Advanced Portfolio Research – Media A2

Jane Lawrance61589

Definition of Postmodernism

Defining Postmodernism is very hard to do as it is a very open term and covers a variety of different ideas.

Put simply, being postmodern in media is taking an existing idea and challenging people to see it

differently. Trying to take new meanings using old ideas. Re-vamping. Re-styling. Re-thinking.

Genre Theory

I always hope that if one million people see my movie, they saw a million

different movies” – Quentin Tarantino

Hollywood FilmSteven Spielberg famously said; “If a person can tell me the idea in 25 words

or less it’s going to be a pretty good movie” this suggests that Hollywood films have very simplistic clearly defined genres and do not like to deviate within their work. Hollywood has very fixed conventions when it comes to

film making because of this. The Ancient Greeks took it upon themselves to use the term genre as a sort of quality control to their plays. They were

labelled as either ‘Comedy’ or ‘Tragedy’.

Alternative/ Creative Film

This new age of film defies the conventions of the Hollywood films and instead challenges its audiences. The genres of these films are less clearly defined and are open

to multiple interpretations. Tarantino is known for producing postmodern films and being extremely diverse and creative with his genres, frequently creating hybrids,

sub and mixed genres.

Django Unchained (2013) Quentin Tarantino Reservoir Dogs (1992) Quentin Tarantino

Lacey’s Model on GenreLacey suggests, with this model,

that genre is a ‘Negotiation’ between Audiences and Producers. However, it is debateable who has the greater influence on the film’s final cut. Hollywood critics suggest

that the producers have the greater influence or dominance because

they decide and have the last say over the output.

An example of the ‘negotiation’ between these points is Kill Bill

(2003) Quentin Tarantino where the genre is not conventional, Tarantino mixes different genres to defy these

conventions.

Genre

Producers

Audiences Film

Adorno and HorkheimerAdorno and Horkheimer were European critics of Hollywood. They said that Hollywood’s mass production of film created a repetitive ‘standardisation’ of conventions that where dominated with one ideology that communicates to the lowest common denominator of ‘mass consumption’. Their critic has helped film evolve with the use of ‘sub genres’, ‘mixed genres’ and ‘Hybrids’.

Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer

Genre and Conventions

Genre is a French word, the word is used to categorise films by the similarities and stereotypes they have.

Genres normally hold codes and conventions which audience expect to see in a certain genre; E.g. Blood in the trailer suggest the film will be in the horror

genre. Postmodern films play with this by creating hybrid genres, for example; Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino uses martial arts and film noir (femme fatales)

to create a hybrid genre.

Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino

Genre TheoryPostmodern films like to challenge the conventions of other films by creating sub, mixed and hybrid genres. Tarantino is a great example of this as all of his films steal ideas from other films and use hyper violence to challenge the themes of these films; examples of this include; Inglorious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino and Django Unchained (2012) Quentin Tarantino. Because of this Tarantino can be called an Auteur because he has his own style; Poetic violence.

Django Unchained (2012)Quentin Tarantino

Inglorious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino

Hollywood genre originated from the Greek idea of genre to categorise films so the audiences knows what they are watching. The problem with this is, if you’ve seen one of these big budget Hollywood genres, you have seen every other film in the genre. Where’s the fun in that?

Postmodern film, on the other hand, aims to excite its audiences keeping them interested because their genres are harder to define. This is because postmodern films mix up their genres creating sub and hybrids e.g. Spoof Horror, Rom-Com. These films create new film favourites and in some cases Scream (1996) Wes Craven creates all new iconography. As well as this Tarantino uses other films iconography in his films; e.g. the yellow jumpsuit in Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino.

Scream (1996)Wes Craven

Kill Bill (2003)Quentin Tarantino

Postmodern Films• Postmodern films challenge genre

conventions using intertextual references.

• Another way we categorise films other than genre is ‘style’ of the director known as Auterism.

• Tarantino’s postmodern style can

label him as an auteur. He is known for his hyper violence; take no prisoners movies such as Django Unchained (2013) and Inglorious Basterds (2009).

Inglorious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino

Postmodern Theory

“I steal from every movie ever made” - Quentin Tarantino

Postmodern TheoryPostmodernist are all about making challenging films. By creating a hybrid genre they can explore new ways of representing and relating themes through film. The postmodern age is challenging, it takes the ideas of our age; digital, computer and the nuclear advances and tries to confuse our ideas about them and make them global ideas.

