SOCIAL SEMIOTICS IN FILMS ADAPTED FROM ISAAN TALES, 1980 - 2018

Abstract

          This research examined social semiotics through film as a medium for documenting history. The narratives of the past, or those depicted in films, were cultural reproductions that can be deconstructed for reinterpretation. The sample consistd of five Thai films adapted from Isan legends across three decades: the 1980s (Kong Khao Noi Kha Mae, 1980; Thung Kula Rong Hai, 1981), the 1990s (15 Kham Deuan 11, 2002; Kon Fai Bin, 2006), and the 2010s (Nakee 2, 2018). This study employed observational methods to collect data following the framework of social semiotics, which involved three stages: 1) gathering semiotic resources for classification, 2) analyzing the use of signs, and 3) reinterpreting the findings.
          The research revealed that films adapted from Isan legends have developed from localism to modernity. In the 1980s, these films portrayed harsh environments, competition over natural resources, a struggle against drought, and integrated conservative cultural traditions. By the 1990s, there was a praise of Isan identity in line with the localism trend, while the 2010s saw the increasing influence of foreign consumer goods in daily life. Cultural traditions evolved to to promote tourism, leading to a seamless blend of old and new. Furthermore, regarding the the main characters' attitudes, in the 1980s, they relied on faith and belief in the supernatural to endure hardship. In contrast, the main characters of the 1990s and 2010s confronted challenges influenced by mass media and scientific education, with progressive ideologies questioning traditional norms. Nostalgia for the past, in this context, acts as a bridge facilitating the transition into contemporary globalization.