For the purposes of this case study, I am researching synth culture during the 1980's, as that is what Summer Camp deal with.
Synth music was taking over the charts, bands such as Culture Club, The Human League, and Soft Cell were as popular as ever. These bands were fronted by make up wearing, and extravagant dressing males, and this was considered 'Fine', yes, they were also seen in suits, but when dressed in the outlandish fashion, not seen before, because accepted it, and didn't criticise it.
Men such as Gary Numan may have so, so successful with their music, but still, their inspiration lives on today.
'New Wave' was started in Britain, so even on American shows that wanted feature this music on their shows, came to British artists, such as Simple Minds, who recorded 'Don't you forget about me' for The Breakfast Club.
Television series were often portraying a togetherness, such as Different Strokes, a show a two adopted boy's, the show represented family life being a real close bond, and Saved by the Bell was about a close knit group of friends during their teens. Both of these shows imply that you should you spend most of your time with those who mean the most to you.
America was represented as being a really 'nice' place to live (It still is like that), the sun always seemed to be out, dressing in a 'Preppy' fashion was popular, hence Zack Morris' nickname in Saved by the Bell.
The work 'Bright' springs to mind when watching any of the clips.
Very stereotypical approach in plot lines.
Monday, 20 February 2012
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Explain why some people do not understand the concept of Postmodernism.
Postmodernism, the rejection of Modernism, churned out with the mixing of cultures, catches the eye of many, yet, at the same time Postmodernism is despised by others. This is quite often due to the severe contradictory nature that comes with Postmodernism, and also because of it's ability to purposely make something that's 'bad', just so it meets the criteria. I, myself am not hugely enthusiastic about the diea of being a Postmodernist, although, on occasions I partially agree with a few of it's elements.
A large part of Postmodernism that people struggle to get their heads round is, and come to terms with is the idea of 'Pluralism', this is the theory that Jean Francois Lyotard, that we have given up the idea of grand narrative, and that everything is the same, and nothing is unique anymore. In my opinion, this arguements is covered in flaws. Answer me this, how can two television shows such as The Office and The Mighty Boosh follow the theory of Pluralism? The former is based on the day to day goings on in a working office, and the latter is based inside a hyped up, exaggerated, created universe, adopting plot lines that could not take place in reality. Yes, they are both commercially produced shows to provide entertainment for it's viewing public, but that does not mean that you can label these shows the 'same'.
Whilst in discussion over The Mighty Boosh, Fielding and Barrett heavily use another Postmodern element within their work, that people do not understand, this is Hyperreality, which is easiest defined as 'Accepting something for what it is', and The Boosh is an ideal way to show this. When you watch The Mighty Boosh, you are taken into this extraordinary land, then when we see Vince Noir dressed up in his extravagant pieces of clothing, that when you see anybody else dressed up in that fashion, you utter the words 'Gimp', or more explicitly 'T***'. However, when you see Fielding, you see it as being very natural, and don't think much of it, in other terms, 'You accept it for what it is', Furthermore you rarely see/hear anybody refuse to watch The Mighty Boosh due to the fact it challenges realistic experiences.
'Homo with a Shotgun', terrible name, plot line, acting, setting, oh, the list goes on. Yes, I believe it is a horrendous film, however, I doubt the creators of the film would be terribly offended by my remarks, as it's a Pastiche towards other action films, mimicking them. I agree with the homage, showing your inspirations by paying respect to them in your pieces of work, but really, what is the point of going to extreme lengths to produce a 'bad' film, just to mimic others? I really don't think it has a valid point.
Finally, I do understand that people do not agree with concepts of Postmodernism, I don't myself, I do believe methods such as paying homage work well. Although, I believe many Postmodern judgments are naive, as well as contradictory, plus too narrow minded to take other views into account, clarifying that I won't be becoming a Postmodernist anytime soon.
Note: I was about to discuss Derrida's theory of Bricolage, but I ran out of time.
A large part of Postmodernism that people struggle to get their heads round is, and come to terms with is the idea of 'Pluralism', this is the theory that Jean Francois Lyotard, that we have given up the idea of grand narrative, and that everything is the same, and nothing is unique anymore. In my opinion, this arguements is covered in flaws. Answer me this, how can two television shows such as The Office and The Mighty Boosh follow the theory of Pluralism? The former is based on the day to day goings on in a working office, and the latter is based inside a hyped up, exaggerated, created universe, adopting plot lines that could not take place in reality. Yes, they are both commercially produced shows to provide entertainment for it's viewing public, but that does not mean that you can label these shows the 'same'.
Whilst in discussion over The Mighty Boosh, Fielding and Barrett heavily use another Postmodern element within their work, that people do not understand, this is Hyperreality, which is easiest defined as 'Accepting something for what it is', and The Boosh is an ideal way to show this. When you watch The Mighty Boosh, you are taken into this extraordinary land, then when we see Vince Noir dressed up in his extravagant pieces of clothing, that when you see anybody else dressed up in that fashion, you utter the words 'Gimp', or more explicitly 'T***'. However, when you see Fielding, you see it as being very natural, and don't think much of it, in other terms, 'You accept it for what it is', Furthermore you rarely see/hear anybody refuse to watch The Mighty Boosh due to the fact it challenges realistic experiences.
