Postmodernism & Deutschland 83: blog tasks

 A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past (MM,73) -

1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?

Usually a binary 'good vs evil'. East - grey, stark, strict. West - abundance, pop culture, free. There is a pro-West agenda.  ‘them versus us/ good versus evil’ ideological viewpoint through their narratives and how characters are represented.

2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis?

 

Deutschland 83 is an excellent example of postmodernism due to its blending of historical events, pop culture references, and narrative techniques. Postmodernism in media often involves irony, self-awareness, and a mix of different genres and styles, and Deutschland 83 exhibits these characteristics in various ways.

3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.

 Ronald Reagan speech - This intertextual footage with its message to ‘pray’ for those who live in ‘totalitarian darkness’ creates ambiguity – Reagan talks of the ‘quiet men’ who conceive and order this ‘greatest evil’ in ‘carpeted well-lit offices.’

4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?

Martin’s house when he returns from leave in East Germany. Martin arrives and embraces family members in a bright, sunlit garden setting. In the living room, young people are drinking beers and dancing and singing to the Cold War era protest song ‘99 Luftballoons’ that is later played in the West German barracks too.

5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?

The idea of breaking down distinctions between high and low art and incorporating elements of popular culture is key to a postmodern treatment - Gustav Clint 'The Kiss' painting.

Supermarket - consumerism, 'Sweet Dreams'.

Spy sequence - gadgets, montage, jump cuts - convention of James Bond spy movies.

6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience? 

That audiences are used to seeing one representation of the Cold War, and so they continue to be present it this way in the media. 

Postmodernism Factsheet 54 -

1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?

1. The characters Bruno and Borat have more ‘reality’ for film audiences than their creator Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen’s films rely on the fact that the characters he creates are seen as ‘real’ people and he is able to get away with saying and doing things that a ‘real’ person could not. Cohen is only ever interviewed ‘in character’ so his creations have a voice but he does not.
2. The modern rise of celebrities launched through reality television programmes such as Big Brother can be seen as the culture celebrating style over substance. Many celebrities are now famous for being famous rather than for an identifiable talent or ability.
3. Advertising (low art) often makes reference to visual art (high art) or uses classical music (high art) to help sell its products
4. Because of the relative ease with which people and information can travel, time and space become less stable and comprehensible, more confused, more incoherent, more disunified.
5. Britain can be seen to have become a more secular society demonstrating that religious ideas have less influence socially than they did before WW2.

2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?

Fredric Jameson’s idea of historical deafness in Deutschland 83 highlights how individuals, caught up in the personal and immediate concerns of their lives, are often blind or deaf to the larger historical movements shaping their world. 

3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?

Jameson argues that this creates a cultural depthlessness. Like Baudrillard he sees the culture as being one where meaning is lost and all that is left is surface representation.

4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83? 

Pop music (low art) often samples classical music (high art). No.

5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?

Bricolage refers to the process of creating meaning through the mixing of different cultural or historical elements. Martin wearing Puma and Nike. Supermarket - references to Andy Warhol.

6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.

Surveillance - historical deafness, audiences are learning from the series

7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?

By setting it in a real historical background with a fake narrative well, as the archive footage and real documents from real figures in those events.

8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?

• Archive footage/documents
• Supermarket - clothes
• Supermarket - cans
• Spy montage - James Bond reference
• The Kiss painting - mixing low and high art