Postmodernism and Contemporary Films - Coursework Example

Postmodernism and Contemporary Films Describing the contemporary films as postmodern is very important in understanding the film theories, use of technology and art and understanding the popular culture. Postmodernism refers to a philosophical discipline that rejects modernism and instead explores the nature of truth. Postmodern theorists argue that truth does not exist and, therefore, researchers should go further and what has not been covered in the previous theories (Murray 1995, p. 56). In the film making context, postmodernism manifests itself when film makers create film using the “high art” in painting and making animations. The contemporary films are highly sophisticated with many technologically operated machines. In other words, the film makers employ science fiction in creating the scene, for example, the travel to alien worlds using spacecrafts. The collage technique used in producing the visual arts also reveals how postmodernism has been invested in the contemporary films. Using the collage technique, film makers combine many traditional styles of art to make a unified structure. For example, the Run Lola Run is a postmodern film with lots of animations that are united together in a sequential order using the collage technique. The producer of this film seems to have created it for novelty purposes. This is a key characteristic of postmodernism. Other than in films, postmodernism has also been applied in other areas of study, for example, music, architecture, arts and design and more. The film500 Days of Summer, is a contemporary film that is relevant in describing the spread of popular culture through music. Postmodernism has brought about the development of popular cultures that are admired by many people, for example, the western culture, which has become dominant in most African countries (Nicolas 2002, p. 143). As stated earlier, postmodernism is a philosophical discipline that suggests that truth does not exist and it is relative, but, not universal (Murray 1995, p. 57). Postmodernists believe that there is much to cover and that man should go further and discover what has not been discovered before. When one describes the contemporary films as postmodern, he/she, therefore, means that the films destroy the basis for knowledge. In other words, the contemporary films have incorporated animations, science fiction and high artistic styles, which destroys the nature of truth. Most people, who have watched these films end up having corrupted knowledge according to the modernists, who believe that truth exists (Murray 1995, p. 59). Learners can understand how postmodernism is applied in films. Postmodernist theories have been used to expound more on the modernists’ theories. They open up the gaps that have been left by the modernist theories. For example, the construction of different artistic style to form a unified structure has not been achieved in the modern era. Some of the theories used to describe postmodernism manifestation in films include the film theory and the contemporary film theory (Nicolas 2002, p. 145).The film theory explores the possibilities that are depicted in films, music and other artistic works. The contemporary film theory describes how the modern movies have incorporated technology and high art in developing the scenes and shots. These theories are very important for learners as well as researchers in understanding transition from the modern era to the postmodernism era (Nicolas 2002, p. 146). On another different note, the study of postmodernism and particularly in films has greatly impacted the American education system. With the highly sophisticated films that have boomed in the American cities, many students have believed in the constructivism theories depicted in those movies. The stated theories are based on the fact that knowledge in “constructed” or invented in people’s minds. As a result, many students tend to discard what is taught in class and incorporate the animations, artistic styles and science fictions manifested in the contemporary films (Murray 1995, p. 56). Describing the contemporary film as postmodern is also relevant because people and particularly the students will understand the technology and the artistic styles used during film making. A major characteristic of the postmodernism in relation to films is that it emphasizes much on the visual arts and ironical representations in order to impress the viewers (Murray 1995, p. 67). Also, postmodern films depict how thinkers in the academic world have been creative in film making. Since the postmodern era is associated with the high influx of technology, the film makers have also utilized some technological devices in their work as an effort towards impressing more people using the visual arts. Postmodernists believe that the use of high art in the fields of study such as film making does not affect people’s culture, but, makes them become more creative (Murray 1995, p. 69). The Splice is a science fiction horror movie directed by Vincenzo Natali in 2009. The story involves a young couple who undergoes experiments in order to have a baby. The doctors apply genetic engineering techniques in developing the baby. They later attempt to splice animal genes using the human DNA. The highly sophisticated laboratories are of major concern in describing how technology has been used in film making. The techniques used in the experiments are also technological in that they directly relate to the characteristics of postmodernism (Murray 1995, p. 89). The film remains one of the best Canadian-French movies that illustrates the use of cloning techniques and high tech materials, which are postmodern. The film depicts the picture of how people can explore various techniques and discover new things. There is irony and playfulness in the movie which is meant to impress people and disintegrate their beliefs, as well. Most people today have embraced the postmodernist theories in their lives without knowing by believing in the science fictions which distort the nature of knowledge (Nicolas 2002, p. 149). In other words, the contemporary films have influenced people beliefs since they go further and explore the hidden aspects in academics, for example, science fiction. Following the advent of aesthetics modernity, many people have transformed their cultures as well as created new forms particularly in art (Nicolas 2002, p. 151). In the film context, aesthetic modernity can be shown by the many creative and visual