ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF JAVANESE MYSTICISM REPRESENTATION IN THE SETTING OF KKN DI DESA PENARI MOVIE TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF MYSTICAL MYTHS

• Main Author: Salsabila Riadi, Rizka
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/76353
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Various genres of movies are released every year. However, horror movies, which are synonymous with mystical myths and feature ghosts or cultures from Indonesian mythology, are often the most-watched movies by Indonesians. Horror movies are filled with the exploitation of horror elements to create tension in the audience as the main goal. The tense and frightening atmosphere can be created through the setting of the movie. This research focuses on the physical and psychological mise en scene, divided into several interior elements: backdrop, interior props, special effects, light and shadow, and color. This movie allegedly conveys a message, more than just visualizing the story of the "KKN di Desa Penari" Twitter thread that went viral in Indonesian society. Therefore, this study aims to examine the representation of Javanese mysticism in the film setting of KKN Desa Penari, an Indonesian horror film that has been watched by at least 10 million people and currently holds the record as the Indonesian feature film with the highest number of viewers of all time. The research was conducted using qualitative methods with interpretative descriptive techniques. Data collection was conducted through a literature review and visual analysis of the movie set using several supporting theories such as mise en scene theory, representation, Barthes' semiotics, cultural studies of Javanese mysticism, and in-depth interviews with the filmmakers. The collected data were then analyzed and compared to find out the representation of mysticism in the film setting and its role in the construction of mystical myths. The results showed that the representation of Javanese mysticism in the setting of the film KKN di Desa Penari (UNCUT) plays a role in constructing the myth of the countryside as an ancient area that lags behind the civilization of the time, the myth of the countryside that upholds Javanese ethics and cultural values, and the myth of rural communities that adhere to Javanese mysticism. The findings of this research can confirm to filmmakers, viewers, and scholars that the transmission of messages in films does not have to be shown or told explicitly, but can also be conveyed implicitly through the play of visual signs in cinematic elements such as mise en scene settings in films.