Ideas from the 1960s onwards reflect society’s insecurities in a media saturated world. Where the

ideas appear unclear. This is called a global homogenised culture. The ‘postmodern condition’; feeling unsure about the world. Not knowing your

place anymore, postmodern films explore this anxiety. Postmodernism challenges ideas in a confused world. They use references and update ideas (Hybrids) to off

challenging narratives, representations and use of a high art style.

Postmodern uses in mediaPostmodern films use several techniques to create the new interesting effects in their films. Here are a few examples;

Narratives that question whether the progress we are making now is for the ‘good’ of society. A critique

of our mass producing ways. E.g. Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott.

Narratives which involve themes that challenge film narrative conventions (Anti Heroes/ unclear or mixed representations). E.g. Pulp Fiction (1994) Quentin Tarantino.

Non- Linear narratives – Anything that challenges the conventional 3 act

structure by disrupting the chronology of the narrative. E.g. Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino, Memento (2000) Christopher

Nolan.

Anti-Narratives – disrupt the narrative, Guy Ritchie uses this, E.g. Sherlock Holmes

(2009) and Snatch (2000) Guy Ritchie.

Meta – reference – when the audience is made aware they are watching a ‘film’. i.e. Talking to the camera. E.g. Being John Malkovich (1999) Spike Jouze.

Values/ ideology – postmodern media products tend to leave judgements up to the individual and challenge morals rather than making their values/ ideology obvious.

Intertextuality – making references to other media texts for effect, for

pleasure or as ‘homage’, to show respect, makes an audience active

with the text. E.g. Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino – makes

references to Film Noir, Yakuza, Martial Arts and Spaghetti Western

films.

Intertextuality is also used in ‘Parody’ or ‘satire’ of other texts. E.g. The Simpsons and South Park.

Simulacra/ hyper reality – put simplistically, postmodernists argue that as a result of media saturation we live in a new reality where the differences between the ‘real world’ and the ‘new media reality’ are blurred. This allows a new outlook on representation. E.g. The Matrix (1999) Andy and Lana Wachowski.

High art styles – filming techniques that challenge conventional ideas (art house films) e.g. Anime used in

Kill Bill (2003) Quentin Tarantino.

Mixing/ blurring the genres of film to create new hybrids/ new versions.

Pastiche is a straight copy of the original text. E.g. the remakes of Oceans 11 (2001) Steven Soderbergh, Shaft (2000) John Singleton and Get Carter (2000) Stephen Kay

Bricolage – Almost stealing images/objects from other films or styles; usually used to create new meanings through high art styles. E.g. Yellow Jumpsuit in Kill Bill.

Postmodern theorists

Jean-Francois Lyotard He had the idea of challenging meta-narratives, or grand narratives. The type of narrative was normally found in Hollywood films and so the postmodern film makers wanted to move away from the conventional and challenge it.Lyotard wanted to get rid of old fashioned dominant ideas, saying that the ‘fixed’ truths from the past must be challenged due to our confused postmodern condition. Tarantino has embraced this and loves to challenge Hollywood narratives, for example; Django Unchained (2012) Quentin Tarantino challenges the conventional slave film narrative.

Jean BaudrillardJean Baudrillard liked the idea

of Simulacra/ Hyper reality. He said that it is important to

explore the difference between the real and the fake because

we live in a virtual world of confusing reality and there for sometimes we don’t know the

difference. Postmodern film makers reflect this e.g. The

Matrix (1999) Andy and Lana Wachowski.

Frederic JamesonFollowing Adorno and Horkheimer’s analysis of the culture industry, Jameson discussed his own views on postmodernism in his critical discussion of film, narrative and the visual arts. He claimed that postmodernism is characterized by a use of Pastiche in film. That everything is ultimately a copy of something but by copying it we should challenge the past ideas.Postmodernists take ideas from the past and challenge them BUT unlike Jameson they update the themes and morals creating Hybrid genres and not straight copies. E.g. Inglorious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino has ideas borrowed from The Dirty Dozen (1967) Robert Aldrich.

Narratives

Narrative theory

In this section I will explore the theorists; Propp, Todorov, Strauss and Barthes.

Each of them had theories on narratives and structure that are still used today by Hollywood

and Postmodernists alike.

Vladimir ProppVladimir Propp analysed the basic plot

components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible

narrative elements. In doing so he was able to identify the norm for film

narrative structures and come up with character profiles for these films too,

for example; Hero, Villain, Damsel and Helper.

Postmodernists tend to play around with these roles and create new ones

such as The ‘Postmodern Cowboy’ usually found in Dystopia films. E.g. 28

Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle.

Tzvetan TodorovTodorov was a philosopher who studied narrative structure he came up with his 3 act structure which is titled with 3 words; Equilibrium, Disequilibrium and New-Equilibrium. Postmodernists like to play with the order or these and create films that start at the Disequilibrium or even those that mix up the three entirely. E.g. Memento (2000) Christopher Nolan.

