When watching a Tarentino film, such as Inglorious Basterds, it's important to remember the fictional representation he is displaying in his war films. The films opening credits make us aware that the film will run in chapters and it begins with 'Once upon a time'. Suggesting a fictional fairytale genre that will clearly play around with the conventions due to 'Inglorious Basterds' being a parody war film. There are also fairytale references to Cinderella, when Col. Hans Landa discovers a shoe in the bar scene and then matches it to Bridget Von Hammersmark and fits it to her foot. These references are subtle and probably only really recognised by a literate audience.
The establishing shot of 'Inglorious Basterds' show self-reflectiveness and is attached to a western genre. Tarentino even uses the same framing of certain shots, such as the doorway of the farm house being completely blacked. This shot in the farmhouse and of Shoshanna running away is displaying hypertexuality and referencing a 1950's film called 'The Searchers', where the same shot is used whilst John Wayne's character slowly makes his way out of the door which is juxtaposes Taratino's creation of the escape.. By having intertexual references at the beginning of the film we are introduced to his postmodern style. Tarantino has also used this shot in his most recent film, 'Django Unchained'
The spaghetti western theme has also influenced the soundtrack for the film. One of the songs featured in the movie is the track 'Slaughter' by Billy Preston. It is played when the audience are being introduced to the infamous nazi, Hugo Stiglitz and as well as incorporating the spaghetti western genre, Taratino also has also included a David Bowie song from the 1982 film 'Cat People'. Even though the song is much older than the film it seems to fit in with the action of Shosanna applying her make-up. Therefore Tarantino is being postmodern with his music choice, taking something from the past and making it modern and relevant again. During this scene Tarratino uses another one of his trade mark filming styles by breaking down the fourth wall. We see part of the set as Shosanna leaves for the cinema and this could be considered as postmodern because we're directly notified that we're watching a fictional film.
During the film we are introduced to characters with a bold, yellow comic text and throughout the film we see Tarantino's signature yellow subtitles that are used in most of his films. This could be seen as postmodern because he uses his own consistent and unconventional style, making his films easily recognizable to a large audience.
Inglorious Basterds has elements of the hyperrealism. Characters strive to maintain false pretenses by using dramatically over the top accents such as the character Aldo Raine, played by Brad Pitt, the character maintains a strong, Tenesee accent and perfectly quaffed hair and uniform. For example, when Aldo Raine is wearing a white suit at the cinema it remains in perfect condition even after his ordeal with Hans Landa. His appearance as well as characteristics represent a postmodern character that is reflective of Van Johnson, a wholesome American actor who played a military officer in one of his final feature films, in 1992.
Another postmodern element to the film is the dialogue between characters. Tarantino's characters 'never shut up' and the extensive amount of dialogue, including German, Italian, French and English languages makes the film more complex, emphasising and framing the gaps between the violence, which in result, creates a suspense for the violent outbursts. This is not typical of war film, a film such as 'Saving private Ryan' creates a close enough true reflection of war with a lack of dialogue due to the intense battles. Therefore Taratino plays with the genre of a war film by creating a hyperrealism.
During the build up to these violent scenes the camera work Tarantino uses is similar to that of the film 'The Good The Bad And The Ugly'. Where there is a Mexican stand off between three characters. The pace of the scene in 'Inglorious Basterds' is very slow with consciously long close-up shots of the characters eyes or their hands reaching for a gun. This type of filming does prolong the suspense for the action and again, is recognisable from a spaghetti western genre. The gruesome 'scalping' of Nazi soldiers shows the camera focusing on three dead nazi's and the third is in fact Tarentino being scalped. Tarratino usually gives himself a cameo in his movies, which could be considered a postmodern choice. However Woody Allen also does this in most of his films.
There is almost a parody being played out by the fact that Tarantino includes Nazi's being burned alive in his film, like so many Jews were in real life. There is also the character Aldo Raines who poses as a Nazi in order to kill nazi's. And finally, the use of branding the Nazi's with a swastika. All these elements of the film highlight the postmodern approach that could be applied to the film, as well as Taratino using these real events to piece together his fictitious film.
