247 Gözde SUNAL IN THE DARK WORLD OF DARK CITY: CINEMATOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE, MYTHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS AND PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVE 1 Gözde SUNAL İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi, Türkiye gsunal@ticaret.edu.tr https://0000-0002-9535-5714 Atıf SUNAL, G. (2024). IN THE DARK WORLD OF DARK CITY: CINEMATOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE, MYTHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS AND PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVE. İstanbul Aydın Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 16(2), 247-264. ABSTRACT Cinema has been influenced by mythology since the first years of its invention. Mythological elements, which are frequently used in today’s cinema, are used as an important reference. Cinema strengthens the narrative language by reproducing myths and creating new myths. Cinema, which has a strong and effective aspect in this respect, reflects the unconscious of the masses in human history. Considering the similarities of cinema with mythology, dream and reality are intertwined while cinema reshapes reality. Both cinema and mythology use experiences that are constantly repeated throughout generations through archetypes that have been in our collective unconscious since ancient times. Therefore, today, cinema appears as a reshaped form of mythology. In this process, film directors have almost become myth-tellers. At this point, cinema, just like myths, has changing and even transformative effects on society. Especially with the studies of writer Joseph Campbell in the field of mythology, the “monomyth” theory - the hero’s journey - was adapted to the filmmaking process in cinema. An example of the work that offers a different cinematic experience is the movie “Dark City” (1998), directed by Alex Proyas, which deals with sociopolitical, scientific and philosophical themes as well as mythological elements. Functionally, the film makes one think about the questioning of human nature and the concepts of identity and memory. The journey of John Murdoch, the protagonist of the film, is designed in accordance with Joseph Campbell’s theory of the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey is a fictional structure frequently used in mythological stories. The hero’s journey in the movie “Dark City” follows the outline of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey scheme. The hero breaks away from his normal life and finds himself in an adventure where reality is questioned. This adventure provides opportunities for his personal growth and transformation, and eventually the hero discovers his true identity and power. “Dark City” is a science fiction film inspired 11Geliş tarihi: 27.02.2024 – Kabul tarihi: 25.03.2024, DOI: 10.17932/IAU.IAUSBD.2021.021/iausbd_v16i2004 Araştırma Makalesi-Bu makale ienticate programıyla kontrol edilmiştir. Copyright © İstanbul Aydın Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Araştırma Makalesi (Research Article)