Levi StraussLevi Strauss believes the use of

opposing themes helps to create a better structure. The theme that are used consist of: Age, Gender,

Ethnicity, Sexuality, Social Class etc. Postmodernist like to explore and

challenge these themes in their films; e.g. Jackie Brown (1997)

Quentin Tarantino explores and challenges Ethnicity and Gender.

Roland BarthesBarthes created Enigma codes also known as the mystery of film. Throughout films you ask questions about the information you are given, the mysteries in these films are called Enigmas, like a code to be cracked and are used frequently in postmodern films such as; Sherlock Holmes (2009) Guy Ritchie.

Crime Genre

From the Original Gangsters to Postmodern Crime

Origin of the Crime Genre

Crime Genre originated in the 1920s silent era from Hollywood

Gangster films. Crime has evolved through the years but tends to

keep one common theme, each era tends to reflect society’s crime

waves and fears. For example; the 1930s films reflected the

prohibition era of the 1920s where organised criminal acts were

facilitated by the prohibition of alcohol. To the left we see three of the first crime films all of which are

directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The Lodger (1927) Alfred Hitchcock

Blackmail (1929) Alfred Hitchcock

The Pleasure Garden (1925) Alfred Hitchcock

Generic Iconography

Themes: ‘Ascension’ Killing/Gang Rivals / Heists

Characters: The Alienated Hero/ Buddies/ Hit Men/ Henchmen/ Bent Cops/ Good Cops/ ‘Canaries’- rats/ Femme Fatales

Mise en scene: Tuxedos/ Suits/ Dark Lighting/ Dark Rundown sets/ High Status Cars

Sound: Moody Scores/ ‘Wise Guys’ Language

Time line• 1930 Original Gangster Films• 1940/50 Film Noir• 1940/50 British Noir• 1960s Crime Capers• 1970/80s Gritty Gangster Epic• 1970/80s Blaxploitation• 1970/80s Gritty British Crime• 1990 to present Postmodern Crime• 1990s British Postmodern

Gangster

1930s - Original gangster

This era of Crime films reflects the prohibition era of the 1920s. In this era real mobsters such as

Al Capone took control of bootlegging through their

speakeasies. Most of the crime was in reaction to the prohibition

of alcohol. E.g. ‘Little Ceaser’ (1930), ‘the Public Enemy’ (1931),

‘Lime house Blues’ (1934).

Jean Parker and George Raft inLime house Blues (1934) Alexander Hall

1940/50s – Film NoirThis era has iconic imagery and takes its inspiration from the 1930s. Film Noir uses minimal sets and dark lighting to update the themes of the time and create a more sinister look. These films reflected wartime turmoil and included confused roles for the gender being forward the concepts of the alienated hero and the femme fatales. E.g. ‘the Big Sleep’ (1946), ‘Key Largo’ (1948) and ‘Touch of Evil’ (1958).

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in Key Largo (1948) John Huston

1940/50s – British Noir

British Crime followed Film Noir conventions

trying to document the darker side of civilian life.

British Noir normally reflected the post war

anxieties of society. E.g. Brighton Rock (1947) and

The Third Man (1949).

Richard Attenborough as ‘Pinky Brown’ inBrighton Rock (1947) John Boulting

1960s – Crime Capers

The ‘swinging 60s’ brought forward a new type of social and economic optimism and the crime films of the era embraced it

and started to positively portray art with light hearted narratives and ‘loveable rogues’. E.g. Oceans 11 (1960) Starring Frank

Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy David Jnr.

Oceans Eleven (1960) Lewis Milestone

1960s – British Crime CapersThese British Crime Capers mixed the concepts of comedy movies and heist movies together using ‘Cheeky Cockney’ Characters of

the Ealing Comedy era. They often used romantic European settings a great example of a British Crime Caper is ‘the Italian

Job’ (1969).

1970/80s – Gritty Gangster Epics

These films focused on reflecting the economic downturn of the 1970s

with hard hitting bosses ‘Dons’ and drug pushing.

E.g. the Godfather (1972), Mean Streets

(1973) and Scarface (1983).

Al Pacino in Scarface (1983) Brain De Palma

1970/80s - BlaxploitationThese filmed aimed to reflect the civil rights issues of the time with mainly all black casts and directors, except for Shaft. The films dealt with issues of racism, prostitution and drug use by often switching or using stereotyped characters. E.g. Shaft (1971) and Foxy Brown (1973).

