Kim, Jiyoung
(2024)
The cinematic Boston: space, production, and politics.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
“What does a city do in the cinema?” This thesis examines this seemingly simple yet multifaceted question. More precisely, the thesis explores the role of a city in cinema, serving as both a filming location and a narrative backdrop, with a case of Boston. Boston cinema is renowned for its significant characters, particularly Irish Catholic working-class male characters, and its narratives that often revolve around the tensions between these characters and others. Also, it is known for Boston native screenwriters’ contribution to Boston cinema, while the city itself solidifies its status as an attractive filming location.
This study analyses Boston and Boston cinema from the perspectives of the city’s cultural and historical geography, as well as its political activities, concerning Boston films and the city’s film industry. First, it examines how the cultural and historical geography of the city has been portrayed in Boston cinema and how the cinematic history of Boston has been mapped. Second, it analyses how regional political circumstances have influenced both the region’s motion picture industry and the films themselves, with a particular focus on the works of the regional film office. Third, it delves into how Boston native screenwriters have constructed significant Boston cinematic themes and narratives. Lastly, the thesis explores the visual design aspect of Boston cinema and how visual design has contributed to Boston cinema’s representative themes and narratives. I argue that cinema and the city are undeniably and reciprocally connected–the city serves as a location for filming and an inspiration for characters and narratives, while cinema, at the same time, shapes the image of the cinematic city. Furthermore, the thesis confirms that Boston cinema has been significantly influenced by the city’s motion picture industry, culture, history, geography, and its native screenwriters’ images of their hometown. Simultaneously, Boston cinema constructs specific images of the city, particularly emphasising the theme of neighbourhoods and communities.
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