Postmodern TV Show - The Darkness

The Darkness

What is postmodernism? And what was modernism?

Postmodernism isn’t really a single theory at all; it’s more a set of ideas used to describe the way in which culture and cultural artifacts (art, music, fashion, film, TV, literature and even architecture) have been produced in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. When we talk about something like a film or painting or a piece of music being postmodern, we are usually giving it certain qualities which some thinkers see cropping up again and again in the culture of the world around us.

Modernism is the name we give to some of the defining characteristics of culture in the first half of the twentieth century. During this time there was a whole explosion of ideas about the way art, music, film and literature should be made.

 

Postmodernism is often associated with a revolt against authority and signification and a tendency towards pastiche, parody, quotation, self-referentiality and eclecticism.

Postmodernism …

… is ironic – the assumption that the audience knows one thing about a cultural product but then says another.

… is playful – it may subvert or break the rules of particular styles or genres.

… is nostalgic – a desire for retro culture.

… chops things up and rearranges them (styles, narratives, genres).

… borrows from other styles (intertextuality, eclecticism and pastiche).

… makes fun of other genres, texts and narratives (parody).

… concentrates on the small details rather than the big picture, and looks to avoid anything that provides an answer to all life’s questions, for example religion, politics and ect. (This is called the destruction of the Grand Narrative.)

1) Revolting against authority and signification. We might see them as a reaction against ‘serious’ bands like Coldplay or Radiohead, whose earnestness and political agenda mark them out as ‘legitimate’ and thus mainstream artists. The Darkness make a kind of music which harks back at least 15 or more years to artists like Kiss, Van Halen, Aerosmith and Whitesnake, who made big, dumb loud rock music and never really had any kind of agenda (political or otherwise) to push.

2) Pastiche and parody. A pastiche is a work of art which incorporates several different styles borrowed from several different eras in order to make a new product. Deliberate nostalgia about the way they project themselves. Whether or not The Darkness are parodying the heavy metal bands of the eighties and the glam-rock bands of the seventies. We might see this as an ironic statement though, as it seems to give a knowing nod to the stage shows of such rock giants as Iron Maiden – who often had giant monsters and skeletons patrol their stage shows – and Judas Priest, whose stage set was sometimes made to look like the deck of a spaceship.

3) Performance rather than product. One postmodern theorist, Ihab Hassan, has suggested that one of the things that distinguishes postmodern texts from modernist ones is their tendency to focus on the process or performance involved in making an artefact rather than the artefact itself.

 4) The simulacrum. Jean Baudrillard - postmodern culture is dominated not by original arte
facts and texts, but by copies of them. Indeed, one of his main arguments was that in today’s world these copies (or simulacra) are so good, that the original becomes obsolete and disappears. Thus, The Darkness, who appear to be a copy of many other bands without being a copy of any one band specifically, fulfil the status of simulacra.

Permission to borrow?

The Darkness & their fondness for making what we might term ‘semiotic raids’ on other texts. They plunder all sorts of bands, CDs and videos for signs and images that they adapt and make their own.      Take a moment to compare the three album covers : the first is from The Darkness Album Permission to Land and the other two are from Hard Rock albums from the 1970s – Boston’s 1976 debut album and Destroyer by Kiss from the same year.

 

We can demonstrate this idea of the ‘semiotic raid’ by looking at these three album covers. It’s clear, for example, that the cover of Permission to Land in some way echoes or references both these two covers from the seventies – the idea of the space ship (which in the Boston cover is actually an inverted guitar) and the use of dark purples and blues to signify the idea of darkness or night. In all three of the covers, the name of the band is foregrounded in the centre of the cover, and written in an extravagant font. For The Darkness and Boston, the font in which their name appears is reminiscent of the kind of writing you might see advertising a circus or show, suggesting entertainment rather than seriousness.

Get your hands off my catsuit

It isn’t just the covers of albums though, that reveals this postmodern tendency to make raids on other texts. Even the way the band look deliberately references other bands and musicians (texts in their own right?). Take Justin Hawkins, and his passion for the all-in-one tight-fitting catsuit – an item of clothing he is rarely seen without. This was also favoured by the frontmen of two bands to whom The Darkness owe much; namely Freddie Mercury of Queen, and David Lee Roth of American stadium rockers Van Halen. Even the bass player of The Darkness, Frankie Poullain makes reference to Freddie Mercury in his choice of facial hair.

They are either a combination of pastiche and parody, or a homage to them. It is probably the case that The Darkness themselves see their work as a combination of the two.

Postmodernism and Media Studies – what does it mean for you?

audiences might well choose to read something ironically, by being seen to enjoy something which is considered old fashioned, or tacky or odd. postmodernism isn’t necessarily obvious.

