Essay Plan - both case studies

Postmodernism is all about the different perspectives of what is actually modern. It tests what most of society thinks is actually modern and refines it, therefore the definition of postmodernism always changes and cannot be a fixed definition.  On the other hand, modernism is all about modifying traditional beliefs in accordance with modern ideas. The two case studies that I will be writing about are Black Widow by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora (music video), and the Blade Runner franchise (film).

Below shows a list of postmodern features:

·         Irony - the use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning.

·         Hyperreality -

·         Intertextuality - the relationship between texts, especially literary ones.

·         Black humour - leaves you answering more questions.

·         Pastiche - pasting together and commenting on things of the past.

·         Magic realism - exaggeration.

·         Different perspectives - excusing all values of judgement.

·         Bricolage - construction or creation from a diverse range of available things.

·         Cultural flattening - weakening and devaluation of cultural identities, symbols, icons, and traditions.

·         Knowingness - cynicism (people are motivated for self interest)

·         Hybridisation - swap purity for new combos of genres, styles and media.

·         Eclecticism - Drawing upon multiple theories/ideas to gain complementary insight.

The first case study is a music video. I have chosen to look into Black Widow by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora. The video was produced by Tim Blacksmith and was released on the 8th of July 2014.

Black widow is a postmodern music video which is based around the film Kill Bill, (director: Quentin Tarantino, released on 17th October 2003). In addition, we also see intertextual references between the film Pulp Fiction, which was also directed by Quentin Tarantino, (released on the 21st October 1994). You can see that Blacksmith was aiming for.... (what type of vibe does Tarantino give off).

In the beginning scenes we see a two shot of Rita Ora and her boyfriend Michael Madsen’s sitting down in a diner. Madsen is shown as a stereotypical male taking authority over women. We know this as he raises his voice and speaks over both the waitress (Iggy azalea) and Rita Ora who plays Madsen’s girlfriend.  There is an intertextual reference between the two shot and pulp fiction. Within that film you also see a two shot of two men eating in a diner. This is very similar to the shot in the music video. You can clearly see a link between Quentin Tarantino films and the black widow music video.

When the music starts to kick in we are instantly shown another intertextual reference to the title of the song. This is shown as a close up of a samurai sword with the words ‘black widow’ engraved on it. Following that we then see another two shot of Iggy and Rita. By comparing this mid-two shot to the film poster for Kill Bill you can see multiple similarities. Both characters wear the same jumpsuits, as well as having a samurai sword as blonde hair. Just from comparing the two shots you can easily tell that their inspiration was Kill Bill.

In the first minute and a half of the music video Iggy azalea plays a waitress ad Rita Ora plays Michael Madsen’s girlfriend. Comparing this to the second part of the music video you can see that they play completely different characters. This is known as hyperreality as the characters are playing more that role. This is commonly used in postmodern music videos as it helps to tell the audience that what they are watching is not real. To help further emphasise that it is not real Blacksmith uses special effects to help give a bright futuristic vibe. In addition, the same concept is used in Lady Gage’s music video, telephone. As both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé have multiple character roles. The use of unusual costumes and typical movie conventions help make this postmodern music video.

The next feature s cultural flattening. This is the weakening and devaluation of cultural identities, symbols, icons and traditions. At the start of the music video we know that Michael Madsen is shown as a stereotypical male who takes authority over Rita Ora. This change when Rita plays another character. Both Iggy and Rita are portrayed as powerful female lead roles, which go against the stereotypical/Hegemonic norm of a female character. Furthermore, we are shown a negative representation of Madsen, which leads both female roles to want revenge on his character. The music video is a revenge narrative.

In conclusion, the black widow music video is portrayed as postmodern. This is shown through postmodern features such as intertextuality, hyperreality, and cultural flattening. We are show links between both Quentin tarnation films as well other postmodern music videos such as: Lady Gaga telephone. 

My second case study is the Blade Runner franchise. Blade runner is known as one of the most postmodern films, taking inspiration from Philip K. Dicks novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ which is about the character Ric Deckard. The original was released on the 25^th of June 1982, while 2049 was released on the 3^rd of October 2017. Ridley Scott (who directed the original), had not taken part in the directing of 2049. We see Denis Villeneuve taking his place.

Blade runner 2049 is set in an overcrowded dystopian city which has a noticeable postmodern aesthetic; the rich escape to the off worlds while the poor are stuck poverty. One of the key themes in the films is the ‘blurring’ of differences between the real and artificial, between replicants and humans. It in increasingly no longer possible to be clear about what it means to be human. Replicants have implanted memories which have been experienced by other real humans. These memories are so real that it is almost impossible to tell real from fake. This highlights the realism which is given to the replicants.

Blade Runner’s postmodern aesthetic mixes textual references and images. The film noir voiceover of the original release is juxtaposed with the futuristic, dystopian images, but at the same time the shadows and constant rain fit in with the film noir style.

We are shown an intertextual reference between the film and Philip K. Dicks novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The whole idea for the film originated from this novel. A question which is brought up in the book is whether these replicants have evolved into something more than just circuitry and wires. This question is answered in 2049 as Rachael and Rick Deckard had a child. This information had to be kept quiet to help prevent a war between the humans and replicants.

Furthermore, Baudrillard’s theory links in closely with the Blade Runner films. Baudrillard came up with the idea that you could create a simulation so powerful that anyone who came in contact would think it was reality. In the film replicants are given fake memories, which enables them to believe that the simulation they are in is reality. Them being in this simulation makes them act human, and this was a way to keep the peace between replicants and humans. This idea is the basis of the first film, but has a deeper meaning in 2049.

Another theorist who links closely with Blade Runner is Rene Descartes. He is the one who came up with the dream argument. This argument is when you are unable to differentiate between the dream world and real life. He says that there are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. Descartes questions whether we are really in reality.

Histheory links to blade runner 2049. From the start of the film we know that K, who is played by Ryan Gosling, is in fact replicant. It is only further on in the film whether he starts to question his own memories. We find out that he could possibly be the child of Rachael (a replicant) and Rick Deckard. These specific memories take him back to his childhood when he was bullied. They start to mess with K’s mind as he tries to distinguish whether they are real. We later find out in the film that he was not the child and that these memories were not his own.

In my opinion, the Blade Runner franchise are portrayed as postmodern films, through the use of intertextuality, hyperreality, and pastiche. Both Baudrillard and Descartes has set a foundation for the film as well as the novel ‘Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep’ by Philip K. Dick.