Postmodernism Cinema - Essay Example

Postmodernism Cinema Affiliation] Introduction In the world today, most advocates stipulate that were live in ‘postmodern’ times. However, the term has been devalued in the past few decades. Though the term may have been regarded as concise in the past, it is today thinly spread over a broad range of social and cultural contexts. This issue is as true in film studies as in other aspects of the society. Postmodernity has become common while trying to characterize cinema in the 21st century. What the term suggests regarding contemporary film or the present-day society is far from agreed (Tudor, 2002). This paper examines the term ‘postmodernism’ as depicted in Andrew Tudor’s work “From Paranoia to Postmodernism: The Horror Movie in the Late Modern Society.” Discussion Postmodernism Cinema The term postmodernism has been widely applied in contemporary horror films. Various discussions regarding the applicability of the term started in the past century. For instance, in 1986, Tania Modleski managed to establish the relationship between the present developments in the horror film industry and postmodern theory. In 1989, the Tudors study about “Monsters and Mad Scientists” showed that particular aspects affiliated with modern horror is linked to at least some cultural and social changes, which can be considered as postmodern. In 1990, Noel Carroll made a similar point in a subtle manner (Tudor, 2002). He stipulated that horror genre in the contemporary world serves as an exoteric expression portraying similar feelings that are evident in the case of intelligentsia based on the concept of postmodernism. In this case, the arguments reveal that it is vital for humans to diagnose the current society with regard to postmodernism. As such, it is challenging to resist the cultural resonance, which reflects postmodern horror. In this case, the term can be regarded as descriptive in an unproblematic manner. It should not be aimed at making few attempts to evaluate the proposition that reveals there is something regarding modern horror movies which creates a need for illustration (Totaro, 2013). Presently, postmodern horror films demand little or no illustration of what that implies or involves. With regard to the issue of postmodernism and contemporary horror films, it is possible for people to stipulate that they live in a period characterized by ‘postmodern’ horror. In this case, this issue can be examined and assessed in three different ways. Firstly, diagnosis of current horror films as being distinctively postmodern is a claim regarding stylistic properties of texts (Tudor, 2002). The particular techniques or styles may be regarded as postmodern. Secondly, the with respect to wider level of generality, the description entails stylistic features, but in addition treats them as indicative of larger moral and cultural pattern changes. In this case, postmodernism is viewed globally as a doctrine that reflects an ideology and philosophy. Thirdly, the argument targets postmodernity as an indication of postmodernism. Here, it is true that certain aesthetic attributes should be treated as postmodern (Totaro, 2013). This is because there is an emerging trend that reflects postmodern moral and cultural changes. Nonetheless, all these should be considered as part of historical switch from modernity to postmodernity. In this case, postmodernity is indicative of the transition from the changes that have been witnessed before (Tudor, 2002). In each of these three stages pertaining to ladder of generality, successive claims pose significant challenges while trying to sustain them. As such, the weight for sufficient evidence needed to make them plausible becomes highly demanding. For instance, for a film such as “Scream,” its successors, sequels, and imitators are regarded as being postmodern based on their overt resort to various unique textual features (Boggs & Pollard, 2003). Use of humor and pastiche is considered inviting to the allowing them to become self-aware and complicit. As such, they find it possible to participate in the concept of ‘knowing subgenre deconstructions’ by Paul Wells. In the case of Wells, he disposed commentators in a similar manner based on the postmodern horror film. This genre emphasizes on articulating the rules influencing the game and showing the ways in which they should be deconstructed. In this case, they manage to speak limitedly based on the culture producing them (Tudor, 2002). For Wells, he regrets that the alleged diminution portrayed by the power of horror movies and considers it as a logical outcome with respect to ‘McDonaldization of horror.’ Nonetheless, other individuals are exposed to this form of ‘postmodern’ film. Just as it is the case with postmodernism in architecture, the major context in which the term was considered as entering common parlance, it was celebrated based on the self-consciousness and pastiche they portray (Jameson, 2007). This is because it freed the alleged modernism strictures. As such, postmodern horror film can be valued in a positive manner based on the aesthetic reflexivity it offers. The adoption of the term ‘postmodernism in this case is not inappropriate. It is somehow useful based on the attention is draws to certain artistic traits of recent horror films. Nevertheless, based on the additional cultural and social baggage offered by postmodernism, the invitation offered presumes generalized claims, which indicate that analytic disadvantages outweigh the benefits (Tudor, 2002). In this case, it is rare for postmodern analysts in films or other fields to limit the term’s application to either aesthetic or descriptive purposes. They escalate to generality’s second level at a rapid pace, where the purpose of postmodern horror is aimed at invoking the entire series of assumptions based on the unique