Evaluation
“…is postmodernity the pastime of an old man who scrounges in the garbage-heap of finality looking for leftovers, who brandishes unconsciousnesses, lapses, limits, confines, goulags, parataxes, non-senses, or paradoxes, and who turns this into the glory of his novelty, into his promise of change?”
― Jean-François Lyotard
Throughout my portfolio, I have explored the ways in which postmodernism, as an aesthetic within film, provides for ‘irony, pastiche and parody’ (Constable 2015: 2) within, specifically, the films of Edgar Wright. How Wright repurposes antique motifs and alludes to forgotten classics in order to create something contemporary and appreciated; how this is indicative of his postmodern aesthetic.
On the surface, postmodernism may appear to defined, as Constable writes, ‘as being ‘cinematic stew’ or a magpie collection or ragbag of references’ (2015: 30) but after aplenty research I can understand that this is not true in the slightest. Although intertextual reference is postmodern, postmodern films such as Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (2010) manipulate the postmodern condition in order to celebrate the classic aesthetic. It’s easy to see that Edgar Wright’s upbringing with ancient crime, horror and action flicks has influenced the way he creates films, and instead of merely referencing them, Wright parodies and subjects them to pastiche. Wright, in this respect, creates the perfect homage. This was a conclusion I wanted to come to when planning and producing a 5-minute replica influenced by Edgar Wright’s distinctive aesthetic.
Postmodern motifs I recognised in Edgar Wright’s work included the use of pastiche to exhibit a certain self-referential, tongue-in-cheek theme brought on by rehashes of classic pop culture. Another motif extensively used is the flattening of affect; defined as a nihilistic cause and effect leading to emotionless, inauthentic lives, Wright employs this in Hot Fuzz where the lead is possessed by the need for occupational proficiency. Other motifs include hyperreality and being more human than human.
My production is entitled ‘Polterguy’, in doing so, I immediately create a parody of Poltergeist referring instead to the supporting character in my sequence. This pastiche is similarly employed by Wright for Shaun of the Dead, where ‘Shaun’ has replaced the rhyming ‘Dawn’. Dawn of the Dead being a film which largely influences the 2004 ‘rom-zom-com’.
I created my main characters in relation to a Edgar Wright stereotype - the clever, yet negligent lead, and the slightly-less-clever lethargic buddy. This reflects the buddy alliance between Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and by extension Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Peter is a slacking 20-something; wearing a t-shirt and a hoodie, Peter maintains a contemporary aesthetic symbolic of the collaboration of classic and modern motifs. The second lead, Guy, is a twenty-something underachieving ghost who has entrepreneurial potential. Seeing such a character in such an unlikely position adds to the comedy factor that is often characterised in Wright’s films.
My opening sequence began with the music, Witch by Goblin. Audiences are immediately met with an intertextual reference to Dario Agento’s 1977 horror, Suspiria. This is followed by a 1970s style title card complete with copyright information and roman numerals towards the bottom. A stylistic decision often made by Quentin Tarantino in order to maintain his strong postmodern aesthetic.
This is complemented by a ‘Written and Directed by Jordan Saward’ title written in ITC Benguiat; a font often used by Tarantino across his eight films.
As well as parodying classics, I have also parodied contemporary pieces, such as the Tarantino nod prior. This is indicative from the first scene where it mirrors the post-title sequence scene in Shaun of the Dead-where the lead’s feet stumble into scene and walk over to the supporting character engaged in video games. These intertextual references and allusions relate to Catherine Constable's definition of postmodern directors “positioned as exemplary purveyors of postmodern pastiche, which is defined as ‘rummaging through the styles of the past for usable images’” (2015: 69). I have ensured that, through the use of imitation, I have created pastiche from both Wright's directorial aesthetic as well as antique tropes, conforming to the increased 'tendency […] for films to base themselves on other films’ (Booker, 2007: 90). This makes my work resemble a third-order simulacra, a pastiche of other pastiches, thus my work must be postmodern.
The sequence that transitions to the trip to the local newsagents uses the fast cutting film editing technique, specifically the hip-hop montage. Pioneered by Darren Aronofsky for Pi and Requiem for a Dream, the hip-hop montage is used most famously across Edgar Wright's filmography.
