Copyright: University of Natal    

ABSTRACT

Given the current debates on the nature and function of the South African film industry in terms of local themes, local characters and settings, audience appeal, and structural questions involving subsidy, and censorship, this study addresses these issues in a case study of a local film production, There’s a Zulu on My Stoep (1993). It investigates two themes in relation to the film: race and genre. Methodological analysis is undertaken from an ethnographic perspective which includes, interviews with the producer/scriptwriter/lead actors, focus group discussions with audience members, and semiotic analysis of the film itself. The study addresses the construction of race within a film text and the audiences’ responses to this construction. Findings, in this regard, suggest that the racial construction in the film is ambivalent in terms of racial stereotype. Further, the audience recognizes the racial theme in the film and appears to respond to the dominant message system of the film. Secondly, this study examines the relationship between the comedy genre and its popularity with the audience. The findings indicate that the alternating involvement and distance of the audience in response to the narrative comedy is a significant contributory factor to their enjoyment of the film. Recognition and familiarity with characters and settings also contribute to audience appeal. Furthermore, the genre, in its condensation of social and historical experiences provides the audience with an opportunity for diversion for affirmation of commonly agreed upon values and symbols.

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