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- Title
The 'Frozen' Heart of the Continent: Place-Myths and Winnipeg in Canadian Crime Films.
- Authors
Gacek, James; Kohm, Steven
- Abstract
Within Canadian national cinema, audiences view places that draw attention to the shared experience of being within these geopolitical, socio-spatial locations. This paper contends that crime films set in Winnipeg, a city situated in the centre of North America, reflect and contribute to the cultural identity of the city within the national imaginary. Place-myths have the potential to construct meanings about a particular place, indicating whether it is romantic or dangerous, progressive or "backward," vibrant or decaying. While currently branded by local civic boosters as the 'Heart of the Continent,' (Kives, 2008) the construction of Winnipeg-asplace on film tells a different tale. By implementing a qualitative media analysis, we argue that place-myths manifest themselves within Canadian crime film narratives, and that a better understanding of place allows us to observe how Winnipeg becomes socially spatialized onscreen. As our paper suggests, one's sense of space can only constellate when one's experiences of being and acting within a place is taken into account. Winnipeg ultimately becomes represented on film as a place where crime is rampant and law enforcement is unable to combat the criminal behaviour within the city--in other words, where law and justice is 'frozen'.
- Subjects
CANADA; CRIME films; FROZEN (Film : 2013); AUDIENCES; CULTURAL identity; MOTION pictures
- Publication
Canadian Graduate Journal of Sociology & Criminology / Revue Canadienne des Études Supérieures en Sociologie et Criminologie, 2016, Vol 5, Issue 1, p4
- ISSN
1927-9825
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.15353/cgjsc-rcessc.v5i1.129