Afternote: at the time of writing, rumours abound of a collaboration between The Darkness and Welsh hip-hop crew Goldie Lookin’ Chain, on a cover of Aerosmith and Run DMC’s Walk This Way. Postmodernism in action!

 

Re-Written Mock Essay

1A

From creating a magazine at Foundation Portfolio I developed many skills that allowed me to create a music video, digipak and magazine advert at Advanced Portfolio.

 

The term Digital Technologies is used to describe the use of digital resources to effectively find, analyse, create, communicate, and use information in a digital context. This encompasses the use of web 2.0 tools, digital media tools, programming tools and software applications.

 

At AS to take the pictures for the magazine I created I used a Canon SLR 550D to take good quality images that would look vastly professional and as though it were taken by real photographers who do magazine shoots. The camera allowed me to change the brightness of the images and look at images I had taken which allowed me to change the settings of the camera if the images didn’t look of a good quality.I took the images in one of the media studios at my school. The studio had a variety of equipment such as lights so whenever a picture was taken the lights flashed. This in turn allowed me to move the lights depending on the position of my artist to ensure the images weren’t dark. There was a white screen making in the background which allowed me to edit and crop my artist when using Photoshop. If my model was sat on the floor I would have to adjust the lights to face the ground to ensure the image was lit up well.

The computer software I used to create my magazine is InDesign. When making my magazine in year 11 I used Photoshop; I found InDesign drastically easier to use for creating a magazine as it’s better designed for magazines due to the magazine formats available; whereas I found Photoshop to be better for editing pictures which is why I used Photoshop to edit my model and edit out blemishes using the patch tool. Indesign allowed me to use placeholders which I could then add an image to when I ready. Before creating my magazine I used Blogger which allowed me to put on my planning posts. The internet was a useful tool when creating my magazine. It enabled me to browse for other existing magazines such as NME and Q. looking at existing magazines I was able to pick out codes and conventions that I wanted to incorporate into my magazine, such as the colour scheme of grey and red and the layout from Q magazine. After choosing a layout deciding what images to choose was vital. My planning skills developed further as I planned ahead when thinking of what poses, clothes my model would use including the location. I did so by looking at what my target audience were interested in by looking up their interests and fashion taste on google.  Using Photoshop I could edit my images in ways that could make my photography look less amateurish; making images lighter when the lighting wasn’t perfect on the set. Using Photoshop I could transform images and make them look more professional. I had made a contact sheet using photoshop allowing me to see various images at the same time in order for me to choose images I preferred. In addition I used powerpoint to place a variety of images I thought would lok effective on my magazine and chose from the few images I had placed. In addition photoshop allowed me to saturate levels and use the spot healing tool to enhance images. With indesign I was able to use the text wrapping too which let me wrap text around chosen images. With websites such as Prezi and Slideshare I was able to upload work I had done on my own to track my development. I used Youtube to upload videos I had made from the photoshoot. I used Nexus font to add fonts to my magazine that word and other programs didn’t offer, doing this i could get more creative with the texts i could use. Using Photoshop i could also make a contact sheet which allowed me to look at several images at the same time, making it easier to choose images i would eventually use. I used PowerPoint to put images next to each other so I could decide which one would look more appropriate for my magazine and to make my target audience more interested in the magazine. I used the internet to look up images i could use for inspiration. e.g. poses and clothing hipsters would wear. With Photoshop I was also able to change saturation levels which helped make my images better. With Indesign I was able to add page numbers, together with the guidelines which helped me place text and images in suitable positions. I used Voki to make my Blogger page look more interesting when i was putting my ideas down. I used Blogger to write down my thoughts, put down notes from lessons, add course work and in turn track my development. I used the internet to get the logos for such websites such as Facebook and Twitter. I used word to type up my article, in addition to being able to see how many words I’d used and needed to add.

Starting Advanced Portfolio I had already developed skills from both GCSE and Foundation Portfolio. Using a camera was easy when capturing images however, I wasn’t experienced on how to record a video. I had done little planning before I took the camera with me on my summer holiday to Zambia. Soon after choosing Chris Brown Beautiful People as my song I instantly had an idea. I had gone on youtube and researched how to use the Cannon SLR 550D. I had learnt how to focus my video. Going on a plane inspired me to film outside my window. However, focusing, adjusting the lighting and trying to keep still was diffivult while the plane was moving. Back from holiday I had filmed over half my footage. Shooting in a drama studio was a different experience as I was trying to create an effect of infinite darkness using lights and dark room. Going out to London I had learnt to change the shutter speed which would then make it easier for me when editing my footage. The rendering tool on Premiere allowed me to see what my footage would look like without any glitches.

