What is 'Surreal' about Surrealism? An investigation of Surrealism as seen through the looking-glass of Jan Svankmajer

Includes bibliograpical references.This dissertation investigates the filmic representation of surrealism in the films of Jan Švankmajer between 1964 and 2010. These films were analysed in light of two key areas expressed in recent literature regarding the representation of surrealism in film. The first key area is the complicated relationship between surrealism, film, and fantasy film, which has resulted in misconceptions about surrealism and its relationship with reality. This was examined with regard to the misconception of surrealism equating to fantasy and escapism. The second key area is how the filmic representation of surreality by the surrealist filmmaker Švankmajer supports the relationship of the movement with reality. This is analysed in terms of Švankmajer’s filmic engagement with the socio-political context at the time of production and his beliefs regarding a civilisation in crisis. Contingent to Švankmajer’s filmic representation of surreality is an examination of his style, aesthetics and techniques used to convey surreality or the notions of surrealism in his films to depict the affinity of the movement with reality. The main issue addressed in relation to all his films is the narrative on repression. This dissertation examines his narrative on repression, its dimensions and its role in reaffirming the affinity of surrealism with reality. The examination in this study of the subject matter included a diverse field of relevant sources, which was necessitated by the status of the surrealist movement as a belief rather than a formal theoretical framework. This includes, but is not limited to, surrealism and its main considerations and the relationship between surrealism and film compared to fantasy and film with regard to their relationship with reality. This was extended to include significant theoretical considerations with regard to Švankmajer’s filmic representation of surreality, including the representation of loss, the significance of childhood, the presence of objects and the role of tactility. The study entailed an analysis of his films within the ideas expressed in Švankmajer’s filmic representation of surreality. The films were then analysed within the context of the socio-political atmosphere at the time of their production, specifically during the former Czechoslovak communist oppression, followed by the emersion of the Czech Republic into the global consumerist market. The findings of the study indicate that the filmic representation of surreality in Švankmajer’s films portrays a heightened awareness of the socio-political reality of the former Czechoslovakia as well as the current Czech Republic, while resonating universal truths on civilisation. The films challenge the misconceptions on surrealism and its filmic representation as equating to fantasy and escapism. The findings further revealed that Švankmajer’s filmic representation of surreality counters such misconceptions, with the films reflecting Švankmajer’s experiences in Czechoslovakia as well his intimate account of the destructive nature of civilisation