Pam Grier in Foxy Brown (1973)

1970/80s - Gritty British crimeThese films emerged

from the harsh economic depression from the late

60s and early 70s, the films reflected the

importance of gangland figures such as the Kray

Twins. E.g. Get Carter (1971) and THE Long Good Friday (1981).Michael Caine in Get Carter (1971)

1990 - British Postmodern Gangster

Borrowing ideas from British Crime iconography, often using

the idea of ‘New Laddism’ of the 1990s. Hybrids offered mixed representations and heavily stylised production,

giving a new twist to existing ideas. E.g. Lock, Stock and Two

Smoking Barrels (1998), Sexy Beast (2000), Layer Cake (2004) and London to Brighton (2006).

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) Guy Ritchie

1990 to Present Postmodern Crime

These films reflect the postmodern age of film where society is overloaded with ideas and so borrows and references the past with new challenging narratives. A method used to create these new films is to create Hybrid genres by using heavily stylised and blurred representations. E.g. Pulp Fiction (1994), the Usual Suspects (1995) and Get Shorty (1996).

Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction (1994) Quentin Tarantino

Dystopia

Utopia and Dystopia,what’s the difference?

A Utopian world is a ‘perfect’ world. A Dystopia on the other hand is the opposite of a Utopia,

so it’s an imperfect world. As well as just being imperfect it is a world that is alien to us and

how the world is now. Most Dystopia and Post-apocalyptic films are set in the unsettled future

and show their audiences something they are unfamiliar with; these films tend to tackle fears

we have about the future and the unknown. For example; The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Roland Emmerich, 2012 (2009) Roland Emmerich, 28 Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle

and Metropolis (1928) Fritz Lang, they all represent the fears of their times: Global

Warming, The apocalypse, deadly viruses and Technology taking over.

28 Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle

Metropolis (1928) Fritz Lang

Generic ConventionsThe generic conventions of Dystopia films are:•That they are set in a dystopian world: A fictional reality in which everything is bad, typically set with a totalitarian ruler or an environmentally degraded world. The opposite of a Utopia.•Dystopia films normally explore postmodern themes through their use of challenging narrative themes; they offer their audience hyperrealism and an uneasy futuristic nightmare using pastiche to create hybrid genres.•Narratives take place in the aftermath of an event; typically war, plague, alien invasion etc.•Most of the movies ‘disasters’ have man-made causes.•Dystopia films reflect society’s fears: cold war, medical advances, environmental change, technology, economic cash etc.•Agrarian societies often develop.*•Possibility of human demise; survivors struggle to survive.•The films create a sense of finality, in some cases a new beginning/ survival/ re-birth.

*Agrarian – Agricultural based. Farming and Living simplistically. Societies return to a pre-industrialised world.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Roland Emmerich

Character typesThere are several different character types used

within Dystopia films because of the dystopic world several unconventional characters are used to show

how people react differently within new environments. Some of these include;

•The Heroic Protagonist Male - The most conventional character ever the main role being young, male, heroic, without weakness, etc.•The ‘Post-modern Cowboy’ – A loner, pushed into the narrative without choice, there is a constant threat of violence and danger towards him but he survives against the odds.•Groups/Tribes (animal like) seeking to profit from violent anarchy. Hero encounters these tribes they will more than likely try to hurt or kill him. He will confront them on his terms (Savage, anarchic responses).•Human Survivor groups – small groups from pre-apocalyptic modern world, struggling to survive the new world. Look to the hero for help and remind him of the past and its humanity and sometimes they offer hope for the future.•The Helper – often from the alien/infected race who plays assistant to the hero in his quest.

The ‘ Postmodern Cowboy’ in 28 Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle

The Heroic Protagonist Male in 2012 (2009) Roland Emmerich

Sub genresDystopia normally stems out in to loads of sub genres as the themes that are challenged in such films are so wildly different and can be tackled in different ways. These are just a few of the sub genres seen within Dystopic films;

•Science Fiction – These films give a sense of ‘science gone wrong’ where the future is controlled by a big brother scenario; these films relate to the fears of the societies at the time e.g. Metropolis (1928) Fritz Lang, Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott, The Terminator (1984) James Cameron and The Matrix (1999) Andy and Lana Wachowski.•Post-apocalyptic – End of the world scenario, limited survivors. Includes ideas of Darwinism, this reflects the notion of survival, normally explores the concepts of us adapting to new environments, who will survive and eventually advance the new order and new society? E.g. Planet of the Apes (1968) Franklin J. Schaffner, Mad Max (1979) George Miller and The Road (2009) John Hillcoat.•Horror – presenting a chaotic world of mutants/ zombies created from human genetic research. E.g. Dawn of the Dead (1978) George A. Romero, 28 Days Later (2009) Danny Boyle, I am Legend (2007) Francis Lawrence and World War Z (2013) Marc Forster.