Through creating both AS and A2 I had noticed that I was able to create a video with little planning but creating a magazine took much needed planning as more work seemed to go into following guidelines whereas a video can be more creative.

 

 

1B

For my Advanced Portfolio I had created a music video that I found not to follow many conventions that other theorists had put forth.

The music video I’m making isn’t based on any music video in particular. The video is a journey of my holiday, going from country to country showing beautiful people around the world. There isn’t a story of sorts but merely a voyage that allows audiences to realise, no matter where in the world and the goings on of what happens around us for example war and suffering everyone is beautiful. It doesn’t matter if you’re homeless, working class, rich or whatever race, the concept still applies. Together with the beautiful people I also capture beautiful destinations and scenes.

 

None of the theories apply to my music video. The video doesn’t follow the stereotypical aspect of videos which theorists such as Kate Domaille talk about the fatal flaw, the indomitable hero or the dream comes true. Nor does the video follow points Tzvetan Todorov makes, such as the 5 stages of equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, action and restoration. Like stated before my video doesn’t have a story line, it’s merely following real life. Nothing is staged.

 

As the video is not one of performance it’s one that follows the lyrics of the son ‘Beautiful People’. The use of long shots allows the audience to see the scenery and the culture that beholds Zambia and London. People would be interested to see what a country in Africa is like. For those who live in hyper-reality and believe all they see in the media would assume there’s only poverty and wilderness, when a matter of fact it’s advanced. The video allows people to step out of the bubble of hyper-reality and see the bigger picture…it’s not all doom and gloom.

The video I’m making is linear; the video refers to a journey being told in an order of events, in addition to being omniscient narrative. The message is more or less what is seen on the screen. The meaning can be perceived in many different ways. The meaning is left open to the audience. What is provided in the music video is the simple meaning; everyone is beautiful, the lyrics to the video illustrate this alongside. The audience is left to perceive the video in anyway and mainly based on what they want to believe they are seeing. The video uses verisimilitude which is that the quality of appearing to be real or true and follows the rules of continuity. As Pam Cook argues that the Hollywood narrative structure includes: “linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution” and “a high degree of narrative closure”. My video goes against this and allows the audience freedom to have their own understanding. Not following conventions of typical videos I’d like to think my video is postmodern. It’s not restricted. There are no rules. Laura Mulvey – argues that cinema positions the audience as male. The camera gazes at the female object on screen. It also frames the male character watching the female. Once again the video ignores this and doesn’t exploit women but instead shows men and women as equal.

2

My first postmodern case study is The Lego Movie. There are many aspects of a movie that can make it postmodern such as pastiche, blurring of boundaries, homage and parody. In this essay I will highlight key aspects which make my case studies postmodern.

A well known example of a postmodern film is the Matrix, which has now been associated with The Lego Movie. In Postmodern thought, interpretations of The Matrix often reference Baudrillard's philosophy to demonstrate that the movie is an allegory for contemporary experience in a heavily commercialized, media-driven society, especially of the developed countries. Just as the film offered the stark choice of being inside or outside the matrix so you were either inside or outside the zeitgeist (the spirit of the times). This relates to The Lego Movie as there’s blurring of boundaries when most Legos didn’t know their full capabilities to build or not knowing there were other worlds than their own. "Neo" is drawn into a rebellion against the machines. In the same way that Emmet joins forces with Wyldstyle to stop President Business from closing the doors between all the worlds.

Post-Modernism both questions what is real, true, and absolute, as well as playing with inter-textuality. Story A of the Lego movie is set in an animated world and is the heroic journey of regular-guy Emmett and his quest to stop Lord Business from destroying the world with his super weapon: The Kragle. Story B is set in ‘reality’ with a boy attempting to play with his dad’s Legos, while his dad wants to maintain complete and absolute order, not giving in to the creativity that Legos can unleash.

In many ways, The Lego Movie is The Matrix, with Emmet replacing Neo, the boy and Vitruvius combined to be Morpheus, Wildstyle as Trinity, and Lord Business as Agent Smith/The AI. There are layers of reality, and only the main hero is able to see both completely.  

Also, there are robots. Built within this multiple-layered-reality are iconic figures like Batman, Star Wars characters, as well as eclectic combinations such as Unikitty. As a matter of fact The LEGO Movie asked for Christopher Nolan's blessing on their Batman. They told both Warner Bros and Christopher 'You guys have your live-action Batman, we have what we called the LEGO Batman. A Batman that's very self-aware. That is, you know, a bit of a jerk at times.'

