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Metropolis
Directed by Fritz Lang, Metropolis is one of the first postmodern films which is set in a futuristic dystpia, and is about the struggles of the class system of the city. The film was made in Germany during the Weimar period. Becuase of this, the reactions were mixed. Many people praised its technique and metaphorical method, whereas other people did not appreciate it's representation of highlighting the social issues during the time. -
Scarface: The Shame of the Nation
Scarface was a very controversal film, full of violence and crime, as the story portays the rise and fall of a gangster squad. This meta narrative highlights the issues during the time of rising gangsters dominating towns. The screenwriter, Ben Hecht was a former journalist and returned to his home town during filming, where the local gangsters asked him if the film was about the famous gangster, Al Capone. Multiple tributes (Intertextual) films have been made due to the films representations. -
The Wild Wild Rose
Directed by Hong Kong's Tian lin Wang, this East Asian post modern film is striking due to its gripping style and heratige. The use of the film noir style makes the film stand out, and it's musical feature captured the Chinese audiences' attention. The opera Carmen highlights values of the Chinese society, especially the refugee issue in Hong Kong. This fundamental way of portraying society is seen to be a brave and creative move. -
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
This film explores black humour, through the pistache narrative of King Arthur's quest to find the holy grail. The political and historical refernces within the film are considered controversial, and there are numerous hyperreality techniques, which reminds the auidence that the film is not real. The film focuses on Irony, and is a one cut film, which have inspired other films to try and create. -
Taxi Driver
The main character of the film, Travis Brickle, in some elements shows the downfall of postmodernism, through his alienated persona in urban America. The film has a western like element, with a small hint of dystopian characterisation. For example, Brickle is a postmodern cowboy who is travelling alone with his helper, the taxi, in order to reach an enlightened state of mond. -
Blade Runner
Ridley Scott's futuristic dystopian film combines elements of past era's, such as costumes and punk rock hairstyles of the 1940s. Consequently it has been considered the first postmodern film ever made by several theorists. This pistache film is about robots that are more human then real humans, and has multiple endings, which grips the auidence. The film also pays attention to problems within society through the emptiness within city life and technology being used for suveillance. -
Sex, Lies and Videotape
This film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and focuses heavily on society's issue with sex. It goes beyond the "male gaze" and explores the "female gaze". The film is about a couple and a bohemian man, Graham, who comes to stay with them. Graham , using his videocamera, films women and asks about their sexual fantasies. However, another meta narrative occuring at the same time is the fact that he has impotency, in which Anne tries to cure. -
Pulp Fiction
Tarantino's post modern style is really accentuated in this film by the extreme use of pastiche and hyperreality. The film is told in a novel based structure, which is oftenly used by Tarantino, and unlike Hollywood films, blurs the line between good and evil. This is done by creating anti-heroes which are able to completley remove the barriers of protagonists and antagonists. In some sense Pulp Fiction is also a meta narrative due to the several small narratives within the main plot. -
Scream
Scream uses a heavy use of pastiche as it mocks the typical horror conventions. This film uses clever amounts of postmodernism, as the charcaters are aware of exsisting horror films, therefore are able to outsmart the antagonist. -
Shrek
Shrek, was considered a new type of postmodern film, in the style of an animation. The classic elements of a dystopian film are present throughout the narrative. Such as Shreck being the anti-heroic postmodern cowboy, and Donkey, being the helper. There are multiple patishe and hyper-reality moments, including, Fiona being a strong independent princess, the terminator scene during the fight with Robin Hood, and the constant refernce to other fairytales. -
Shaun of the Dead
This film uses a hybrid genre of zombie apocolypse and comedy and challenges all of the apocolypitic conventions. The main character is an anti-hero as he does not have the typical characteristics of a normal hero. The director uses meta narrative to portray their view of zombie apocolypse. -
Scott Pilgrim Vs the World
This film pays tribute to the original comic books, by having a strong comic feel to the entire film lay out. This is presented by the enormous amount of hyperreality used, such as the "Love" cloud, level ups, and sound effects. The narrative of Scott Pilgrim having to defeat his new girlfriend's seven exs is accompanied with a strong female character. However, Ramona Flowers, in some aspects, is a typical princess, as she needs to be saved from the antagonists by the hero. -
Easy A
Easy A is very postmodern as it constantly refers back to past events ( such as branding promiscuous women with an A ) and the intertexuality with previous 80s films, such as the love intere4st standing outside the protagonist's window with a boom box.
