Start of Postmodernity Essay (Scream 1996)
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Transcript of Start of Postmodernity Essay (Scream 1996)
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Title
Tutor
Unit
Name
Date
Word Count
UCA Rochester
Content:
Introduction p.3
Body p.4
Conclusion
Bibliography
Illustrations
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Scream DVD Cover (1996)
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Introduction
Scream (1964) is an example of contemporary visual culture. This essay will
discuss ways in which theories of postmodernity might be used to interpret its
meaning, making reference to key concepts encountered in the theoretical
ideas emerged in the second half in the twentieth century. In analyzing the
film Scream, one might suggest that the concepts most prevalent are,
pastiche, intertextuality and parody, these being the focus of this essay. The
sources used for this essay include: Postmodernism: A Very Short
Introduction by C Butler (1945); The Portable Postmodernist by A Berger
(2003); Postmodern Culture by Hal Foster (1987); The Politics Of
Postmodernism by Lainda Hutcheon (1989). These will be used to explore
and explain why and how Scream (1996) relates to postmodernism.
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Body
One could broadly define postmodernism, which came about in the 1980s, in
a single question, ‘Postmodernism: does it exist at all and, if so, what does it
mean?’ (H Foster, 1987) Postmodernism is not widely understood or accepted
and very few people can say with any assurance what the term actually mean
or involves. This has aroused many debates on what postmodernism is due to
the many theory’s that has plagued the art world. It has been argued that
postmodernity focuses on the relative ‘truths’ of each person and the
interpretation of ‘reality’. (M. Khan, 2000) Some state that postmodernity is
simply a ‘phenomenon’ and that it is highly ‘political’, (L. Hutcheon, 1989) and
that it is ‘some kind of reaction to, or departure from modernity.(D Harvey,
1990)
Scream (1996) is a film littered with postmodernity in its construct in both plot
and text. Throughout the film the three main topics of this essay, pastiche,
intertectuality and parody, are weaved into every minuet of the film, both seen
and unseen. To understand how postmodernity effects Scream (1996) one
must also look at the core of horror thrillers.
Pastiche in its simplest form is a work of ‘mimicry’ that ‘imitates’ the style of
another. (A. Berger, 2003 ) Parody is very similar in some regards to pastiche
but has ‘ulterior motives’, it is a work that mimics in an absurd or ridiculous
way to make fun of or in light of another’s work. (A. Berger, 2003). An example
of this is Police Academy (1984) which was a spoof on police movies of that
time.
Intertexuality is the more complex and harder to recognize as a defining
concepts within the three aforementioned characteristics of postmodernism.
One must be aware or have some knowledge of the genre in question, which
in this case is horror, in order to spot the use of intertextuality, as it ‘refers’ to
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the linkage across ‘texts’ or discourse events where one ‘text refers to
another.’(J. Christensen, 2000)
Plan
Images of films
Describe image/ relation to texts
Explain how this is using intertextuality
Images from film
Describe image/ its use of parody and pastiche
Conclusion
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Bibliography
Arthur Asa Berger, The portable postmodernist, Walnut Creek : Alta Mira
Press, 2003.
Christopher Butler, Postmodernism : a very short introduction Oxford ; New
York : Oxford University Press, 2002.
David Harvey, The Condition Of Postmodernity, Malden, MA: Blackweell,
1990
Hal Foster, Postmodern Culture, Pluto Press Ltd, 1987
Jorgen Riber Christensen, Postmodernism-A Brief Description, 2002 [online]
at: http://www.hum.aau.dk/~riber/PostmodernismBrief.htm
Linda Hutcheon, The Politics Of Postmodernism, Routledge New York, 1989
M. A. Muqtedar Khan, Postmodernity And The Crisis Of Truth, 2000
Illustrations
Scream DVD Cover, (1996) [online image] at:
http://www.theartofmovieposters.com/ForSale/Images/HORROR/1996_SCREA
M_A.JPG