(Person) Percentage - Sabanci University Research Database

The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
Belonging to the genre comedy, this film is far more successful than Film 1 in terms of storytelling
and photography. This film begins with a narrator describing the great achievements of
Turks in history too. However, this narration is rather brief and the narrator does not insert
anywhere else in the film.
Kartal, the captain of the Turkish spaceship, and his crew represent the good in the film. This
group, which consists of women, men, children and animals, stands for a nation. The
relationship between them is based on solidarity with one another and thus they live all
together despite occasional gossip about each other and a feeling of distrust. It seems as if the
group may disintegrate with a slight blow, but in fact, they are dedicated to one another with a
deep feeling of love and affection.
The relationships between Uga, Dogibus and the President of the Orion Union, all
representing the bad, are based entirely on self-interest. They may force their sisters or
daughters for their own interests to marry men who they do not love. They see no harm in
being together though they do not like each other.
At the end of the film, naturally, the good, who come together with a bond of love, defeat the
bad, who have a relationship based on self-interest.
The Turkish spaceship and its crew are affiliated with the Golbasi Base, which represents the
Turkish Republic in the film, and endeavour to perform the mission given by the state.
Despite the fact that the authorities are not to be seen during hard times and tell lies to the
crew for years, this does not reduce the crew’s allegiance to the state.
On the side of the bad, on the other hand, allegiance to an individual rather than to the state is
important but only robots exhibit this allegiance. After all, there is no state structure there;
instead, there is personal hegemony and kingdom. Even the clown in Dogibus’s palace is
waiting for the earthmen to save the Lunaticans.
Values such as acting with the community for the common benefit, devotion to work, selfsacrifice
and compassion are emphasised and endorsed as values that are required to be
considered good. Freedom from sexual passions and romantic love are also among the values
that are approved.
Various phrases originating from religious beliefs are reflected in daily discourse of the
characters who represent the good. It seems as if these phrases have not been especially
chosen but rather they exist in language naturally. When these reflections are closely
examined, it is observed that the predominant discourse is based on fatalism and the will of
God. The fatalistic discourse is evident and emphasised in one scene. Where, captain Kartal
says that when scientific methods are not remedy, it is necessary to ‘trust in the Creator.
Though this emphasis seems like a criticism directed at Turks’ general perception, it is
approved as a national trait. Scenes of preaching in the first film are not seen at all in this film.
No religious reflections are observed in the bad in the film; they have no system of faith other
than personal interest.
No specific emphasis is laid on social class structure in the film. However, when the ship
crew’s division of tasks is examined, it can be argued that the sub-text points to an
understanding of “everybody must do their duty”. There is no special emphasis laid on the
class structure of the heroes. When the side of the good is considered, it is observed that there
323