Postmodern Aesthetics in Blockbuster Horror Sequels

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Introduction

The postmodern aesthetic can be used to address all manner of objects and texts; this includes using these aesthetics in the horror film series' such as Scream (1, and ) and Halloween (1, , 4, 5, 6 and 7) to illustrate the examples of postmodern aesthetics in blockbuster horror sequels. Both the Scream and Halloween series are films of the horror genre that exhibit examples of typically postmodern aesthetics and the qualities of a blockbuster movie.

Postmodernism

Postmodernism reacts against earlier modernist principles by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of a method, technique or style, for example horror film or romance novel. In other words using principles of a particular object or text and changing parts of it, while still retaining some of the original concepts of the object of text it is based on. Terry Eagleton in his book The Illusions of Postmodernism says "postmodernism is a style of culture which reflects something of the epochal change in a depthless, decentred, ungrounded, self-reflexive, playful, derivative, eclectic, pluralistic art which blurs the boundaries between 'high' and 'popular' culture as well as between art and everyday experience." (Eagleton, 17, pvii)

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This set of theories, though not always well defined, in essence, is the re-creation of something as something new but that is still recognisable as what it was before not necessarily improving it but leaving a self-conscious reference to the old object or text. For example, in fashion, a style of dress may become fashionable again but with a new fabric and different accessories. It is still recognised as a dress from its original time period (eg. the hippie fashion of the 160s) but it is a new style because of a few modernising adjustments (eg. instead of cotton it could be made of a cotton/nylon blend), leaving a product that when viewed can be recognised as a similar object from the past.

Therefore the postmodern text is the following of a set of rules, essentially by creating the rules in the work itself. By drawing on past works, to create a new product familiar to audiences by genre or style, creating a type of derivative and pluralistic art that is, as Eagleton said, ungrounded, eclectic, playful and self-reflexive, is comfortable to audiences because it is recognisable as something else, blurring the borders involving 'high' and 'popular' culture as well as between art and everyday experience despite any differences.

Postmodernism in Film

"A notable achievement of contemporary mainstream English-language cinema is the slick recreation as new cinema of the styles and techniques of the past." (Pen, 16, p) Postmodernism tendencies are evident in the contemporary horror film genre. By using a set of 'rules' as stated in each subsequent Scream movie, we can see how this film in particular, self-consciously references the horror genre and by using the generic norms of the slasher sub genre of the horror family established in Halloween and its sequels are playfully and self consciously referenced in Scream and its sequels making the Scream trilogy an example of postmodern representation.

Blockbusters

The aesthetics that make these films blockbusters make them an example of postmodern textuality. By creating and using the rules, the films can all make narrative less influential to the movie and concentrate on more suspense and gore. Robin Pen, in his book The Secret Life of Rubber Suited Monsters Selected Essays 10-5, says "with the right formula, who needs a story." (Pen, 16, p) This characteristic ethos of the traditional blockbuster movie is evident in both Scream and Halloween.

"The key to Hollywood's survival and the one abiding aspect of its postwar [sic] transformation has been the steady rise of the movie blockbuster." (Schatz, 1, p) James Monaco is quoted in the Schatz book Film Theory Goes to the Movies, describing the offspring of the classic blockbuster as mere "machines of entertainment, precisely calculated to achieve their effect." (Monaco, 1, p1) It is this mechanisation and calculation by filmmakers to create the mass marketed and produced blockbuster effect that can be categorised as postmodern because of the qualities in the text. In the same book Schatz talks about characterisation in the blockbuster and the prominence of narrative over characterisation. The "emphasis on plot over character marks a significant departure from classic Hollywood films…wherein plot tended to emerge more organically as a function of the drives, desires, motivations, and goals of the central characters." (Schatz, 1, p)

The Rules

The Scream trilogy picks ups and self-consciously employs generic 'rules' first established by the Halloween series. The Halloween series is part of the slasher sub-genre of horror. "Through pandering to the ideas and beliefs of the audience, filmmakers parallel those ideas and beliefs in their creations. This correlation was demonstrated in the glut of so-called slasher films during the period 174-184. Although the films were diverse in form and execution, the basic plot of these movies involved some sort of deranged psychopath gleefully stalking and killing a number of unfortunate teenage victims." (King, 00, p1) John Carpenters Halloween (178) has killer Michael Myers strangling baby-sitters on Halloween night.

"The most evident archetype within the slasher sub-genre is the Virgin. Usually the Virgin is the protagonist of the film, a female teenager of moral purity and physical desirability." (King, 00, p1) The Virgin, as her name implies, is portrayed as a non-sexual being, removed of any erotic feelings or actions for the duration of the film. Even though the characteristic is more often than not only implied, in Halloween and subsequently Scream protagonists are openly stated to be actual virgins. This asexuality is an indication of the largely righteous behaviour that the Virgin characters share. Halloweens Laurie, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, abandons an anticipated date to baby-sit. Being the essential character, the Virgin must ultimately do battle with the antagonist slasher. After a futile endeavour to break away from the Slasher, the Virgin more often than not turns to the offensive. Basically, the Virgin will search for a passive escape from her circumstances, but will resort to violent behaviour if needed. (King, 00, p1)

