Absurd in cinema as a criticism of rational thought: An example of Scandinavian cinema

As a result of Enlightenment, rationalism, modernism, capitalism, industrial revolution, mechanization, transformation in relations of production, wars of exploitation, social, political, cultural and mental changes; a new kind of human being emerges which is mechanized in accordance with the era, alienated to itself and to nature, and lost the meaning of existence. The ideal of modernity, aimed at creating an advanced civilization by rearranging life according to rational rules; creates contradiction, separation and confusion instead of harmony, unity and order. For this reason, the meaning of life and the purpose of existence will be lost and the life experience of modern man will become absurd. According to Albert Camus, absurdity arises from the conflict between the will of man and the reality of the world. The concept of absurdity associated with modernity and rationality is closely related to postmodern reality and life experience. In addition to modern literature, philosophy and theater, the concept of absurdity, which is often encountered in studies on postmodernism, has not been adequately examined in cinema researches. The aim of the study is to determine the antecedents of absurd in cinema, whose sources are based on ancient Greek comedies; to find out how it works in film narrative and to show how it challenges the rational mind. As a result of the film examinations made with content and style analysis methods, the themes and narrative items forming the absurd style were determined; the relationship between the films that developed absurd narratives and the social reality of their countries have been researched. Acting from the conception that the absurd is a criticism directed towards rational thought; films chosen from the cinema of Scandinavian countries that have built political, economic, social and cultural structures on rationality have been taken to the research universe. These films have been examined in terms of story, plotline, dialogs, characterisation, mise-en-scene, sound design, music, editing and theme. As a result of the study, how the absurd style works was revealed through dramatic items and themes; it has been found that in developed welfare states such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark, pragmatism, functionality and rationality processing as an anti-life situation is criticized through absurd movies.