Although the works of Warhol are considered modern art (his most famous pieces being created in the first three quarters of the twentieth century), the themes and Zeitgeist captured of the time presents us with a postmodern theme: the illusion of society. The first piece I looked at was Warhol’s pop art piece “Campbell’s tomato soup” in which the image of the can has been repeated numerous times. The idea of repetition (and in his later versions the manipulation of bold colours) attacks the concept of mass culture and the power of advertising and image. This ties in with the Baudrillard postmodern concept that everything is a copy of a copy. Reality in advertising is an illusion, and everything we are shown in advertising stems from simulacra. Warhol’s choice of a humble ordinary product, and then manipulating it and over repeating the brand image shows a manufactured culture, and the image we just accept to be the reality. This style has been repeated in Warhol’s work depicting images of famous icons such as the Queen, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. These images also reflect the same cultural meanings as the Campbell’s soup cans as and the image of icons such as Marilyn Monroe show the infatuation with icons and the illusion of fame.
The sims, created in year 2000, is a hybrid of a simulation and MMORPG game, as the game in itself features simulated actions part of the 'win element' present in typical simulation games, and also features the use of sandbox mode (where your avatar can roam freely) present in MMORPG games. There are no specific character representations in the game, as you create your own avatar. However the game itself is a simulation of a specific set of values linked with a capitalist culture and therefore isn't considered as a social simulator, but as a simulator of an ideology of modern capitalist societies.
- GTA . GTA (1997) is a MMORPG sandbox game.In every GTA game, the male gaze is present predominantly. Stereotypical cultures and ethnics are explored in the different games (e.g. san Andreas is mostly american american or mexican). Women are portrayed as either sex symbols or accessories (e.g. wife, girlfriend) and not as a proper dominant character. this in turn changes what men think the ideal woman is and alters expectations and ideaologies of men and women onto the young players.
- Tomb Raider. The main character presented in tomb raider, Lara croft, subverts the stereotype of women in video games. That said, masculine traits are featured (e.g. muscles, guns, fighting) so the point of the game is mostly male orientated. Although the woman is represented as a strong fiesty character,the visual aesthetics of her alter ego is seen as a sex symbol and role model to both male and female characters which therefore appeals to both genders in the market.
Tracking shot through the mountainous landscape, short sharp pan shots as the man looks out to the distance, mid shot/reaction shot as the man see’s the waves coming towards him, and a long shot as the water covers the mountains. The teaser trailer colour saturation is desaturated to create an intense and dark feel, establishing the genre.
Sound
eery music, lots of reverb and stereotypical use of violin trills.
Editing
short edits and a long continuous shot of the impending doom of the planet.
Mise en Scene
chinese landscape, man, bamboo house, cgi waves
Characters
no characters are introduced, we see shots of a man spectating the tidal wave coming towards him.
Locations
mountains of asia
Narrative/Plot
not much is given away. The scene used is ambiguous and it creates interest
Themes
disaster
Visual Style
cgi
Genre
disaster/epic
How does the trailer introduce us to the main characters?
No main characters are introduced, the themes are.
How does the music change during the course of the trailer? What information does this give us about the direction of the story?
How do elements such as lighting, editing work with the music? How do they change over the course of the trailer?
every time there is a change of dynamics in the music, the shots change to a black screen with credits/titles. What are your expectations of the film?
lots of cgi and special effects. Would you consider yourself to be the target audience for this film? If so, what elements in the trailer particularly appeal to you?
a wide demographic, 13+
Film Trailer analysis Questions
At what point in the trailer are we told the name of the film? Why is this? The numbers “2012” appear in futuristic lettering at the end of the teaser trailer. Why are we told who is starring in the film? we aren’t told in this teaser trailer. How is this information given to us? Why? The use of no voice overs is effective because the credits running throughout the trailer say something along the lines of the world ending in 2012 and the government planning to not tell 6 billion inhabitants of the earth. There are themes of secrecy which reading the credits for yourself enhances. What type of action from the film do we see? we see the use of cgi as the mountains are submerged by the ocean, indicating the films genre. What clues does the music give us as to what type of film the trailer is advertising? We can tell the film genre is going to be dark by the type of music - scary music. Does the trailer come with a voice over and if so, what can you tell about the voice being used? There are no voice overs. where there would usually be voiceovers as the credits appear in the fade to black cuts, we are left to read it. This is effective in drawing you into the film. Why do you think this voice was chosen? What effect does it have? - How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film? Why is this? There are more fast cuts/editing and more uses of “fade to blacks” as the aim is to interest us. this technique gives the audience snippets of the film and makes us want to go and see it. Does the speed alter through the trailer or does it stay the same? usually the cuts would get faster but in this teaser trailer it ends with a long shot of the ocean which i think is quite effective. Typically the music ends with a high dynamics/crescendo and then silence, which this trailer does. What information are we given about the film? we get an insight to the films genre and title but nothing much else. At what point in the trailer is this information given? At the end and the plot is given in ambiguous credits throughout in the fade to black cuts. What type of audience is the trailer aimed at? How can you tell? Ages 12 and up, because the genre is not specifically appealing to a certain age group but could scare young children.
How would you define ‘mad men’ as a post modern text and explain why you would give this programme this label.
The opening sequence of Mad men is the first indictor that the show is a post modern text. Firstly, the artistic style in which the sequence has been created is intertextuality of saul basses work, especially in the Alfred Hitchock’s films like”vertigo” where the artistic style of the cinematography matches that of Mad Men. In the opening sequence there is a black silhouette of a man who’s office falls down around him, and he falls off the skyscraper surrounded by advertising, and symbols of women, and marriage. The composition of the opening is mostly behind the man, with mysterious shots of his feet etc. the fact that he’s a silhouette also ties in with this, and the issue of identity that don draper has throughout the programme.