'Homo with a Shotgun', terrible name, plot line, acting, setting, oh, the list goes on. Yes, I believe it is a horrendous film, however, I doubt the creators of the film would be terribly offended by my remarks, as it's a Pastiche towards other action films, mimicking them. I agree with the homage, showing your inspirations by paying respect to them in your pieces of work, but really, what is the point of going to extreme lengths to produce a 'bad' film, just to mimic others? I really don't think it has a valid point.
Finally, I do understand that people do not agree with concepts of Postmodernism, I don't myself, I do believe methods such as paying homage work well. Although, I believe many Postmodern judgments are naive, as well as contradictory, plus too narrow minded to take other views into account, clarifying that I won't be becoming a Postmodernist anytime soon.
Note: I was about to discuss Derrida's theory of Bricolage, but I ran out of time.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Death of uncool.
The subject of being 'cool' is a controversial one, to say the least. Whether it may defining what puts you aside from the rest of the crowd and makes you 'cool', or how labelling somebody as 'cool', no matter what, you will always have a number of questions to answer.
Music is one largest industry's where being cool comes into question. In previous generations you would be consider yourself as cool by listening to a certain genre of music. Nowaday's, and largely due to downloadable music, your coule IPod be full of a variety to different genres, from artists such as The Clash, all the way to Boyzone. Brian Eno, respected music producer claims there is no such thing as cool in music anymore, because we all have that many variety's of different genres that it a genre in particular cannot be considered 'Cool'.
To look at things in Eno's light I have decided to put a shuffle on IPod compile a list the first 13 songs that are played, to see how much of a variety of music in on my IPod.
Is there a certain trend trunning throughout the songs on the list?
The results weren't too bad, my preferred genre is that guitar music more or less, therefore the results could have much different to how they were.
Music is one largest industry's where being cool comes into question. In previous generations you would be consider yourself as cool by listening to a certain genre of music. Nowaday's, and largely due to downloadable music, your coule IPod be full of a variety to different genres, from artists such as The Clash, all the way to Boyzone. Brian Eno, respected music producer claims there is no such thing as cool in music anymore, because we all have that many variety's of different genres that it a genre in particular cannot be considered 'Cool'.
To look at things in Eno's light I have decided to put a shuffle on IPod compile a list the first 13 songs that are played, to see how much of a variety of music in on my IPod.
Is there a certain trend trunning throughout the songs on the list?
The results weren't too bad, my preferred genre is that guitar music more or less, therefore the results could have much different to how they were.
Friday, 3 February 2012
Jacques Derrida.
Jacques Derrida, a Postmodern theorist, he is responsible for one of the most famous beliefs within the Postmodern culture, that quote is the following...
"The center is not the center, the concept of a centered structure...is contradictorily coherent. And, as always, coherent in contradiction expresses the force of desire"
This quote means that there is not a set center, the center is in fact wherever we put it.
For example, 'Kung Fu Panda' is a considered a fairly good animation compared to 'Mars Needs Moms', but isn't particularly very good compared to 'Finding Nemo'. Therefore Kung Fu Panda is in the centre, because it has the surroundings.
Whereas Finding Nemo becomes the center if you bring Toy Story in the aquasion, because compared to Kung Fu Panda, Finding Nemo is considered a very good film, but compared Toy Story it isn't so, so brilliant.
The point Derrida is trying to make is that the center keeps of moving, everything is like a cycle, and it's keeps on moving and things go in and out of fashion.
"The center is not the center, the concept of a centered structure...is contradictorily coherent. And, as always, coherent in contradiction expresses the force of desire"
This quote means that there is not a set center, the center is in fact wherever we put it.
For example, 'Kung Fu Panda' is a considered a fairly good animation compared to 'Mars Needs Moms', but isn't particularly very good compared to 'Finding Nemo'. Therefore Kung Fu Panda is in the centre, because it has the surroundings.
Whereas Finding Nemo becomes the center if you bring Toy Story in the aquasion, because compared to Kung Fu Panda, Finding Nemo is considered a very good film, but compared Toy Story it isn't so, so brilliant.
The point Derrida is trying to make is that the center keeps of moving, everything is like a cycle, and it's keeps on moving and things go in and out of fashion.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Pastiche and Homage.
In class we have been discussing the Postmodernism terms Pastiche, and Homage. In many ways a Pastiche and a Homage can be considered the complete opposite.
A Pastiche is an imiation of previous work, for instance it that imitates and 'takes the mick' out of other pieces of work, for instance Symphonies by Dan Black is considered a Pastiche because he deliberately uses beats that artists such as Rihanna have used in the past, to let people that they are in fact quite simple and easy to create.
A Homage where is where you pay respect to previous work the work that you produce yourself. For example 'The Artist' has recently been given an endless amount of critical praise recently, and The Artist pays respect and signs silent films from the 1950's/60 as it's influence.
A Pastiche is an imiation of previous work, for instance it that imitates and 'takes the mick' out of other pieces of work, for instance Symphonies by Dan Black is considered a Pastiche because he deliberately uses beats that artists such as Rihanna have used in the past, to let people that they are in fact quite simple and easy to create.
A Homage where is where you pay respect to previous work the work that you produce yourself. For example 'The Artist' has recently been given an endless amount of critical praise recently, and The Artist pays respect and signs silent films from the 1950's/60 as it's influence.
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