The Terminator (1984) James Cameron

The Road (2009) John Hillcoat

World War Z (2013) Marc Forster

Time line 1920s - Pre - war1960s - Post - war1970s/80s - Advances in Technology1990s to present - Advances in Medicine and

Science, Environmental Disasters.

1920s – Pre-WarSociety has fears of mass production and totalitarianism. Films normally showed this through Big Brother Style Scenarios. E.g. Metropolis (1927) Fritz Lang.

Metropolis (1927) Fritz Lang

1960s – Post-War

Society fears a cold war, nuclear

Armageddon and invasion. Post-

Apocalyptic ideas start to emerge. E.g.

Planet of the Apes (1968) Franklin J.

Schaffner.

Planet of the Apes (1968) Franklin J. Schaffner

1970/80s – Advances in TechnologyThis generation fear technological advances, genetic modification, computers and robots having power and authoritarian states. E.g. Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott and The Terminator (1984) James Cameron.

Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott

The Terminator (1984) James Cameron

1990s to Present – Science and The Environment

Society starts to fear the fast advance in science leading to cloning or genetic research gone to far. Dystopia themes start to

come through in the films. Environmental disasters are also incorporated, the human race is nearly always the problem. E.g.

28 days later (2002) Danny Boyle, District 9 (2009) Niell Blomkamp and 2012 (2009) Roland Emmerich.

28 Days Later (2002) Danny Boyle

Postmodern film directors

Quentin TarantinoTaratino is known for his hyper violent movies. One of his past jobs was working as a shop assistant in a video store, as a result he watched a lot of films and openly admits to using ideas from other films in his own, examples include; Reservoir Dogs, 1992 (influenced by the original Oceans 11, 1960), Django Unchained, 2012 (Influenced by Django, 1966) and Inglorious Basterds, 2009 (influenced by The Dirty Dozen, 1967). He loves to take ideas from these films and re vamp them. His postmodern style is heavily stylised, uses controversial/ challenging narratives/representations and plays with genre conventions.

He is also known for bringing back Actors from the original films to act in the new ones. E.g. Pam Grier in Jackie Brown (1997) was in Foxy Brown (1974) and Franco Nero was in the original Django (1966) and has a small part in Django Unchained (2012).

Use of Strong Female RolesTaratino is also known for his use unconvential representations, often using strong women as his protagonists to challenge conventions. These films include; Kill Bill (2003) uses Intertextual referencing and Bricolage. It brings together loads of styles from several different genres; Spaghetti Westerns, Yakuza, Bruce-lee films and Film Noir. As well as this Taratino borrows camera techniques from these styles such as fast zooming and extreme close ups. As well as this Tarantino uses Antripamoric animation using accentuated features from graphic novels. Jackie Brown (1997) is another one of Tarantino’s films that empowers the female protagonist. He has borrowed the font style from the original 1974 film Foxy Brown which also stars Pam Grier as well as this the film is very 70s orientated set with black civil rights movement, soul music.

Guy RitchieRitchie is a British ‘mockney’ director famous for his stylised, stereotypical depictions of criminal underworlds using fast paced editing from fast to low motion to freeze frames.Some of his films include:Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)Snatch (2000)Sherlock Holmes (2011)

David FincherA US Director, started off working on Music videos, including: Madonna and Aerosmith. He then moved on to films dealing with challenging narratives. His films include:Alien 3 (1992)Se7en (1995)The Social Network (2010)The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Jim JarmuschJarmusch is a well known director famous for his static camera work (deadpan) and personalised narratives and showing an uncommon viewpoint of the world. He was parodied in The Simpsons as the strange ‘Art House’ director. His films include:Night on Earth (1991)Dead Man (1995)Ghost Dog: The way of the Samurai (1999)

Spike JonzeJonze came to fame through directing music videos, including; Bjork and the Beastie Boys. He uses off beat and hyper real narratives and sets that involve live action and surreal animation with CGI sequences.His films include:Adaptation (2002)Jackass (2002)

Christopher NolanA British born director. He is famous for his non-linear narratives and cross cutting scenes of parallel action.His Films include:Memento (2000)The Dark Knight (2008)Inception (2010)

Edgar WrightBritish Director, Actor and Producer sprung to fame after working with Simon Pegg on the TV Series “Spaced”. He is known for his use of parody and comedy. His films include:Shaun of the Dead (2004)Hot Fuzz (2008)Scott Pilgrim VS The World (2010)The Worlds End (2013)