Postmodernism and Film

Postmodernism and Film

Introduction

In film studies, one of the most popular genres to analyze is post modernist, and Pulp Fiction and Blade runner are two of the finest examples of such. Both films use subtle elements of postmodernism as well as some blatant nods toward the era. In this paper I will be conducting a textual analysis of both movies in the context of postmodernism and will attempt to examine the similarities between the two as per their genre. Although both movies are very different in their depiction and interpretation of basic postmodernist elements, they do manage to present a general overview of what this genre generally applies to.

Discussion

Pulp fiction was released in the year 1994, and is one of Quentin Tarantino's most famous movies of all time. It revolves around the gruesome adventures of two mod hit men, as well as a boxer and a couple who turn out to be bandits. It is very well known for its irregular narrative style, which was considered revolutionary at the time of the movie's original release. Not only this, the intertexual references and the styles in which they were utilized also gained in popularity, with the result being that many other film directors tried to grasp the sense of timing and narrative style in their works as well. The lack of chronological order is something Tarantino has made into his signature, and in Pulp Fiction he retells three different but interrelated stories in a non linear manner which only increases the intrigue of Pulp Fiction. Its postmodernist attributes can be spotted before one even watches the movie. In its marketing campaign, Uma Thurman's character Mia is mostly used as print media, in which she sports a look uncannily familiar to postmodernist actress Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box (1928). This, when put in the context of postmodernist cinema, speaks volumes for the movie in itself. Apart from this, it was made clear through Tarantino's press releases that while working on the movie, he was immensely inspired by Jean Luc Godard. This is represented by some of the characters in the movie as well. Furthermore, a clear postmodernist element is the lack of interesting backdrops or a busy scenario around the leading characters. The initial sequences take place in a very static setting, with words and narrative being more forceful and memorable than the environment. This element is very reminiscent in all works of the same genre even in early Hollywood.

The three stories into which Pulp Fiction is split are, “Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's wife”, “The Gold Watch” and “The Bonnie Situation”. A nod to Jean-Francis Lyotard's theories about postmodernism is seen with the splitting of these stories, with a declining meta being observed through each. With the progress of each story line, mini narratives also crop up, further balancing out Lyotard's teachings. However, with this progress, confusion and often chaos are also observed, with characters reaching boiling point and environments causing the narrative to be broken down and ...