Revisiting History in Yeşilçam Cinema: An Analysis on Yeşilçam Heroes; Karaoğlan, Malkoçoğlu, Kara Murat and Battal Gazi

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2025.718

Keywords:

Historical Film, Historical Representation, Turkish Cinema, Karaoğlan, Malkoçoğlu, Kara Murat, Battal Gazi

Abstract

History presented in films has always been problematic. This debate is generally categorized into two categories, if the historical movies are loyal to the historical fact or if they should be aesthetically considered an art form. Costume adventure films in Turkish Cinema, present mythological characters with fantasy elements raising nationalist sentiments. This authentic genre in Turkish Cinema takes history as a background motif presenting Karaoğlan, Malkoçoğlu, Kara Murat and Battal Gazi, yet combines real facts and people in history with fantasy world heroes and incidents. Hence, these films raise a query regarding the accuracy of their portrayal in relation to historical fact. This paper aims to uncover the fact beyond the fantasy, the conflict between the real people and their representations in the movies in a different perspective.

Author Biography

Sırrı Serhat Serter, Anadolu University

S. Serhat Serter graduated from Anadolu University, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Department of Cinema-Television in 1996 and completed his master's and doctorate in the same department. Serter, who continues his professional life at the faculty he graduated from, has also been the director of Eskişehir International Film Festival since 1998. Serter has published articles in English and Turkish and has edited two books on Turkish Cinema and Star Wars films. The revised version of his book on Star Wars cinema was re-published in the UK in 2021. Serter, who attaches importance to interdisciplinary cooperation, has made projects and documentary films to benefit disadvantaged groups as a representative of his field of science.

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Published

2025-05-27

How to Cite

Serter, S. S. (2025). Revisiting History in Yeşilçam Cinema: An Analysis on Yeşilçam Heroes; Karaoğlan, Malkoçoğlu, Kara Murat and Battal Gazi. CINEJ Cinema Journal, 13(1), 409–446. https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2025.718

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2025): Winter

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Articles

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