Case Study Ideas For Postmodernity Within Film

1. Scream

 “There are certain RULES that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie.”Wes Craven, ignoring the fact that since Scream his only contribution to the horror genre  is the atrociously shit film My Soul to Take, cleverly mocks the horror genre and points out everything wrong with stalk and slash films (mocking his own franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street in the process). Scream is a brilliant postmodern horror film and is very clever. The characters use their knowledge of existing horror films to muddle through their own real life stalk and slash scenario with hilarious outcomes. The entire film mocks and celebrates the genre and points out all the stupid conventions that we would otherwise overlook. As Sidney Prescott puts it “ They’re all the same. some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can’t act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door.”

Scream is more of a pastiche than a parody. The term can be derogatory, indicating a lack of originality, but in this case it’s a pastiche because it uses moments from other films as a form of flattery. According to Kevin Williamson his favourite film is Halloween, which is used primarily through out the whole film, and has the most direct parallels to. There are small moments, for instance where Casey’s father in the opening scene says “Go down the street to the MacKenzies’ house. Call the police.” Which is a direct lift from Halloween. Also Donald Pleasance’s character in Halloween is named Dr Loomis, which is also the sir name of Billy who is one of the killers in Scream. To the larger moments where the movie is playing in the background throughout the end sequence and the Halloween score runs in conjunction with the action.

2. The Truman Show

If you’re a reality TV show hater like me, this one might be an interesting watch. It’s also a bit of an eye opener for those media illiterates out there who watch reality TV and genuinely believe it’s reality (wisen up you lot!) The Truman Show tells the heart breaking story of a baby adopted by a TV company to make a reality show about his life. Truman (Jim Carrey…one of few of his performances that aren’t ridiculously irritating) has grown up in a little town and has never had the opportunity to explore the world around him. He’s never had a reason to doubt his reality until one day a set-light falls from the sky. The message in the film is a strong one, and anyone familiar with the theories of Baudrillard will get the impact that hyperreality in the media has on society  Definitely one to watch, The Truman Show will really make you question reality. As the producer of The Truman Show (the TV show within the film) says ‘we accept the reality with which we are presented’.

Truman Show-Characteristics of Postmodern Texts:

Playfulness-The film tries something new whereby creating a film that has never been experienced or produced before.

Mixing Genres- The film has a combination of genres including humour and romance.

Confusion- Making the audience think and question what is happening as the film makes you think ahead at what everything means and how clever the producers are.

Drawing attention to how it is made-This film is about this as it needs to be scripted as well as it is produced, being that Truman has no idea that he is being filmed or in a TV show.
The dominance of machines and technology- The Truman show uses strong usage of camera angles and shots as you get shown where the cameras are placed as well as out at sea shots.