TV: Postmodernism and Deutschland 83

 

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

present the East and West as binary opposites through codes and conventions. The communist East is presented grey and stark, no billboards, culture or entertainment and strict limitations of citizens’ movements and availability of certain foods (e.g. coffee and bananas). The capitalist West, in contrast, is a world of department stores, restaurants and cars, pop-culture and entertainment and free movement. These texts traditionally offer a pro-West ‘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? 

All postmodern texts create a relationship with the past and the first episode of Deutschland 83, ‘Quantum Jump’,

does this with intertitles that frame its historical context.

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

in 1983. A woman is listening to US president Ronald Reagan’s ‘Evil Empire’ speech on a television set. This intertextual footage with its message to ‘pray’ for those who live in ‘totalitarian darkness’ creates ambiguity

this is significant as it is bluring the lines of reality and the tv show ere watching 

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

everyone seems to be happy and having a abetter time than the people in the west whereas we are told that the east side of Germany is very depressing and the people are deprived oh happiness of a sense of community 

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

post modernist art like the canned soup Gustav Klimt’s painting ‘The Kiss’ strategically placed within the wide

shot. Gustav Klimt’s ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of This’ as Martin wonders at the volume and choice of products

available in the West.

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

audience?

postmodern treatment. It draws attention to itself as artificial. There is a piano strategically placed behind Martin drawing attention to its ironic mode of address. Postmodernist is shown with the real life characters like the US president and fake spy characters which is appealing to an audience who want to be informed but also entertained 

7) 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 breakdown of the distinction between culture and society

- 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.

2) An emphasis on style at the expense of substance and content.

- The modern rise of celebrities launched through reality television programmes such as Big Brother can be seen as the culture celebrating style over substance.

3) The breakdown of the distinction between high culture (art) and popular culture.

- In postmodern culture Andy Warhol created multi-coloured prints of the Mona Lisa (high art) and Campbell’s soup cans (low art)

Pop music (low art) often samples classical music (high art)

4) Confusions over time and space.

- The mass media (television and the internet primarily) allows us access to the whole world from the comfort of our homes. Post modern society is a society built on the instantaneous; everything is ‘here and now’.

5) The decline of meta-narratives.

- In postmodern society it is argued that people no longer believe there are absolute ways to explain reality. Perhaps high profile failures of some grand narratives (like the fall of the Soviet version of Communism in 1989)

have led people to question whether it is possible to find an all encompassing ‘answer’ to social and economic problems.

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

He argues that as mediaization increases so the culture finds itself losing a sense of historical context. History is now reduced to ‘talking heads’ documentaries and historical knowledge is often based on media representations.

people arent watching a real life documentary of the real events of the cold war but watching a tv show adaptment for entertainment 

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

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

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

in the  west side martin from the east visits a shop and sees  full shelves with loads of food whilst the song sweet dreams is playing showing martins sweet dreams of a place with loads of stuff to consume 

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

Bricolage refers to the process of adapting and juxtaposing old and new texts, images, ideas or narratives to produce whole new meanings.  The blending of Reagan’s "Evil Empire" rhetoric with the daily, mundane, and somewhat "cosy" life in the GDR, challenging the audience's perception of good versus evil

12) 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.

the idea that there is no big answer to our economic and social problems which could link to the fall of things like communism portrayed in the fall of the Berlin wall 1989 

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

When Martin looks in the shop window and sees ronald raegan giving a speech this shows post modernity as it blurs the lines of reality and fiction