The survival of the Virgin is also a characteristic in this sub-genre. "The acceptance and frequent use of an archetype like the Virgin has much to say concerning the morality of contemporary society. While the Virgin is morally pure in thought and action, the remainder of the teenaged cast is quite the opposite, frequently engaging in premarital sex and drug use. Interestingly, the immoral supporting characters are systematically slaughtered while the Virgin lives to remain virtuous for another day. What this turn of events implies is that sin equals death. If a person is involved in premarital sex, illegal drugs, or any other social wrong, that person will eventually meet an unfortunate and miserable end. In contrast, those who live a good life, according to cultural norms, will be rewarded with survival." (King, 00, p)

The Horror Film

In Scream a few rules and theories are given for Horror films. These rules are repetitions on the characteristics of the slasher sub genre in horror that are apparent in Halloween. This also ties in with the marketing principles of blockbuster film production.

One of the theories in the movie is

" "That's the beauty of it all [horror genre], simplicity. Besides if you get too confusing you lose your target audience. There's a formula to it. A very simple formula! Everybody's a suspect!" " ('Randy' in Williamson, 14)

Then there are the specific rules as seen in this piece from the script of Scream

" "There are certain rules you must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie. For instance

#1. You can never have sex. Big no-no. Big no-no. Sex equals death okay?

#. You can never drink or do drugs. This is sin. It's an extension of number 1.

#. Never, never, ever under any circumstances do you ever say I'll be right back cause you won't be back." "

('Randy' in Williamson, 14)

Two of these rules are then used directly following their mention with the overly sexual character of Tatum, while getting beer is killed.

The Horror Sequel

In Scream , once again a set of rules and theories are given. This set of rules and theories created in and then applied to this movie, outline the differences between the 'horror movie' rules and the rules of the sequel.

In the movie, Randy, our rule setter in the first Scream film, once again gives the rules of the sequel. He says, in response to the realisation that the group in the film are once again dealing with a serial killer " "its our job to observe rules of a sequel. Number one, the body count is always bigger. Number two, the death scenes are always much more elaborate, more blood, more gore, carnage candy. Your core audience just expects it." " ('Randy' in Williamson, 16)

Just as Randy states it, the movie's body count does eventuate a larger tally and the death scenes are more elaborate and gory than in the first Scream movie.

The Final Instalment of a Horror Trilogy

Although the final instalment of a trilogy is a rare occurrence in the horror genre, once again specific rules are listed for the movie to follow, event though these rules are created within the movie itself.

After the killings restart, once again Randy appears (despite his death in the previous film) to give the rules of the film. He says

" "If you find yourself dealing with an unexpected back-story, and a preponderance of exposition, then the sequel rules do not apply. Because you are not dealing with a sequel, you are dealing with the concluding chapter of a trilogy…Its a force to be reckoned with, because true trilogies are all about going back to the beginning and discovering something that wasnt true from the get go…So if it is a trilogy you are dealing with, here are some super trilogy rules. One, you got a killer whos gonna be super human…Number two anyone including the main character can die…Number three the past will come back to bite you in the ass! Whatever you think you know about the past, forget it. The past is not at rest, any sins you think were committed in the past are about to break out and destroy you." "

('Randy' in Williamson, 16)

These rules are used in the film when it is discovered that Sidney's mother was a film star for a period of time in her youth. This truth being revealed opens up the 'unexpected back-story' that Randy speaks of. The three main rules talk about the way the killer is super human. This is seen in the resilience of the killer despite being shot and stabbed numerous times by varying characters. The rule that anyone can die adds another dimension to the film with the killer targeting Sidney more viciously than seen in the previous two Scream films. The third main rule about the past coming 'back to bite you in the ass', is a reference to Sidney's mother's promiscuousness in her movie days and the consequences it causes, namely the third killing spree.

Postmodernism, The Rules and Halloween

Halloween (178) and the sequels that follow (not including Halloween III Season of the Witch that was related to the first two films by name only) are the continued story of mentally deranged, and at times 'supernatural' man named Michael Myers. By looking at the rules mentioned for horror movies in the movie Scream we can see the following of these rules in Halloween. The rules are that characters in the film can never have sex, never drink, and never say 'I'll be right back'. The people killed in this first film is not the virginal heroine Laurie (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) but her school friends Annie who was on the way to her boyfriend's; Bob, going into the kitchen to get a beer after having sex with Lynda (a double no-no); and then Lynda herself, waiting for Bob to come back to bed. All three use at least the two first rules of no sex (or at least the actions heading towards sex in Annie's case) and no alcohol.

In the following sequels (not including Halloween III for the aforementioned reason) Halloween II (181), Halloween 4 The Return of Michael Myers (188), Halloween 5 The Revenge of Michael Myers (18), Halloween 6 The Curse of Michael Myers (16) and Halloween H0 (18) all stick to the 'rules' of the horror sequel listed in Scream . "These are better taken as remakes than sequels; although the later part purports to take up where the earlier part left off, in most cases it simply duplicates with only slight variation the plot and circumstances the formula of its predecessor" (Clover, 1, p) When the Halloween sequels are compared to the original Halloween there is more gore and the body count is higher as stated in the sequel rules in Scream .

