Postmodernism revision

With Luke and Joe

MODERNISTS
Dont always have to think (Passive viewers) New is the best (car example) Follows trends almost blindly (such as Superdry and Gucci etc.) In films they would not make editing clear, so mediation is almost covered up Allows false realities such as Big Brother (criticised by Baudrillard and Charlie Brooker in 15 Million Merits)

Modernists and Structuralists

Fiske believes that we can only make sense of conventions from what we have seen in other texts. For example, our understanding of a car chase scene. Barthes has semiotic codes which form the basic for Fiskes idea. There is comparison from films to real life such as The Day After Tomorrow looking similar to 9/11.

THEORISTS (CONTINUED)
Derrida there is no genreless text. A clear example of a structuralist that postmodernists would attempt to defy. Talcott Parsons supports the traditional (and perhaps outdated) view of the Nuclear Family (husband, wife happily married with a son and daughter.) This was portrayed in Pleasantville, with the TV Show family showing Parsons view and the real world showing how his view isnt as applicable now.

Levi-Strauss Bricolage
Post-modern Can provide irony through intertextuality can criticise repetition through pastiche (e.g. references in Enchanted) Self-awareness can be used to criticise how Bricolage is used, furthering the irony. (e.g. I think we should split up. Really? from The Cabin In The Woods) Not Post-modern Another way of saying conventions or codes May not be critical, just a method of making a clichd story (e.g. the traditional Disney Princess movies)

Essay Introduction
Different types of Post-Modern: Historical the period after the collapse of the European Empires (Arnold Toynbee) Media more is becoming mediated due to a society dependent on technology. Medium is the message (Marshall McLuhan) Artistic Style over Substance (Strinati) in the 1980s fronted by pop artists like David Bowie and Adam Ant.

More Introduction
Define or summarise some postmodern texts. e.g. Postmodern texts may be identified by their lack of meaning or structure, which may also twist conventions and representations A good opportunity to put in the contrasting structuralist views such as Derrida or Fiske. Talk about how this defiance of structure can alienate an audience, only finding success in Niche or cult markets. Outline some texts and theorists, but as a reminder to stick to them and mention them through out.

Useful Terms
Post-Modernity historical period after WWII. Media and technology dominate society. Consumer Culture materialistic and trend following society (SuperBrands documentary) Hyperreality Simulated life dominated by Capitalist advertisments Simulacrum copies without an original (Baudrillard Cabin In The Woods subverts the overused conventions of horror movies) Multi-Accentuality meanings may change according to context and time

More Terms
Ideology a system of ideas and beliefs (Pleasantvilles metaphors for groups like the Nazis) Hegemony the dominant ideology in society (Stalin and communism, also shown in Pleasantville) Discourse theories being backed by other writers with shared views. E.g. Baudrillard and Charlie Brooker share a discourse when criticising the falseness seen in constant advertisements.

Levi-Strauss
Use him for the Bricolage theory and the idea of transposition. Transposition is seen in Wreck-It-Ralph, Pleasantville and Enchanted with an already established conventional character being transposed into a different movie world. You can also use his idea of Substitution as the settings are substituted for each other, making an original idea for narrative formed from various intertextual devices (overall it is an example of bricolage).

Gerard Genette and transtextuality

A good name to drop in when referencing the common use of Intertextuality. This is the use of quotes or samples from other texts, such as the use of Super Mario characters in Wreck-It-Ralph. This can be used either as a pastiche (no reason) or to parody it through irony. Metatextuality is also evident in numerous texts. It is a critic of a text from a character in another text.

Baudrillard
Nothing is real different perspectives and outlooks such as the picture of a pipe example. He sees a simulation filled with adverts and signs that mask reality. This creates a simulacra which has no reality and simulates a simulation (obviously shown in 15 Million Merits) 9/11 is the coverage not the event. Hyper-Reality Prepared reality with shows like The X Factor and Jerry Springer. Circular referentiality or the Mobius Strip a never ending process that looks like a circle. This can be flexible but will always begin at the end.

