Postmodernism Cinema And Narrative Elements In Storytelling

In this essay I will be giving an insight on postmodernism in film and touch on how complex narrative play a role in these types of films. I will be giving illustrated examples, evidence and theoretical approach on narrative elements in storytelling. My main task will be to convey an understanding on how postmodernism cinema occurred, variations of a classical Hollywood narrative and how it has impacted and influenced todays form storytelling in films.

The are many theoretical concepts on postmodern cinema, however there is no overall consensus on what the general popularity believe. To understand what postmodernism was, we first have to determine and have an understanding on what modernism was and how it relates/ contributes to postmodernism today. Modernism was interesting meta narratives of history in nature that along with changes and cultural trends arose from far-reaching transformations during the western society in the 19th century and 20th century, particularly following word war I when society saw the development in modern industry and the rapid growth of cities where the rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. Hierarchies rose higher and society was taught to conform consumerism the nuclear family and the idea of working hard to achieve success. There is some deliberation on how postmodernism relates to film, some people believe it is the time-frame (anything created after the modernist phrase of film) whilst others consider that it is the specific style an example of this can be found in the modernist film “Un Chien Andalou” (An Andalusian Dog, 1929) created by Spanish director Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dali,French silent surreal short film.

This short film contains the infamous eyeball scene, this graphical and gory image has become a defining one in the history of modernist art cinema due to the fact that the audience are confused to what it means and how it correlates to the narrative it is provocative and creates suspense for the viewers particularly the “Bourgeoisie” a French term for referencing the social middle class, in which modernist cinema intended to rile or indeed annoy. We (The audience) witness modernism at hand in the brief intermission suggesting that 8 years have passed in-between the eyeball scene and the scene where the man is riding a bike. However, besides the text that is being shown on-screen there is nothing else in the narrative to perpetuate the fact that time has passed. According to Dr. Hamish Ford, Senior Lecturer in Film, Media and Cultural Studies (FMCS) at University of Newcastle author of post war modernist cinema and philosophy whilst a vast number of films take interest in the concept of time, they remain carefully in control of the impact that time has to the extent required of a still sacred narrative. On the contrast side, in modernist cinema like “Un Chien Andalou” time does not manifest in a logical way and this contributes to the film being more abstract.

Postmodernism is a 20th century style and abstraction in many non-identical variations i. e. forms of architecture, criticism and arts that one may say constitutes a departure from modernism and is illustrated by the self-conscious use of conventions and styles that came before this era with contribution from artistic styles, a distrust of theories and media. These types of film are recognised to challenge the mainstream conventions of standard narrative structures for instance a form of chronological storytelling and characterization, at the same destroying the audience’s suspension of disbelief in order to create a piece forming less recognizable internal logical forms the specific medium means of expression and representation. For a film to convey their desired meaning to the audience it is not stranger for them to maintain conventional elements to help guide and orient the audience to the narrative. Self referentiality is one form of conventional element where a film challenges the audience’s disbelief and creates a surreal atmosphere for the viewers, this can be done by breaking the fourth wall by mocking the conventions of film acknowledging that the film is fiction, this is executed by showcasing to the audience the studio that the film was actually shot in. This example can be found in Director Mel Brooks (Blazing saddles, 1974), as well as using that particular element the use of parody technique is also combined in this narrative. When referring to my chosen film I will touch more on this style by speaking of the combined conventions used to form parody.