Postmodernism, The Rules and Scream

Scream uses the aforementioned aspects of postmodernism and the rules of the horror film, the horror sequel and the final instalment of a horror trilogy that the Scream films both invent and employ in the story. Wes Craven, the director of the Scream trilogy, "continually draws on the established codes of the horror film to foreground them, not always in terms of parody, but rather to reassert the function of horror to deliberate on horrality and its operation in watching these films." (Fuery, 000, p5) In other words, by drawing on the generic characteristics of the slasher sub genre, the Scream trilogy though sometimes viewed as a parody because of its playfulness, as mentioned by Eagleton, still retain their horror by basing the generic characteristics in the films. These established codes stated in the film as the rules are what creates the postmodern aesthetic to these horror films. Films such as the Scream trilogy "function precisely on acknowledging the horror genre…openly stating its operations…in order to intensify the horror." (Fuery, 000, p5) Meaning that they work as a horror film because they say they are a horror film. The trilogy does this by stating the rules, creating a way of telling the audience exactly what it is and is going to do. This functions not only as an example of postmodernism but of blockbuster film because of its employment of the blurred boundaries between 'high' and 'low' culture.

Postmodern Aesthetics in Blockbuster Horror Sequels

Horror franchises made to be blockbusters are, as a result, postmodern. The continued repetition of ideas, themes and plots seen in horror movies and their sequels are not only an example of postmodern aesthetics but also a blockbuster. Halloween and its follow-ups' use of this continuing familiarity with its characters and storyline, made this movie into a blockbuster. It became so popular through this familiarity that they are still being made with Halloween Resurrection being released early next year.

Scream and its sequels were made to be blockbusters from the start by utilising the repetitions in postmodern aesthetics to attract an audience familiar with the genre and basic storyline within horror movies.

Conclusion

As you can see postmodern aesthetics can help make a film into a blockbuster, as with the Halloween series, or give guidelines on how to create a blockbuster such as the Scream trilogy, by using a set of rules. Therefore if these movies are simply texts that implicitly follow certain rules for narration and form, they are merely generic texts but not necessarily postmodern, however because of their self-reflexivity and playfulness and the repetition of the blockbuster franchise the later incarnations are recognisably postmodern.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bordwell, D. and Thompson, K. (001) Film Art An introduction (Sixth Edition), New York McGraw-Hill

. Brewes, T. (17) Cynicism and Postmodernity, London Verso

. Clover, C. J. (1) Men Women and Chainsaws Gender in the Modern Horror Film New Jersey Princeton University Press

4. Creed, B. (1) The Monstrous Feminine Film, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, London Routledge

5. Eagleton, T. (17) The Illusions of Postmodernism, USA Blackwell Publishers

6. Fuery, P. (000) New Developments in Film Theory, USA Macmillan Press Ltd

7. King, J. (00) Archetypal Characters Within the Slasher Film Sub-Genre, http//www.english.uga.edu/freshcomp/engl1101-8-.html

8. Kruger, E. (1) Scream Script, http//blake.prohosting.com/horrorsu/scripts/scream_transcript.txt (0/0/0)

. Lyotard, J (17) The Postmodern Condition A Report on Knowledge, United Kingdom Manchester University Press

10. Monaco, J. as quoted in Schatz, T. in Collins J., Preacher-Collins, A. and Radner H. (eds) (1) 'The New Hollywood', Film Theory Goes to the Movies, New York Roultledge

11. Newman, K. (ed) (16) The BFI Companion to Horror, United Kingdom Cassell

1. O'Neill, J. (14) Terror On Tape A Complete Guide to Over ,000 Horror Movies on Video, New York Billboard Books

1. Pen, R. (16) The Secret Life of Rubber-Suit Monsters Selected Essays 10-5, Western Australia Optima Press

14. Schatz, T. in Collins J., Preacher-Collins, A. and Radner H. (eds) (1) 'The New Hollywood', Film Theory Goes to the Movies, New York Roultledge

15. Williamson, K. (14) Scream Script, http//www.screentalk.org/moviescripts/Scream.pdf (14/10/0)

16. Williamson, K. (16) Scream Script, www.blake.prohosting.com/horrorsu/scripts/screamtranscript.txt (0/0/0)

FILMOGRAPHY

· Carpenter, J. (dir) (178) Halloween, USA Media

· Chappelle, J. (dir) (16) Halloween 6The Curse of Michael Myers, USA Buena Vista

· Craven, W. (dir) (16) Scream, USA Miramax Films

· Craven, W. (dir) (17) Scream , USA Miramax Films

· Craven, W. (dir) (000) Scream , USA Dimension Films

· Little, D. H. (dir) (188) Halloween 4 The Return of Michael Myers, USA CBS/Fox

· Miner, S. (dir) (18) Halloween HO, USA Dimension Films

· Otherin-Girard, D. (dir) (18) Halloween 5 The Revenge of Michael Myers, USA CBS/Fox

· Rosenthall, R. (dir) (181) Halloween II, USA MCA/Universal

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