When planning my postmodern creative artefact, it was apparent to me that I needed to create a third-order simulacra; a pastiche of a pastiche. I achieved this by homaging the films I have researched; those being Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The sequence in my short film alludes heavily from the first quick cut montage in Shaun of the Dead; zipper, toilet flush, brush teeth etc. as well as incorporating a homage to the shoe gag from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
The visit to the newsagents is complimented by The Specials’ 'Ghost Town', which is, both, ironic for the narrative, as well as referential to Shaun of the Dead. The use of retrospective British insecurities to foreshadow film events is symbolic of postmodernism as they ‘foreground the techniques of storytelling’ [as well as allude] to reference previous stories’ (Degli—Esposti, 1998: 4). For instance the long take sequence mirrors Shaun's visit to his local convenience store.
After another hip-hop montage documenting a purchase from the store we transition to another scene. This transition is an allusion of Doom and it's screen melt transition as seen below. Similarly to Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, this short transition employs a certain pastiche of, and in doing so celebrates video game culture.
Referencing the use of aspect ratio to design a cinematic and dramatic aesthetic to film, as well as the reverse zoom effect pioneered by Steven Spielberg and employed in Jaws, E.T. etc, the shot is parodied when the expectation is subverted. Hutcheon's theoretical approach suggests that postmodernism is not the recycling or re-quoting of other texts, and instead an aesthetic that allows artists to reflect the reality of a living in a media consumed society. The subversion of expectation in this specific sequence reflects the proliferation of cliché in contemporary film audiences.
Ultimately there are many intertextual references throughout my short sequences. Ones that match links with Edgar Wright's films and links I have made myself; for instance as the protagonist gets back from the local convenience store he turns on the television as it is playing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and starts picking up static; a homage to the prologue of Poltergeist.
Baudrillard proposes that through mediatization, history is forgotten so future retrospectives are simulated and hyperreal. Although nihilistic, this theory does extend to Polterguy. The hyperreal, negative simulations of the ghosts and poltergeists are sourced from decades of mediatization and are parodied by the sequences's humorous scenarios. The combination of the mundane reality and antique media representations in the attempt for humour. This means that Baudrillard's views can be accepted in relation to my postmodern short film sequence.
To maintain the pastiche of a pastiche aesthetic, Polterguy, more specifically, the plan sequence where Peter and Guy discuss how they would get Michael to leave, thematically resembles the plan sequence in Shaun of the Dead except certain details are tweaked for humour. This method of tribute supports the hypothesis that ‘rummaging through the styles of the past for usable images’ is inherently postmodern.
I have celebrated the noir genre of cinema in the scene where Guy and Peter interview Michael ahead of him becoming a roommate. Using the noir aesthetic/cliché, I created a scene indicative of classic, stylish Hollywood crime dramas. I thematically portrayed this through a low-key, black & white visual style and having a central figure (Peter) resemble that of a private investigator, a trope brought by films such as The Big Sleep (1946). This trope is then critiqued when Guy tries his hand in the 'bad-cop' routine by slamming the table but effectively fails. Complete with a location including blinds, I was able to create a mask for a lightbox that would project a subtle blind shadow towards Michael emphasising this intertextual link further. By tributing and parodying expressionistic cinema my work must be postmodern.
There is also a ‘more human than human’ aspect to Polterguy. The short film sequence has humans contentedly living with ghosts; which being postmodern, upsets the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterisation and thus destroying the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Evident in the way Peter allows his poltergeist friend, Guy to live in his house. Continuing the postmodern paradigm of disconnected characters and alienation from environment, my short film sequence succeed in portraying said paradigm literally. The character of Guy is a ghost and therefore cannot interact in the same way a human could.
Edgar Wright said, 'In terms of [...] homaging and spoofing and stuff, I mean, obviously... it's weird [because] there are homages and there are kind of, like, skits on things. [...] It's kinda the point of it is not so much that, "Hey, let's do, like, a five minute rip on "The Matrix"." -- It's the fact that the [characters'] lives are so governed by pop culture and media and stuff that they can only think in those terms'. What makes Wright directorial aesthetic postmodern is not only the dense references, nor the dexterous visual comedy, it's the ability to perfectly combine realism and intertextuality.
In conclusion, it is evident by the sheer amounts of postmodern tropes and qualities that my work is, in fact, postmodern. Additionally, due to portraying a similar cinematic aesthetic as Edgar Wright, I have effectively achieved a pastiche of a pastiche as well as a piece of work indicative of Wright's style. You could say that my work is, by definition, post-postmodern with it being a bricolage of postmodern work.