The influence of Brecht in Theodoros Angelopoulos's cinema: A case study of the film 'O Thiasos'"

Bertolt Brecht developed the theory of "Epic Theatre" as a response to Aristotle's "Dramatic Theatre." In contrast to catharsis and identification, Brecht advocated the concept of "alienation" (Verfremdungseffekt). Brecht profoundly influenced both the theater and cinema fields with a theatrical approach that did not aim for catharsis. Directors have utilized Brecht's aesthetic understanding to reflect the truth that what the audience is watching is a film, breaking away from purification and identification. Many directors have been influenced by Brecht's aesthetic theory, and one of them is Theodoros Angelopoulos. In his films, Angelopoulos combines concepts from Brecht's aesthetic theory with his own mise-en-scene. Like epic theater, the audience undergoes alienation, and the fact that what they are watching is a film is emphasized. Using epic narrative techniques, Angelopoulos aims to instill a critical perspective in the viewer. Long takes, monologues delivered directly to the camera, unsettling alienation effects, the foregrounding of individuals, and addressing societal events in the background are all reflective of Brecht's aesthetic influences in Angelopoulos' films. The purpose of this study is to define Bertolt Brecht's aesthetic theory and analyze Theodoros Angelopoulos's film " O Thiasos" within the framework of the concepts present in Brecht's aesthetic theory. The film O Thiasos is analyzed using the method of document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, within the context of Brecht's aesthetic concepts.