Thench and American by American and having the completely separate cast come together for the film. They are all dramatically over the top with their accents and this could be Tarantino's method of postmodern representation and stereotyping. However all the characters bring their own linguistic styles to the movie.
The paraody of Hitler creates a comical element to the film as it is so stereotypical.
The establishing shot of 'Inglorious Basterds' show self-reflectiveness and is attached to a western genre. Tarentino even uses the same framing of certain shots, such as the doorway of the farm house being completely blacked. This shot in the farmhouse and of Shoshanna running away is displaying hypertexuality and referencing a 1950's film called 'The Searchers', where the same shot is used whilst John Wayne's character slowly makes his way out of the door which is juxtaposes Taratino's creation of the escape.. By having intertexual references at the beginning of the film we are introduced to his postmodern style. Tarantino has also used this shot in his most recent film, 'Django Unchained'
The spaghetti western theme has also influenced the soundtrack for the film. One of the songs featured in the movie is the track 'Slaughter' by Billy Preston. It is played when the audience are being introduced to the infamous nazi, Hugo Stiglitz and as well as incorporating the spaghetti western genre, Taratino also has also included a David Bowie song from the 1982 film 'Cat People'. Even though the song is much older than the film it seems to fit in with the action of Shosanna applying her make-up. Therefore Tarantino is being postmodern with his music choice, taking something from the past and making it modern and relevant again. During this scene Tarratino uses another one of his trade mark filming styles by breaking down the fourth wall. We see part of the set as Shosanna leaves for the cinema and this could be considered as postmodern because we're directly notified that we're watching a fictional film.
During the film we are introduced to characters with a bold, yellow comic text and throughout the film we see Tarantino's signature yellow subtitles that are used in most of his films. This could be seen as postmodern because he uses his own consistent and unconventional style, making his films easily recognizable to a large audience.
Inglorious Basterds has elements of the hyperrealism. Characters strive to maintain false pretenses by using dramatically over the top accents such as the character Aldo Raine, played by Brad Pitt, the character maintains a strong, Tenesee accent and perfectly quaffed hair and uniform. For example, when Aldo Raine is wearing a white suit at the cinema it remains in perfect condition even after his ordeal with Hans Landa. His appearance as well as characteristics represent a postmodern character that is reflective of Van Johnson, a wholesome American actor who played a military officer in one of his final feature films, in 1992.
Another postmodern element to the film is the dialogue between characters. Tarantino's characters 'never shut up' and the extensive amount of dialogue, including German, Italian, French and English languages makes the film more complex, emphasising and framing the gaps between the violence, which in result, creates a suspense for the violent outbursts. This is not typical of war film, a film such as 'Saving private Ryan' creates a close enough true reflection of war with a lack of dialogue due to the intense battles. Therefore Taratino plays with the genre of a war film by creating a hyperrealism.
During the build up to these violent scenes the camera work Tarantino uses is similar to that of the film 'The Good The Bad And The Ugly'. Where there is a Mexican stand off between three characters. The pace of the scene in 'Inglorious Basterds' is very slow with consciously long close-up shots of the characters eyes or their hands reaching for a gun. This type of filming does prolong the suspense for the action and again, is recognisable from a spaghetti western genre. The gruesome 'scalping' of Nazi soldiers shows the camera focusing on three dead nazi's and the third is in fact Tarentino being scalped. Tarratino usually gives himself a cameo in his movies, which could be considered a postmodern choice. However Woody Allen also does this in most of his films.
There is almost a parody being played out by the fact that Tarantino includes Nazi's being burned alive in his film, like so many Jews were in real life. There is also the character Aldo Raines who poses as a Nazi in order to kill nazi's. And finally, the use of branding the Nazi's with a swastika. All these elements of the film highlight the postmodern approach that could be applied to the film, as well as Taratino using these real events to piece together his fictitious film.
Thench and American by American and having the completely separate cast come together for the film. They are all dramatically over the top with their accents and this could be Tarantino's method of postmodern representation and stereotyping. However all the characters bring their own linguistic styles to the movie.
The paraody of Hitler creates a comical element to the film as it is so stereotypical.
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