Lyotard No More Grand Narratives

Against histories big answers found through religion, science and politics. There are no universal solutions or Americans to save the day. Against the idea of good and evil. Prefers micro-narratives (Such as Inland Empire)

Frederic Jameson Anti-postmodernism

Pastiche references itself or uses intertextuality for no reason Parody humorous or ironic intertextual reference with an underlying point

Jonathon Kramer
Mentions everything that is postmodern. If you cant remember a theorist, remember Kramer. Mix of time (past and present) and space. Focus on irony. No boundaries in class, structure, culture (pop music isnt always bad). embraces contradictions. Intertextual quotes. Technology as an instrument. Discontinuities and fragmentations. Eclecticism and a wide knowledge. Allows the audience to have various interpretations.

Strinati
Easy to remember for style over substance Confusions of time and space No distinction between class and art forms Decline of Meta-Narratives

BIOSHOCK INFINITE
Style over Substance: Steampunk style the clash of steam powered machines and Victorian fashion. Shows a confusion of time. The game is set in the 1920s, but features futuristic technology such as an entire flying city.

Criticises Grand Narrative

Shows Lyotards idea of the problems of religion and brainwashing ideology, similar to the Nazi parties. This includes the hegemonic idea from the 20s where there was racism and segregation against different races.

Confusions of Time and Space

A character goes to the 80s and brings back Cyndi Laupers Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Genette Intertextuality) he then changes it into a 1920s style swing song. This breaks the boundaries between cultures and different styles of music by using a sample (Kramer). There is a pastiche or maybe even a homage to Star Wars, with a cinema screening La Revenge du Jedi a french working title for one of the movies. Again this is an ironic intertextual reference using the confusions of time and space.

Star Wars intertextuality 1920s character TIME PORTAL

Circular Structure or Mobius Strip (Baudrillard)

There are numerous realities where the protagonist appears as either good or bad depending on his different life choices. Whichever choice is made, the game always ends the same, which a self-reflexive quote said by another character every choice you make, we end up here. The beginning and the end are the same scenes, showing no real structure (Kramer). The resolve is always the death of the main character which shows there is no grand solution (Lyotard).

Wreck-It-Ralph
Ralph is a stereotypical 8-bit villain, similar to Donkey Kong. Despite being the antagonist, he is the films protagonist, showing a blurring of structures and a defiance and subversion of Propps clichd character types.

Intertextuality + Confusions of Time and Space

We see characters from established games such as Super Mario and Pac-Man interact with each other (Intertextual Genette). There is also an evident clash between different generations (Strinati) of video games. These classic arcade games clash with newer high definition games, with a halo style FPS. The juxtaposition of the colours and graphics in these contrasting games presents irony (Jameson)

Structures adapt when they are changed Talcott Parsons

By the end of the film the characters learn to blend their structures and live in harmony without the confines of their genres, or structures. This is also seen in Pleasantvilles final scenes.

VIDEOGAME CHARACTER 8-bit antagonist and hero BRICOLAGE

cute and casual gaming character

Futuristic shooter character

Community
An American teen comedy TV Show set in a community college featuring strange and random characters. The show doesnt have much of a structure or a large narrative. Each episode is a micro-narrative that will parody certain films, such as Pulp Fiction or just a whole genre, such as horror for each Halloween episode. Some characters show a strong correlation to different theories.

Style over Substance + Bricolage - Community

Jeff Winger: a smooth lawyer who cares more about his appearance than personality. He will always assume the role of a leader in the Action based episodes, showing a bricolage (Strauss) of characters like James Bond, John McClane and James T. Kirk. This presents an argument that all leading characters can be transposed into different stories without affecting the narrative greatly.

Intertextuality - Community
Abed is a self-aware character obsessed with pop culture, fuelling the numerous parodies and intertextual and metatextual references. He is very awkward due to asperges syndrome, which seems to make him believe he is certain characters such as Batman, or Han Solo. He constantly talks about the shows structure, which confuses the other characters. He states I hope we do Die Hard this Christmas. The writers may use him to criticise the theories of Fiske, as he uses films to help him understand the real world and this hardly ever works out well.