The identity issues of Don Draper throughout the series and as a silhouette figure in the opening sequence of mad men is also a form of intertextuality (which is an aspect of post modernism) of “the falling man” image in the 9/11 attacks. In a documentary about the falling man, it was said that the identity of the falling man stands for many, so we can interpret Don Draper like this; unnamable and mysterious. At the end of the sequence, don draper is in a relaxed yet dominant position with a cigarette in an outstretched hand; and once again the shot is from behind, which makes him almost an enigma. This is intertextual to Phil Abraham’s cinematography in the opening sequence to Alfred Hitchock’s “Notorious”, where Carey Grant is introduced in the same way; from behind, like a silhouette
. We can tell that ‘Mad Men’ is going to be a post modern text from the music in the opening sequence. The music playing is a fusion between 60’s jazz and a more modern “scat” drum beat (perhaps drum ‘n bass.) This merge between styles of old and new ties in with the style of the show, and it tells us that the show is a modern show set in the past, which is a key feature of post modernism.
Other aspects of the show that makes it post modern, is the historical period and modern voyeurism. The show is set in the 60’s, and features satire in issues such as gender, sexuality, sexism, racism and religion. Because we see it from a modern point of view, we notice the change between the past and present, and this recognition/ recognition of events and views of the time in our voyeurism, makes ‘Man Men’ post modern. Also, because the show contains story lines featuring these issues, (unlike the straight lace TV programmes that were aired in those days) it therefor makes it post modern. e.g. the lesbian scene between Carol and Joan - a situation that wouldn’t be explored on TV in those days, or even talked about.
Mad men also features uses of time bending and flashbacks e.g. Don Draper as a child in the episode “the hobo code”, which is an aspect of post modernism, and is also modern filming technique.
Another aspect featured in the series “mad men” that makes it post modern is the mise en scene. Little detail to mise en scene can represent and symbolise certain issues. for example Jeremy Butler wrote about the lighting in the office represents power structure, and oppression of women, as the sectaries are under the rectangular oppressive lights, in an ordered fashion.
Mad Men has sparked exchange from its audience in the form of parodies and pastiche, in which scenes/ideologies from the show are imitated and mocked. Examples of these have been aired on American TV and virally (mostly on youtube.) For example two children shows “sesame street” and “the simpsons” have created parodies mocking and copying the style, cinematography and mise en scene in the show.
About: Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell), a charismatic, psychopathic delinquent whose pleasures are classical music (especially Beethoven), rape, and ultra-violence. He leads a small gang of thugs (Pete, Georgie, and Dim), whom he calls his droogs (from the Russian друг, “friend”, “buddy”). Alex narrates most of the film in Nadsat, a fractured, contemporary adolescent argot comprising Slavic (especially Russian), English, and Cockney rhyming slang.
Provocative content: Rape, ultra-violence,and sexual violence- too extreme, furthermore, there occurred legal claims that the movie A Clockwork Orange had inspired true copycat behaviour. type of censorship: X rated/ 18uk Arguments for and against the film: Notion of Protection: My views:
The Exorcist.
About: The exorcist was Produced in 1973. The film was quite controversial at the time of its release due to its "sensitive subject matter." Before this time, there had been few movies dealing with demonic possession, especially in color with terrifying, state-of-the-art, special effects The Exorcist, which was made available by Warner Home Video in December 1981, was not granted a video certification by the BBFC and was withdrawn from shelves in 1986. incidents of hysteria involving young women led to some concern that the film might cause severe emotional problems particularly among those who believed in the reality of demonic possession. Provocative content: demonic possesion, blamphemy. type of censorship: 18 Arguments for and against the film: Notion of Protection: My views:
Straw Dogs.
About: Provocative content: prolonged rape scene where the girl amy seems to enjoy it. (glamourises rape), and fascist violence. type of censorship: R rating, X rating/18 Arguments for and against the film:The violence of Straw Dogs aroused strong reactions, many critics seeing an endorsement of violence as redemption, and the film as fascist celebration of violence and vigilantism, while others see it as anti-violence, noting the bleak ending consequent to the violence. Notion of Protection: My views:
An effect on an audience. the term is used to describe the interaction between the media and public relief, offering the concept of people being affected by the information "injected" into them through the media.
Cultivation Theory
The belief that watching media with inappropriate themes/content eg: sex and violence, becomes embedded in the viewers culture.
Desensitisation Theory
The belief in this theory is that because people are exposed to so much violence in the media, violence no longer makes a strong emotional impact upon them.
Copycat theory
This theory states that copycat crimes take place modeled on previous crimes that have been reported/shown in the media.
Uses And Gratifications Theory
The basic theme of uses and gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications. (This is in opposition to the hypodermic syringe model) For example someone who watches something may feel more important and knowledgeable when they have specific facts and stories from media to talk about.
"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters."
Two Of Jane Austens most famous novels, "pride and prejudice" and "sense and sensibility" have been rendered into post modern parody-novels by Seth Grahame Smith and Ben H Winters. Both novels follow the same narrative style of both books, but feature a post modern twist - elements of modern zombie fiction in "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", and in the sequal "Sense and sensibilty" and sea monsters - common tropes from sea monster stories. These novels are considered to be post modern texts because they are parodys of famous books from a hundred or more years ago, time bending is used prodominantly in both books and also the novels do not represent reality in any form; they take traditional concepts/book plots and turn them into post modern comical texts.
