Film || 5 Reasons Funny Games (2007) is Postmodernist

fig 1.

Normativity - the state where people conform to an accepted view by the wider community despite the fact that said views may be wrong in some ways.

Binary Opposition - two things or words that are completely different from each other. i.e. light and dark, up and down, black and white clear as day

Deconstruction - a method of philosophical analysis popularised by Jacques Derrida, involving ignoring norms in order to conceive of a more raw original thought

Deférence - a french pun on english, to put a noun to original thought

Re-inscribe - to re build in your own way

Cognitive Dissonance - in psychology, the state of having inconsistent thoughts

fig 2.

5 Reasons Funny Games is Postmodernist;

1. Foundation of plot is similar to Scream (1996) in the way it has two male characters that start off in an innocent way, but turn expectation in its head by revealing their true malevolent intentions.
2.  Interesting enough it is a carbon copy of an older film of the same name Funny Games (1997) set in Austria, and the director has simply updated it for an American audience.
3. Art can be exceptional in the way it seems to only appeal to itself. Funny Games does the same thing reinforced by the presence of a single character with complete control over events, like the author themselves has stepped in to take up the reins of predictable samey characters and by doing so it has acknowledged the existence of people behind the scenes who are watching. Fundamentally though this action would be ineffective if it hadn't been for the existence of recognised archetypes that make up the lining of this film.
4. Generic roles such as the poster girl Ann that plays the role of mother, a big strong man name of George whom she is married to and their single blonde haired son Georgie are taken advantage of by a pair of philosophical psychopaths, Peter and Paul. Fundamentally, a home invasion horror is nothing new.
5. Popularised genres, such as the identifiable death metal, serves to reinforce key moments based on the mainstream perception of the times. Usage of this medium is taking advantage of pre existing source material in order to paint a whole new picture, like taking the Mona Lisa and drawing a moustache on it.

fig 3.

Figures

fig 1. Haneke, M. (2007). Funny Games. [film still]

fig 2. Haneke, M. (2007). Funny Games. [film still]

fig 3. Duchamp, M. (1919). L.H.O.O.Q. [pencil and postcard] Paris: Musée National d'Art Moderne.