arts that are applied in making the contemporary films. Due to the technological transformations, academic thinkers have developed high tech pictures and paintings that are very common in the postmodern films. In other words, in the postmodern era, people have invested much in creating forms that are for novelty purposes, but, not scientific ones. Postmodern filmmakers use the collage approach in making animations and horror pictures, which are daring, but, very attractive to many viewers (Nicolas 2002, p. 160). Characteristics of postmodernism in relation to films Some of the characteristics of postmodernism depicted in films include fragmentation, intertextuality and self-reflexivity (Nicolas 2002, p. 170). Postmodern filmmakers employ the fragmentation technique in plot development in their attempts to be unique and impressive. For example, the 500 Days of Summer is a famous comedy film that is fragmented, that is its events are not presented in chronological order. Intertextuality is another aspect of postmodernism revealed in the contemporary films. In this case, the works of art refer to each other through parody. In a parody, the visual arts are imitated with a playful satire in order to impress the viewers. Finally, the films are characterized with self-reflexivity where the actors refer to themselves in order to ascertain their constructive character. Intertextuality and self-reflexivity leads give rise of irony and imitation respectively. These are very common features in the postmodern films (Nicolas 2002, p. 190). Run Lola is postmodern film, which was created by Tom Tykwer in 1998. The film mixes different forms of media that impress the viewers. It is one of the best German film that has spread messages based on postmodernists’ theories. The movies have animations that are represented in a sequential order. These animations impress the viewers since they has been developed using different artistic styles. Another feature in this movie is the use of popular culture that is attractive to many people. Some scenes of the film are ironical because they do not deliver the expected outcome. In other words, the director of the movie has used many animations, which has in turn destroyed the nature of truth. According to Tykwer, it seems that there is no universal truth since he does not depend on reality. One can understand how movies are produced to entertain, but, not to teach the viewers (Nicolas 2002, p. 191). Visual arts have been manifested in the film by the mixing of colours, shapes and distortion of the human bodies’ appearance. The film was meant for mass cultures. The aspect of popular culture is also covered when describing the contemporary films as postmodern. Postmodern theorists claim that there is no truth and, therefore, the films incorporating postmodernism cannot influence people’s cultures. In the search for uniqueness, postmodern film makers have destroyed people’s cultures in terms of spiritual beliefs and traditional norms. Sociologists classify the films as one of the most contributors to social-cultural transformations in the postmodern society. People have disregarded the identity of cultures and instead developed films that destroy people’s behaviours (Nicolas 2002, p. 200). Popular culture refers to that culture that is liked by many people due to its distinguished characteristics. For example, the western culture is a popular culture that has been spread to the world using the films, music and writings. Most people in African countries have embraced the pop culture in the way they dress, eat and talk. Film makers in the postmodern era produce movies in order to market them to the mass culture. They always target at breaking the high and low culture to create a pop culture, which impresses many people (Nicolas 2002, p. 210).For example, the director of the movie, Run Lola Run, Tykwer has distorted the high and low culture by depicting that life is not meaningful and people should enjoy it. This is accordance to the postmodern theorists who believe that people’s cultures should be deconstructed for people to embrace the pop culture. The fact that this movie is a postmodern one will help people understand film theories in a better way. The film suggests that life is not important, which contradict with many people’s beliefs. As a result, many people embracing such ideas end up being inhuman and immoral especially the adolescents and youth. Describing the contemporary movies as postmodern is also relevant in identifying how music has promoted the spread of popular culture. The 500 days of Summer is a comedy drama movie that was produced by Marc Webb in 2009. The story concerns a romantic relationship that is quite interesting. The film events and scenes are not represented in chronological order. It starts near the end and later jumps back and forth within that period. The movie is fragmented and does not make sense. The film makers utilize some aspects of postmodernism in plot development. Other than plot development, music has been used to attract an audience. Since the film is a romantic comedy drama, it attracts many people due to the uniqueness in the scenes and the background music used. The director intended to make the movie unsentimental and reveal the truth and reality of love using the tale of Tom, the main male character. Postmodernists also add that the directors’ intent was to make the movie interesting rather than teaching. It is, therefore, open that most contemporary movies focus on love matters and spread of music (Nicolas 2002, p. 212). In conclusion, describing the contemporary films as postmodern is relevant in understanding film theories, use of arts in film making and the nature of popular culture. One can also understand the transition from modernism to postmodernism and the cultural implications associated the same. The idea of the nature of knowledge well defines the postmodernism aspects in film making. Using the high tech materials and methods, film makers utilize the artistic styles to create forms that are unique, which are also attractive to the viewers. Postmodernist filmmakers usually want to promote a popular culture through music, arts and more. Therefore, the movie fans become vulnerable to the culture crashes since such films distort the nature of truth and culture identity. Reference List Murray, S 1995, Engaging Characters: Fiction, Emotion and the Cinema, Oxford University Press, London. Nicolas, T 2002, Cinemas of the Mind: A Critical History of Film Theory, Oxford, Totem. Read More