Fantastikaracters and Folkbiology: A Cognitive Approach to Imaginary Creatures in Fiction Film

Fantastikaracters are fictional characters that belong to a species that does not exist in our (extratextual) world, for example aliens, chimeras, yetis, and various hybrids. As such, these characters mobilize, question, and potentially challenge the cultural narratives at work in the categories of nature, humans, and animals. The ways these fantastikaracters appear in fiction film echo broader discourses around the non-human that contribute to cultural ontologies, material practices and the socio-cultural production of meaning. This thesis explores the various processes at play in the creation of Fantastikaracter on screen, on the one hand, and engagement with such characters, on the other, arguing that folkbiology is a productive heuristic. The term “folkbiology” (or “naïve biology”) refers to the common-sense beliefs, attitudes and skills related to cohabitation with non-human living beings. By extension, folkbiology also refers to the academic field that combines the methods of ethnobiology, anthropology, and cognitive psychology to examine the ways in which various populations and cultures conceptualize, model, and, more generally speaking, relate to, the natural world. Taking inspiration from the natural sciences (including zoology and ethology) is a well-known and common practice for filmmakers and creature designers. Furthermore, folkbiological concepts related to naïve biology (such as species essentialism or life teleology) provide structure for the representation of Fantastikaracters as part of broader ecosystems. Finally, the representation of Fantastikaracters can reflect – or challenge – cultural ontologies, and so also reflect or challenge the spectator’s beliefs and attitudes towards the non-human. Part I considers the implication of fantastikaracters for existing theories of characters and narrative, drawing from the works of cognitive film theorists Murray Smith and Noël Carroll, and expanding them by bringing in narratologist David Herman. Part II focuses more specifically on folkbiology, using Scott Atran’s concepts to explore interpretive and creative processes. Part III is focused on mood-cueing and moral emotions, using the work of Greg M. Smith and Margrethe Bruun Vaage to analyse how film strategies can combine with folkbiological thinking to elicit strong affective experiences that manipulate the spectator’s engagement with fantastikaracters. Finally, Part IV brings in the topic of species hybrids, including chimeras and anthropotheriomorphic creatures (creatures combining human and animal traits) arguing that such stories can reflect anxieties around techno-sciences.