TV: Postmodernism and Deutschland 83
Notes and definitions
Postmodernism: a late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories. (Source: Dictionary definition)
A brief history
Postmodernism is linked to the premodernism and modernism eras.
Pre-modernism: up to late 19th century.
Religion dominates society.
Modernism: late 19th century to mid-20th century
Science dominates; religion questioned; distinct difference between high culture (e.g. art) and low culture; industrialisation.
Postmodernism: mid- to late-20th century to present
Blurring of high and low culture/art and popular culture; media-driven hyper-reality; style over substance.
Postmodernism and the media
Postmodernism is often defined by scepticism, irony, self-referentiality or intertextuality.
What does that mean? The Simpsons provides an example. The structure is a classic family sitcom but the content ridicules authority (including its media conglomerate owner) and is full of intertextual references to other films, TV shows and popular culture.
Postmodernism: theory and terminology
Strinati
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets - you'll need to save the factsheet to USB or email it to yourself in order to complete this at home. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
The five distinctive ways Strinati's portrays postmodernity is by the models, for instance, advancing can speak to the decision time an association paying little heed to the idea of the thing they are selling, a low quality thing can be monetarily viable in case it has inconceivable publicizing while a radiant thing can crash and burn without it. Where once reality of the thing would make its success or disillusionment (for instance how well it worked), by and by the media truth of advancing chooses the accomplishment of things.
2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
Related to this, as shown by Jameson, is the likelihood of unquestionable deafness. He battles that as intercession increases so the lifestyle winds up losing a sentiment of undeniable setting. History is by and by diminished to 'talking heads' documentaries and irrefutable learning is every now and again established on media depictions. At any rate he moreover fights this is every so often countered by ludicrous cases for phenomenal previews of outrageous inclination, for example, the common social depression after the death of a genius. Jameson claims that these enthusiastic changes are a technique for replacing the shallowness of 'style over substance'.
3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
People are influenced more towards the brand instead of the authentic idea of the thing, driving the gathering of spectators to state surprising expenses for these attire. More established kin is another point of reference as it can help relaunch huge names callings.
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
The top of the line and astounding go towards high brow energy at any rate pop culture head towards the larger part. other than publicizing impacts referenced to high craftsmanship so they to can sell more things.
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage is described as insinuating old and new messages, for instance, pictures and story musings to make diverse kinds of centrality. the essential model from Deutschland 83 is the truth they are grabbed inspiration from government employable films, for instance, James Bond.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
Postmodernism: a late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories. (Source: Dictionary definition)
A brief history
Postmodernism is linked to the premodernism and modernism eras.
Pre-modernism: up to late 19th century.
Religion dominates society.
Modernism: late 19th century to mid-20th century
Science dominates; religion questioned; distinct difference between high culture (e.g. art) and low culture; industrialisation.
Postmodernism: mid- to late-20th century to present
Blurring of high and low culture/art and popular culture; media-driven hyper-reality; style over substance.
Postmodernism is often defined by scepticism, irony, self-referentiality or intertextuality.
What does that mean? The Simpsons provides an example. The structure is a classic family sitcom but the content ridicules authority (including its media conglomerate owner) and is full of intertextual references to other films, TV shows and popular culture.
Further examples of postmodernism
An example in architecture would be Las Vegas; in art, Andy Warhol's pop-art of the 1960s.
Award-winning 1998 German film Run Lola Run (‘Lola Rennt’) is credited with revitalising German cinema with a postmodern take on crime drama that features a repeating narrative and a blurring of genres.
An example in architecture would be Las Vegas; in art, Andy Warhol's pop-art of the 1960s.
Award-winning 1998 German film Run Lola Run (‘Lola Rennt’) is credited with revitalising German cinema with a postmodern take on crime drama that features a repeating narrative and a blurring of genres.
Postmodernism: theory and terminology
Strinati
Dominic Strinati identified five ways to define postmodernism:
1. ‘Media-isation’ of culture – we make sense of reality using media texts
2. Emphasis of style over substance e.g. celebrity, reality TV
3. Breakdown of difference between art and popular culture
4. Confusion over time and space – modern society is built on the instantaneous
5. Decline of meta-narratives or grand narratives (e.g. religion or political theories such as communism)
Key terms
There are some key terms we need to learn when studying postmodernism in media texts:
Bricolage
The juxtaposing of old and new texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.
