A new Deleuzian take on Red Dragon

A new article by Nema Yardimci proposes a novel way at looking at the Blake-inspired film, Red Dragon.

Volume 11, issue 2 of the Cinej Cinema Journal includes an article by Kemal Yardimci, "An Examination of Red Dragon (2002) in Light of the Deleuzian Theory of Becoming‑Animal":

This paper explores the character development in the movie Red Dragon (2002) in relation to the Deleuzian theory of becoming-animal, and paintings by William Blake. A character analysis is made on Francis Dolarhyde in light of the theory of becoming, and parallels are drawn between connectionism and relationality, apparent in both Blake’s paintings and the Deleuzian theory. It’s argued that the theory of becoming‑animal resonates with the character development in the film, and the connectivity and contradictions of concepts in Blake’s paintings by which Dolarhyde’s character is inspired. Dolarhyde’s character is described in terms of a continuous, non‑teleological process where he disrupts binaries between the man persona and the dragon alter ego, and is characterized by virtue of his becoming.

Kemal Yardimci is a member of faculty at Bilkent University Department of Communication and Design.

This paper is available at Cinej Cinema Studies.

(Open Access.)