Postmodernism is a social and cultural concept that has dominated contemporary theory since the 1950’s. It has been widely used in film theory as a critical perspective that allows debate concerning social shifts in contemporary life and artistic practices in the wake of the decline of modernism.
Characteristics of a postmodern text that can be seen within ‘Fight Club’:
Intertextuality – the referencing of other cultural texts; either visually or verbally within the content of the text
Hybridity - the mixing and/or recycling of pre-existing genres and narratives to construct new forms or a ‘hybrid’
Simulation - a lack of any sense of reality to the real world
Surface – a text that is more concerned with the superficial and/or devoid of any depth of meaning
Pastiche – paying ‘homage’ to older texts
Bricolage - the collection of disparate or differing objects to help explain the nature of the prevailing culture and society
Irony – playfulness with the style, form and/or content of a text
House on Paper Street - 'Fight Club' (1999)
Alfred Hitchcock 'Psycho' (1960)
Edward Hopper - 'House By The Railroad' (1925)
The influence of American artist Edward Hopper can be seen in 'Fight Club', in the depiction of the house on Paper Street. The painting has also influenced other filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock in his classic horror film 'Psycho' - another film that documents a form of psychosis and alienation.
No comments:
Post a Comment