Postmodernism and Film/TV
‘Ultimately post modernism is a vague term. However in its eclecticism lies its power to be none or anti-essentialist. It neither has nor provides a fixed meaning, in its pluralism lies its ability to be read either positively or negatively’
Susan Haywood,
Susan Haywood,
Cinema Studies the key concepts, 2013
Generally postmodernist can be not as extreme in their experimental use of film form or narrative as other types of experimental film and generally date from 1990s onwards as that was when the term became widely used and applied.
They may be of standard length and may be released and consumed within the mainstream of rather than linked to visual art movements or philosophical movements. They may bend the rules of narrative and film form conventions within a fairly traditional structure or feature more consistent use of cause and effect or mise-en-scene while using one or more of the central elements of postmodernist techniques listed previously.
Generally postmodernist can be not as extreme in their experimental use of film form or narrative as other types of experimental film and generally date from 1990s onwards as that was when the term became widely used and applied.
They may be of standard length and may be released and consumed within the mainstream of rather than linked to visual art movements or philosophical movements. They may bend the rules of narrative and film form conventions within a fairly traditional structure or feature more consistent use of cause and effect or mise-en-scene while using one or more of the central elements of postmodernist techniques listed previously.
TASK : Select three films/TV programmes you feel are postmodernist and explain why they are, focusing on the postmodernist techniques and features they contain. ( reflexivity,intertextuality, eclectism, use of parody/pastiche,experiments in film form and narrative, focus on subjective experience rather than objective reality ,dark and cynical tone etc)
EXAMPLES
Deadpool ( reflexive voiceover, dark ironic tone )
Adaptation reflexive narrative and reflexive and ironic use of voiceover
Dogville artificial mise-en-ecene
Donnie Darko fractured and cyclical narrative
Memento fractured and reversed narrative
Grand Budapest Hotel deliberately artificial mise-en-scene
Adaptation reflexive narrative and reflexive and ironic use of voiceover
Dogville artificial mise-en-ecene
Donnie Darko fractured and cyclical narrative
Memento fractured and reversed narrative
Grand Budapest Hotel deliberately artificial mise-en-scene
also many intertextual references and pastiches
Reservoir Dogs intertextual references , parody/pastiche of other films/genres, dark ironic tone, mixed low/high cultural references ,
Far From Heaven extended parody/pastiche of 1940s melodrama
Mulholland Drive / Lost Highway ( David Lynch ) fractured unresolved narratives
The Simpsons use of intertextuality and pastiche/parody, breaking 4th wall = reflexive
Rick and Morty intertextuality, dark ironic tone, pastiche and parody, reflexive
No comments:
Post a Comment