Postmodern Cinema (and Television)

We discussed postmodernism in class: the idea that film, literature or art does not have any transcendental meaning but merely rehashes the same ol', same ol' again and again. Some symptoms of this idea are calling attention to the artificiality or fiction of art, abundant allusions, and the disintegration of the distinction between high and low art. Where do you see examples of postmodern in Pierrot le Fou? In Daisies? Do you see these features in other films -- or even television shows? Please make your examples as detailed as you can.

What's New About the New Wave?

French New wave auteurs like Godard envisioned their films as a radical re-visoning of the static filmmaking of the French studio system. What experimental ideas or techniques did you notice in Pierrot le Fou (could you explain in some detail)? How do these experiments change the way we enjoy a film? Are they engaged or annoying? Do they bring meaning to the film? Do they make fun of the whole idea of bringing meaning to film?

LIFE: Discovery Channel's New Show

Life is the new and improved version of Planet Earth. I was amazed when I first saw the show. The use of camera techniques makes nature seem even more interesting than it already is. It is by far the best educational show I have ever seen.

Mono No Aware

Mono no aware is the Japanese idea of the awareness of the transience of beauty and the ultimate sadness of life. After watching Tokyo Story can you better understand this concept? What were your emotional feelings at the end of the film? What were you thinking when you saw the final image: the old man alone in the house fanning himself?

The Japanese Aesthetic

For many moviegoers, the films of Ozu are typically Japanese, drawing on a history of theater, printmaking, and Zen rituals that are very different from the West. Do you find an aesthetic or "feel" to Tokyo Story that is different from American or even European films? If you know anything about Japanese culture, do you see parallels between this film and other Japanese art or rituals? Do you gain a sense of mono no aware, the appreciation of the inherent sadness of life due to the transcience of beauty?

The Post-War World

Two films we have screened, Bicycle Thieves and Tokyo Story, are set in the years immediately after World War II, in countries defeated by the United States and its allies. What can we learn about the nature of the war from its aftermath? What do these films tell us about the costs of the war? Do we have any clues about the ascent of America and its culture in the post-war world?

Individual Episodes or A Continous Storyline?

What type of television series do you prefer, one that has individual episodes where the viewer doesn't need see the previous episode in order to follow along or a series that adheres to a storyline?