Emmet is an Everyman, a character who represents all, and his specialness is in his non-specialness. It is through his perspective that we are swept through the fantastic landscapes of Lego City, and the wild west, and more. Batman is a vain, though handsome and formidable teammate. Wildstyle is both love interest and guides Emmet into the larger world. Vitruvius, as played by Morgan Freeman, is a just-quirky-enough wise guide, without overdoing his role at Emmet’s side. 

The music video I chose for my case study was Katy Perry This Is How We do. The video starts off with a long shot of a man looking at an art piece of Katy Perry with his back to the camera. The start of the video allows the audience to note that the video is most likely going to be artistic due to the reference to many pieces of art and pulp culture. As the director zooms in more into the picture, the picture starts to show more colour. As camera gets closer the audience can see the wig Katy Perry is wearing is similar to one of Beyonce’s many wigs. From this the audience can foreshadow that the video will make references to many well known celebrities. Pastiche/homage to the 70’s fashion and colourful style is immediately noticed in the first scene by looking at the large earring in Katy’s right ear while she doesn’t wear one in the right ear which is bizarre to do in this day and time. Male dancers dressed in grey suits with white shoes and red bow ties pays homage to Pee Wee Herman, who served as inspiration for Joel’s video for “Water Fountain” by tUnE-yArDs. The video pays homage to modern pop art through colourful pieces that visually represent the lyrics of the song. For example when she sings “Playing ping pong all night long, everything's all neon and hazy” the audience can see a neon ping pong table in the middle of the screen with people dressed in neon outfits with neon stars to represent that its night. Neon colours were popular in the 70’s making the video more post modern. As the video goes on a mid shot is used to shot Katy Perry Surrounded by Fake Chanel which illustrates that many people who cannot afford Chanel buy fake channel ‘if you can’t have fake Chanel’. Emphasising pastiche using an explosion of pop art, vintage fashion. What was worn in the early days is now being called vintage, the video is made more post modern by using a wide variety of vintage clothing. Ice cream truck and high ponytail is like the ice cream truck used in the Iggy Azalea “Pu$$y” video. The video takes even existing videos and pays homage to them through making the post modern just by the use of the bright colours on the truck and vintage clothing that is now back in fashion. The red, blue, and yellow squares reference the De Stijl Dutch art movement from the early 1900’s, going back to the point that the video references many pieces of art and pulp culture. use of the openly gay NBA player Jason Collins illustrates that it’s ok to be gay while Katy Perry sings “this is how we do” bringing forth the idea that being gay is normal more now than it was years back.

Reference to world famous Italo Disco, Pizzarina di Bellesima while Katy Perry wears everything from the Yves Saint Laurant Mondrian dress to a pepperoni pizza swimsuit to green hair extensions. Connotating that anything goes, people go with the flow and weird is part of our everyday life; people are allowed to express themselves in more ways than ever. She cruises around in a convertible with her hair teased out the way Fran Fine had in the hit TV series The Nanny, wearing similar clothing and colours the character would wear. This makes reference to an old TV show that people now wouldn’t have heard of. This part of the video is more like ‘you had to have been there to understand’. The video plays both references to topics relevant now and was relevant then. The director zooms out of the shot where the audience can see Katy Perry getting her nails done while sitting on a large hand. This mise-en-scene makes reference to Miley Cyrus’ foam finger in 2013 at the VMAs. There’s interetextual reference to Mariah Carey. This seen is merely a parody and mocks the well known singer as the celebrity double in the long shot wears and extremely tight dress that reveals her dress and her figure while she poses for the camera trying to look ‘sexy’. Nicki Minaj’s iconic bright hair colour is used on one of Katy Perry’s wigs while she sits on Lorde’s table-tennis. She makes references to well known singers in one take. In the scene where Katy Perry is on the floor singing Karaoke the audience can make link and the hair references to FKA twigs who’s an old singer born in the later years. The video as a whole is s sequel of sorts to both California Girls and Last Friday night which are both well known party songs by Katy. The strutting ice cream treats are a reference to the famous 1957 “Let’s Go Out To The Lobby” movie theatre snack promo. Intertextuality to Last Friday Night. A close-up of the singer is used to reference Brooke Candy who is Tumblr’s favourite rapper by the use of the hair style. Portrait of singer Aretha Franklin. A prince charming reference is used when an image of a shirtless man with a 10 on his face is shown where next a frog appears on the screen. This in turn references to princess and the frog as she ends up kissing a frog thinking it was her prince. This is shown by the putting on of the glasses when the ‘hot’ male is on screen and when the glasses are on the male turns out to be a mere frog. The twerking ice-cream makes reference to the singer Miley Cyrus as she recently brought back the trend of terrible twerking which in turn had a snowball effect leading to more twerking video on the net.