Semiotic theory applied to the analysis of the film Dracula (1992)

Abstract

The objective of the investigation consisted of analyzing the film Dracula (1992), adaptation brought to the screen by Francis Ford Coppola according to the precepts of the semiotic theory of Manuel González de Ávila. The theoretical foundations were based on González de Ávila (2002), Van Dijk (1978), Beaugrade and Dressler (1996), Villasmil, Arrieta and Finol (2009), regarding the following criteria: 1.- Notion of textuality according to the Isolating Semiotics, 2.- Textuality Norms, 3.- The text studied inside and outside the world, 4.- Notions of Critical Semiotics applied to cinema. The type of research was of a qualitative nature, since descriptions and annotations were made about the most outstanding scenes of the film. Therefore this research work is divided into two phases of investigation; the first referred to the construction of the theory applied to cinematographic discourse and the second the selection of scenes where the criteria of Semiotics, Isolating, Binding and Critical were evidenced. The findings found in the analysis showed that the criteria used by Isolating Semiotics were reflected in some scenes, among these criteria intertextuality, coherence and cohesion are mentioned, with regard to binding and critical semiotics, the film reflects historical facts of universal transcendence such as the time of the crusades and the social and moral decline of the European continent at the end of the 19th century. Isolating, Binding and Critical. The findings found in the analysis showed that the criteria used by Isolating Semiotics were reflected in some scenes, among these criteria intertextuality, coherence and cohesion are mentioned, with regard to binding and critical semiotics. It is concluded that the theoretical construct of Manuel González de Ávila can be applied and adapted to any type of discourse