company) films]] [[Category:2020s Belgian films]]