Hyper-reality
Jean Baudrillard argued that audiences view the ‘copy’ of reality in the media as more real than the original. Fredric Jameson discussed the idea of ‘historical deafness’ by suggesting the media-isation of history means we only understand historical events through their media representation.
Fredric Jameson on parody and pastiche
1. ‘Media-isation’ of culture – we make sense of reality using media texts
2. Emphasis of style over substance e.g. celebrity, reality TV
3. Breakdown of difference between art and popular culture
4. Confusion over time and space – modern society is built on the instantaneous
5. Decline of meta-narratives or grand narratives (e.g. religion or political theories such as communism)
Key terms
There are some key terms we need to learn when studying postmodernism in media texts:
Bricolage
The juxtaposing of old and new texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.
Hyper-reality
Jean Baudrillard argued that audiences view the ‘copy’ of reality in the media as more real than the original. Fredric Jameson discussed the idea of ‘historical deafness’ by suggesting the media-isation of history means we only understand historical events through their media representation.
There are some key terms we need to learn when studying postmodernism in media texts:
Pastiche
This refers to media products that imitate the style of another text, artist or time period. Pastiche is an example of intertextuality and takes a positive view of the original source.
In contrast parody is similar but ridicules the original source (e.g. Scary Movie parodies horror).
“Pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique, idiosyncratic style, the wearing of a linguistic mask, speech in a dead language. But it is a neutral practice of such mimicry, without any of parody’s ulterior motives, amputated of the satiric impulse, devoid of laughter.”
Jameson suggested pastiche does not offer up comment on society or history – it is simply done because it is ‘stylish’. He marks this as an example of ‘historical deafness’.
Deutschland 83: a postmodernism text
The following scenes of Deutschland 83 provide excellent examples of bricolage, hyper-reality and pastiche:
- Opening scene: 0.00 – 3.00
- Title sequence followed by archive footage: 8.10 – 9.15
- Running/supermarket scene: 17.10 – 18.10
Postmodernism & Deutschland 83: blog task
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets - you'll need to save the factsheet to USB or email it to yourself in order to complete this at home. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
The five distinctive ways Strinati's portrays postmodernity is by the models, for instance, advancing can speak to the decision time an association paying little heed to the idea of the thing they are selling, a low quality thing can be monetarily viable in case it has inconceivable publicizing while a radiant thing can crash and burn without it. Where once reality of the thing would make its success or disillusionment (for instance how well it worked), by and by the media truth of advancing chooses the accomplishment of things.
2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
Related to this, as shown by Jameson, is the likelihood of unquestionable deafness. He battles that as intercession increases so the lifestyle winds up losing a sentiment of undeniable setting. History is by and by diminished to 'talking heads' documentaries and irrefutable learning is every now and again established on media depictions. At any rate he moreover fights this is every so often countered by ludicrous cases for phenomenal previews of outrageous inclination, for example, the common social depression after the death of a genius. Jameson claims that these enthusiastic changes are a technique for replacing the shallowness of 'style over substance'.
3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
People are influenced more towards the brand instead of the authentic idea of the thing, driving the gathering of spectators to state surprising expenses for these attire. More established kin is another point of reference as it can help relaunch huge names callings.
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
The top of the line and astounding go towards high brow energy at any rate pop culture head towards the larger part. other than publicizing impacts referenced to high craftsmanship so they to can sell more things.
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage is described as insinuating old and new messages, for instance, pictures and story musings to make diverse kinds of centrality. the essential model from Deutschland 83 is the truth they are grabbed inspiration from government employable films, for instance, James Bond.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
In exercise we talked about Meta-accounts or magnificent stories Leotard really connoting 'issues at the forefront of everybody's thoughts are the musings and thoughts that have been used to attempt to clear up the way in which the world is and the way in which it should be. Humankind's history is overflowing with these extraordinary records from religion to political/money related hypotheses. This can be associated back to Deutschland 83 associations with the postmodernism since it takes key contemplation and thoughts real issues, for instance, communism and socialism, and applies them to a progressively standard substance. Which exhibits the depiction of Germany too.
7) Read the analysis of media concepts and postmodern approaches on page 3 of the factsheet. Choose three of the concepts and write an example from Deutschland 83. Clue: genre, representation, ideology and audience would all be good options for this task.
