Visual Arts and Film Studies
Short Essay #5: Postmodernism
Write approximately 1000 words (or 2-3 double-spaced pages) applying postmodern film theories to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop (1987), and/or David Cronenberg’s Videodrome (1983).
1. Discuss the relationship between postmodernity and affect/embodiment as theorized by Fredric Jameson as well as Steven Shaviro and/or Linda Williams. How do these theorists relate postmodern cinema to the emergence of “late capitalism”? How do they relate postmodern cinema to historical/material reality and/or the history of art/images? According to these theorists, how does postmodern cinema stimulate — or not stimulate — spectators’ psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects? To earn full credit, your essay must cite Jameson as well as one additional theorist from this unit.
2. Apply Jameson’s as well as Shaviro’s and/or Williams’ theories to Blade Runner, Videodrome, and/or Robocop. How do these films represent and perhaps contribute to the emergence of “late capitalism”? How are these films related to historical/material reality and/or preexisting art/images? How do these films represent psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects in relation to postmodernity? How does the form of the films manipulate spectators’ psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects? This section may refer to more than one film.
Grading Criteria: Your essays will be graded on a scale from 1-10 points according to several criteria:
– the accuracy of your discussion on the required readings and viewings;
– the coherence and persuasiveness of your thesis about how the concept of medium specificity and other formalist theories apply to the film;
– the degree to which you display knowledge of and critically engage with the relevant texts, concepts, films and vocabulary.
– the clarity and organization of your writing
Write approximately 1000 words (or 2-3 double-spaced pages) applying postmodern film theories to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop (1987), and/or David Cronenberg’s Videodrome (1983).
1. Discuss the relationship between postmodernity and affect/embodiment as theorized by Fredric Jameson as well as Steven Shaviro and/or Linda Williams. How do these theorists relate postmodern cinema to the emergence of “late capitalism”? How do they relate postmodern cinema to historical/material reality and/or the history of art/images? According to these theorists, how does postmodern cinema stimulate — or not stimulate — spectators’ psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects? To earn full credit, your essay must cite Jameson as well as one additional theorist from this unit.
2. Apply Jameson’s as well as Shaviro’s and/or Williams’ theories to Blade Runner, Videodrome, and/or Robocop. How do these films represent and perhaps contribute to the emergence of “late capitalism”? How are these films related to historical/material reality and/or preexisting art/images? How do these films represent psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects in relation to postmodernity? How does the form of the films manipulate spectators’ psychoanalytic drives, emotional feelings, and/or bodily affects? This section may refer to more than one film.
Grading Criteria: Your essays will be graded on a scale from 1-10 points according to several criteria:
– the accuracy of your discussion on the required readings and viewings;
– the coherence and persuasiveness of your thesis about how the concept of medium specificity and other formalist theories apply to the film;
– the degree to which you display knowledge of and critically engage with the relevant texts, concepts, films and vocabulary.
– the clarity and organization of your writing