No More Grand Narratives? Community

The character Shirley Bennett is highly religious and constantly talks about the lord. However, many scenes show her being violent or an alcoholic for comedic irony, showing a pastiche of religion failing to make a person behave in a certain way. This would correspond well with Lyotards view that there are no solutions found in religion.

SPRING BREAK YALL.

Spring Breakers (Heavy PoMo)

The film follows a non-linear structure and the shots are not in a chronological order therefore subverts Todorovs theory of Equilibrium. Intertexturality (Genette) conventional music in a holiday film would be dance/dubstep music, however in this film this is substituted with hip-hop. This could connote a sign of danger as the Kramers identification of fragmentations is evident with James Francos repetition of the phrase spreeeeng breeeeyk. It could be seen as some sort of chanted ritual and social commentary on modern day teenagers who see holidays as a religious celebration. The film itself twists the conventions of a teen party film and becomes a hybrid with a crime film too. Defies and follows Levi Strauss idea of Bricolage by taking different films that have repetition in recent times such as Project X, 21 & Over and even The Hangover and criticises them in a pastiche manner demonstrating the dangers behind teen holidays. This is the underlying message of the film. Strinatis theory of Style Over Substance applies as throughout most of the film shots of naked girls distract a passive audience from the underlying message. Spring breakers is constructed of micro-narratives (Lyotard) as nothing is actually resolved by the end of the film and there is no back story. The characters are also only followed whilst on spring break. Therefore the film could be about the actual characters within Spring Break as opposed to the characters themselves as after a character leaves the holiday they are never seen again. This shows their substance rather than the stylish party lifestyle. (Strinati)

Bricolage (Levi Strauss and Baudrillard)

copies of copies

David Bowie Ashes To Ashes (PoMo Music Video)

The music video and the song itself are both very intertextual as the song references other songs and albums by Bowie such as Space Oddity and Low. Intertextuality within the video (Genette) is shown throughout with references to The Wizard Of Oz and Star Trek with Bowies funky outfits. This is done for seemingly no reason other than irony. (Jameson says that postmodern media texts are heavily ironic) The video itself subverts Derridas theory of everything having a genre as he claims that there is no such thing as a genre-less text. It is hard to distinguish what genre this wacky video would be categorised into. Unlinked micro-narratives show a futuristic sci-fi setting with padded cells contasting with a old musical, this shows confusions between time and space (Kramer).

Bricolage Levi Strauss/Baudrillard copies of copies

Intertextuality and confusions between time and space

Ashes To Ashes

Star Trek

The Wizard of Oz

Cabin In The Woods

The film is a sattire parody follows the characters within a simulation (Baudrillard - Hyperreality) of a horror film controlled by the directors themselves. This subverts Fiskes theory of recognisable characters and conventions as the directors are the antagonists as opposed to the monstrosities we see. Upon doing so this breaks the fourth wall (Vincent Canby) and conveys the concept of bricolage (Levi Strauss/Baudrillard) by demonstrating that the only unique elements of a horror film are the actual designs and ideas behind the monstrosities at times. A lot of the times we see a copy of others such as ghosts or paranormal antagonists in every horror film of 2012. The fact that the protagonists are under surveillance by the directors and are trapped in this hyperreal world conveys Foucaults idea of the panopticon. The appearance of a variety of monstrosities such as Dracula, Zombies and Frankenstein conveys confusions between time and space as these characters are from a variety of different time periods. (Kramer) The fact that these characters are in this film together is intertextual. No More grand narratives by Lyotard also applies when at the end of the film the world is crushed by the foot of a god. self-reflexivity makes the film ironic, especially when one of the characters is about to drive into a invisible wall and says dont worry this wont kill me and then dies. This subverts the expectations of the genre when the hero seemingly dies then returns out of nowhere. we should split upreally? questions one of the characters in one of the scenes. Which connotes that they are aware that they are in a horror film as whenever characters split upwe know they gon die.

The appearance of a variety of monstrosities such as Dracula, Zombies and Frankenstein conveys confusions between time and space as these characters are from a variety of different time periods.

Thank You. The End or The Beginning, you choose. (Kramer)