nature of moral and cultural context in which horror develops. There are certain ideas that are commonly attributed to postmodernism (Jameson, 2007). These include denial or narrative conventions, rejection of outdated forms that are regarded as inappropriate in the case of contemporary life, rise of ‘nihilism and relativism,’ and reduction of fixed identity. The characteristic traits that are attributed to the end of twentieth century are considered as embodying there traits with horror without any form of exception. A common challenge associated with such opinions, however, is that they do not fail to portray the evident traits of the age (Jameson, 2007). This is because they do so clearly especially in the entire twentieth century. Therefore, for instance, the transition evident in literature as well as art in the realism of the nineteenth century has been portrayed in these terms. They include fragmentation, relativism, innovation of narrative, and variable narrative. As such, questions have been raised as to what characterizes postmodern horror. Experts have shown that it does not exceed postmodern concept of in the case of traditional world attributed to popular culture. As such, questions arise as to whether it merits the unique traits associated with it by the qualities that aim at seeing postmodernism in the perspective of culture as an image of profound alterations (Boggs & Pollard, 2003). A stimulating example affiliated with second level generality analysis prevails in the case of postmodernism. The postmodern horror film is regarded as transgressing classic horror movies, which increasingly deal with hybrid genres. It also constructs an audience with whom overturning of conventions is considered a revolutionary convention. Moreover, five traits are associated with postmodern genre. These include endemic danger, blurred boundaries, unremitting everyday life violence, authority undermined and rationality questions, and extreme violence. These are aimed at attesting the need for expressing range as well as terror in the perspective of postmodern social confusion (Totaro, 2013). Nonetheless, with regard to these features, difficulties arise when demarcating what postmodern horror implies. As such, these traits are generally associated with horror although they are associated with greater elaboration and intensity in the perspective of postmodern horror. None of these features are new. Indeed, this criterion somehow translates to open transgression that is applied in genre rules. This is particularly the case in the perspective of hybridity (Jameson, 2007). As such, one can note that the hybridity of the 1950s is similar to the one of the late twentieth century. In this case, the audience anticipates genre overturning conventions, which distinguish horror of the late twentieth century from traditional paranoid discourse. This means that it is an addition to the reflexivity on both the audience of genre as well as texts. However, questions arise as to whether this is enough to facilitate in locating contemporary horror as part of the broad postmodern culture (Boggs & Pollard, 2003). One of the major ways of dealing with these kinds of questions reflects the shift to levels that again amount to a case regarding the radical traits of the social change evident in the late twentieth century. This perspective suggests that the concept of postmodernity prevails in the case of late modern society. As such, postmodern horror is considered as no more than popular articulation of culture (Totaro, 2013). In this case, it is vital to note that the current state of affairs can be considered ‘postmodern,’ although it is subject to significant debate. In the case of those individuals that hold this opinion, it is true that what the world is experiencing today will help modernity understand itself. It will do this through a broadening capacity for institutional and individual reflexivity. In this case, the potential for providing reflexive awareness, especially with regard to doubting experts’ credibility as well as knowledge systems are implicit to the concept of modernity. As such, there is no need for postulating epochal translation in order to understand the features attributed to modern life. Doing so would mean misunderstanding the traits of modern culture and society (Tudor, 2002). Conclusion With regard to the issue of postmodernity, it is true that modern horror films, especially those incorporating popular culture tell people something regarding the society in which they live. That the society has gained awareness regarding the inherent risks. They are less convinced regarding the expertise systems that surround the society as well as the institutions aiming to regulate people.’ The self-aware concept has become unreliable whereas fear and anxiety have become more common. Nonetheless, attributing this to postmodernism is avoiding vital truth, with which the social, environmental, and cultural crises of the late modern period serve as modernity products. In addition, the capitalist forms of social and economic organization of postmodernity plays a vital role with regard to consummate expression. In this case, individuals cannot say that they are in the postmodern era until they manage to overcome the prevailing consequences of history. References Boggs, C., & Pollard, T. (2003). A World in Chaos: Social Crisis and the Rise of Postmodern Cinema. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Jameson, F. (2007). Postmodernism, Or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. New York: Duke University Press. Totaro, D. (2013). Monsters, Mad Scientists and Cultural Contexts of Horror. Retrieved from http://offscreen.com/view/monsters_mad_scientists Tudor, A. (2002). From Paranoia to Postmodernism: The Horror Movie in Late Modern Society. London: British Film Institute. Read More