The class In Deutschland 83, there is a wide scope of orders delineated in this plan. For example one order being demonstrated is the secretive employable sort, as showed when planning to be an administration usable in West Germany he needs to make sense of how to transform into an administration usable, which addresses the administration specialist type. In like manner, it could be presented as a spine chiller, as the essential scene the usage of question and action codes makes a rush ride sort with the use of strain and the trailer class gives off an impression of being going all out, the more the course of action propels. This profits to the truth postmodern works play with kind codes and subvert them and shows how there is a mix of more than one sort, which isn't straightforward as progressively complex records, which could be various reasons why it did all things considered well. Story Postmodern stories investigate diverse roads in regards to standard structures. Some postmodern records present events fragmentary that does not seek after a grouping. In Deutschland 83 the record is a huge direct one which is endeavoring to duplicate the infection war, and the war among East and Germany, with a forefront bend, which is easy to seek after all around, it could be battled that it is a multi-strand story as there could be two stories perspectives running parallel between each other, between East Germany and West Germany.Representation A postmodern depiction subverts wants. Contemporary messages oftentimes play with conventional considerations in depictions, for instance, making an unscrupulous legend or an insightful knave. In Deutschland 83, the depiction is to delineate Martin as the holy person, as he is saving his mother by doing this mission, and moreover doing combating for his country aswell. The mindful scalawag in this could be Moritz, as it was his business to get Martin and do this mission, at any rate it could be fought that he is proportional to Martin as he is without his family, in the wrong side of Germany, thusly the social event of individuals will feel empathy towards the group.
8) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
The compositions can be seen as postmodern culture as present works are perspectives old the old works.
9) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
Right when Martin was getting ready as the montage can be associated with postmodernists and the intertextuality can be grabbed from other undercover operator films, for instance, James body and diverse motion pictures, for instance, unpleasant who have various montage scenes while planning.
10) Why might audiences enjoy the postmodern aspects of Deutschland 83? What audience pleasures might elements of bricolage or pastiche provide viewers?
The class In Deutschland 83, there is a wide scope of orders delineated in this plan. For example one order being demonstrated is the secretive employable sort, as showed when planning to be an administration usable in West Germany he needs to make sense of how to transform into an administration usable, which addresses the administration specialist type. In like manner, it could be presented as a spine chiller, as the essential scene the usage of question and action codes makes a rush ride sort with the use of strain and the trailer class gives off an impression of being going all out, the more the course of action propels. This profits to the truth postmodern works play with kind codes and subvert them and shows how there is a mix of more than one sort, which isn't straightforward as progressively complex records, which could be various reasons why it did all things considered well. Story Postmodern stories investigate diverse roads in regards to standard structures. Some postmodern records present events fragmentary that does not seek after a grouping. In Deutschland 83 the record is a huge direct one which is endeavoring to duplicate the infection war, and the war among East and Germany, with a forefront bend, which is easy to seek after all around, it could be battled that it is a multi-strand story as there could be two stories perspectives running parallel between each other, between East Germany and West Germany.Representation A postmodern depiction subverts wants. Contemporary messages oftentimes play with conventional considerations in depictions, for instance, making an unscrupulous legend or an insightful knave. In Deutschland 83, the depiction is to delineate Martin as the holy person, as he is saving his mother by doing this mission, and moreover doing combating for his country aswell. The mindful scalawag in this could be Moritz, as it was his business to get Martin and do this mission, at any rate it could be fought that he is proportional to Martin as he is without his family, in the wrong side of Germany, thusly the social event of individuals will feel empathy towards the group.
8) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
The compositions can be seen as postmodern culture as present works are perspectives old the old works.
9) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
Right when Martin was getting ready as the montage can be associated with postmodernists and the intertextuality can be grabbed from other undercover operator films, for instance, James body and diverse motion pictures, for instance, unpleasant who have various montage scenes while planning.
10) Why might audiences enjoy the postmodern aspects of Deutschland 83? What audience pleasures might elements of bricolage or pastiche provide viewers?
I believe that groups would value the pieces of bricolage and pastiche as they go about as a sort of intertextuality. The social event of individuals would welcome the segments of bricolage by the looking at of old and new messages, pictures, musings and records to make new ramifications, which is showed up by the scene when Martin was getting ready to be an administration specialist, which interfaces back to the James Bond feel, and they endeavour to make another significance out of this, while taking parts of James Bond. Moreover another gathering of spectators amuse gave, is the segment of pastiche which implies media things that copy the style of another substance, skilled worker or time-length. Pastiche is an instance of intertextuality and takes a positive point of view on the principal source, this is done through key credible events.
There is a lot of challenging work here - you will have over a week to complete it so take your time, read around the subject and re-watch the scenes from the first episode on All4 to help develop impressive academic answers to these questions.
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