The National Culture Discourse and the 'Superior Film' in the 1950's

This thesis clarify the meaning of culture and the roles of films as a mass culture in the 1950's by investigating how the arguments surrounding the Cultural Reconstruction had concentrated on the National Culture Discourse. 'Cultural Reconstruction' means the supporting and forming culturally and in the cultural area Reconstruction which redefined the national identity of Republic of Korea by re-constructing the ready constructed nation. The various debates arguing the 'Cultural Reconstruction' had concentrated on how the national culture was founded. However, the 'national culture' in this term did not mean the 'nationalistic culture'. Ironically intellectuals who insisted the national culture thought much of cultural exchanges of the world and contribution to world culture. This was more than just founding the self-regard of the nation and confirming it toward the world. In this respect, films undertook responsibility of enlightening and educating the people in company with the direction of Reconstruction. The so-called 'Superior Films'[Woosu yeongwha] were films chosen by nation-state in the late of 1950's and fitted suitably it's purpose. <The bell Tower[Jonggak] : Missing another Dawn> made in 1958 and chosen as a 'Superior Film' in 1959 was a definitive work which visualized the arguments of post-intellectuals. This film shows methods and aims of Cultural Reconstruction ; how the national culture of Republic of Korea separate with the pre-modern culture, differentiate from that of North Korea(DPRK), and will be a culture recognized dignity in the world culture. That is to say, the Cultural Reconstruction of the 1950's is nothing less than the Reconstruction of the nation-state itself.