Nature-oriented films of Taiwan (2004 - 2009) : wilderness, technology and environmental imagination

• Main Author: 李曉菁; Li, Hsiao-ching
• Other Authors: 淡江大學英文學系博士班, 楊銘塗; Yang, Ming-tu; 克雷思特 格瑞佛波; Grewe-Volpp, Christa
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: 自然導向影片;荒野;科技;環境想像;《草木戰役》;《返家八千里》;《野性蘭嶼》;《無米樂》;《生命》;nature-oriented film;wilderness;Technology;environmental imagination;Plant Wars;Bird Without Borders;Spirits of Orchid Island;Let It Be;Gift of Life; Beck; Arctic
• Online Access: http://tkuir.lib.tku.edu.tw:8080/dspace/handle/987654321/51264; http://tkuir.lib.tku.edu.tw:8080/dspace/bitstream/987654321/51264/1/index.html

博士 本論文的研究目的在於建構台灣當代「自然導向影片」的類型，並從生態批評論述觀點探討影像傳遞環境意識的語言與方法。這些影片除了本身扮演的媒介功能，也創造另一層自然定義，一種文化再現的自然，不純粹的自然，另類的自然，本身既是荒野，也是科技。 研究方法主要以田野調查、文獻探討與影像分析為主。田野調查部分，本人於2008年9月到2010年1月，於德國、法國、比利時、愛沙尼亞等國的自然影展蒐集影片資料，也實際參與德國影展策劃過程。文獻探討部分，本論文以當代歐美生態評論為研究方法，耙梳台灣當代記錄片探索的多元生態議題，使台灣「自然導向影片」、「環保影片」或「綠色影片」得以進入全球生態環境論述與展演空間進行交流與對話。此閱讀策略有雙向功能：一方面，以歐美生態論述閱讀台灣影片可提供另類閱讀方法與觀點；另一方面，自然影片探索的地方議題會回頭影響生態論述深度與詮釋廣度。影像分析部分，本文以2004-2009年台灣自然導向記錄片為文本，參與深入分析《草木戰役》、《返家八千里》、《野性蘭嶼》、《無米樂》、《生命》五部影片，探討影片中地方與地方感的建構、人地關係、荒野與野性、生物地區主義、生態疆界消弭、環境正義、毒害污染、危機論述與綠色全球主義等與當今人類生存息息相關的環境議題。 透過自然影像，人們得以開始想像與建構嶄新的環境互動關係。一方面，地方或傳統文化可透過影像媒介再現，進入全球論述空間；另一方面，自然導向影片也肩負喚起環境意識覺醒的教育功能，因為每個曾經住過、走過、看過、聽過或從影片想像過某地的人，都實際參與環境意識建構的過程。這樣的地方與環境意識流動而不固著，能夠跨越疆界，能夠體會或探討他者、他地或他國的存在問題，卻不忽略每個實體異質的成長環境。這種層層延展的環境意識也存在於文字與影像，使地方能透過故事再現，而這地方也可以是心靈夢想之地。 With the bourgeoning of nature film festivals around the world within these ten years in scale, scope and impact, nature-oriented films are developing beyond their original scope of wildlife or wilderness, and spreading to related fields concerning diverse issues of toxic pollution, environmental justice, crisis of the environment and the relationship between human beings and non-human beings. This dissertation approaches nature-oriented films from the perspective of ecocriticism so as to examine how “nature” is visually represented in “nature-oriented films,” “environmental films,” and “green screens,” and how such visual representation has played the role of an alternative nature as both a prediscursive entity as well as a culture-constructed text. The genres of nature-oriented films are more and more inclusive of diverse methods of representation, such as incorporating scientific knowledge and technological skills. Its motifs include wildlife ecology, the existence of the wilderness, environmental risks, the conflicts between traditional and modern ways of life, scientific education, environmental imagination, the concern for endangered species, and city problems. Two notions need to be emphasized in reading nature films. One is to treat nature per se as an autonomous actor, while all the animals, plants and organic beings are playing the main characters; in comparison, human beings play more the roles of beholders or spectators. Furthermore, the role of film is significant in the way it acts as mediator to connect nature as the main character on the one hand and human beings as the co-constructor of nature on the other hand. The audiences are participating in the process of representation, imagination, and creation of an alternative identity of nature through film watching. Certain films of the 3rd Green Screen Internationales Naturfilmfestival, the 5th Darser Naturfilmfestival, the 8th NaturVision Internationales Natur-und Tierfilmfestival, which were held in Germany in 2009, the 15th Festival Nature Namur in Belgium in 2009, the 7th Matsalu Nature Film Festival in Estonia in 2009, and the 27e Festival International Du Film D’Environnement in Paris, France in 2009, and the Green International Film Festival of Taiwan (G.I.F.T.) since its initiation in 2004 will be put into comparison in this dissertation to examine the play of “nature.” Some films that can be considered as new wave “nature-oriented films” of Taiwan, which are supposed to be distinguished from the conventional wildlife films are analyzed in depth: Plant Wars, Bird Without Borders, and Spirits of Orchid Island. Furthermore, I will use the term “traditional environmental films” to distinguish these from the “environmental films” I discuss in chapter three, in which two “environmental films” Let It Be and Gift of Life are examined. Contents Abstract (Chinese) i Abstract (English) ii Thanks (Chinese) iii Thanks (English) vii Preface(Chinese) xi Contents xix Introduction 1 Chapter I. Ecocriticism as a Methodology to Read Nature-Oriented Films 5 1. An Introduction to Nature-Oriented Films 19 2. Genres of Nature-Oriented Films 21 3. “Nature” of Nature-Oriented Films — i.) A Prediscursive Entity and a Culture-Constructed Text 35 ii.) Co-construction & Constrained Constructivism 37 4. Mythos Wald (Mystery Forest) — An Example of Nature-Oriented Film 42 5. Camera-as-domination of Nature — Some Qualifications against Praise of Nature-Oriented Films 51 6. The Commercial Consideration of Most Nature-Oriented Films — Event Speed vs. Editing Speed 54 7. Natural Events vs. Naturalized Images 57 Chapter II. Nature-Oriented Films of Taiwan from 2004 to 2009 — An Introduction to Three Films of Taiwan 61 1. Plant Wars (2007) & Spirits of Orchid Island (2008) & Bird Without Borders (2009) 67 2. Place and Sense of Place 68 3. Deterritorialization and Reterritorialization 73 4. Border-Crossing i.) Plant Wars 75 ii.) Bird Without Borders 84 5. Visualized Wilderness 94 6. Wildness in Nature-Oriented Films 105 7. A Continuation of the Wildness in Nature-Oriented Films — An Application in Spirits of Orchid Island 111 Chapter III. Environmental Films of Taiwan — Let It Be (2004) & Gift of Life (2004) 121 1. Let It Be — Taiwanese Farmers’ Identities & Sense of Place 125 2. Risk Society & Ulrich Beck 134 3. A Continuation of Ulrich Beck’s Risk Society — Gift of Life: Dwelling with Crisis 144 4. Caveat — The Excess of Image & Susan Sontag 154 Chapter IV. Toward a Mature Eco-cinecriticism 163 1. Ecological Glocalization 165 2. Reterritorialization and Deterritorialization 171 Conclusion 175 Bibliography 179 學號: 892010025, 學年度: 98