Postmodern Theory

Postmodernist film challenges the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterization. It is also able to destroys the audience's suspension of belief to create a work in which a less-recognizable internal logic forms the film's means of expression.

Some features of post modern films:

1. They don't pretend to be wholly works, and often draw attention to the fact they are in fact fictitious. An example is when characters stop and talk directly to the audience.
2. They purposely mix genres and will borrow form music videos, TV animation and other forms.
3. They often tend to refer to other films, which is known as inter-textuality.
4.  They often re-arrange or disrupt strict linear narratives, instead of using circular narratives and open ended closures.
5. They sometimes have stories within stories or also films within films.
6. They often involve characters that feel disconnected or alienated from their environment and distrust authorities. 

Genres:

• Pastiche- self-referential, tongue-in-cheek (e.g Scary Movie)
• Flattening of affect- violence, drugs, emotionless, unauthentic lives, technology (e.g Fight Club)
• Hyper reality- technologically created realities are often more authentic or desirable than the real world (e.g Inception)
• Time bending- time travel provides another4 way to shape reality and play 'what if' games with society (e.g 12 monkeys) 
• Altered states- drugs, mental illness and technology provide a dark, often psychedelic, gateway to new internal realities (e.g Naked lunch)
• More human than human- artificial intelligence, robotics and cybernetics seek to enhance or replace humanity (e.g Avatar)

Fight Club

This film may be seen as a classic example of postmodernist theory. In the film fight club there is a use of an narrator throughout the film, the narrator used is the main protagonist, which is another use of postmodern concept. The narrator is also the main protagonist, and throughout the film we see the journey which he goes on from being depressed to turning into a violent psychopath. Another feature which is included in this film is the characters involved with the 'fight club' feel disconnected from society and their environment. Therefore they result in form their own 'society' and taking a stand. The dark colour scheme usede throughout the film represents and provides the audince with the impression that it is going to be violent as well as scary film.