Defining postmodernism in a distinctive film style is difficult due to the stigma of postmodernism having a lack of style. Fredric Jameson essentially defines it as the economic and social structure we live in becoming progressively more decentralized, rejecting social norms and modernism. Consisting of the mixture of different cinematic styles and genres, postmodernism is, especially in cinematic cases, about the refusal to subvert modernist theories and the narrative structure that has been the approach of most mainstream films. In this essay I will explore the different characteristics of postmodernism such as pastiche, intertextuality, parody and nostalgia through appropriate cinematic examples that will help explain the postmodern theories that support the definition of a “postmodern style”. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Pastiche is an homage to the cinematic styles of the past and can be the blend of several different genres to create a unique and exclusive genre and narrative that, when used correctly, will create a postmodernist quality to the film. Donnie Darko is a great example of using pastiche as a determining factor for a postmodern cinematic style. Set in 1980s America, the film features a large amount of intertextual references. Jameson believes that reconstructing the past using stereotypes and pop culture of the period is a way of using nostalgia in cinema. While the location of the high school is easily familiar to the period, the use of the 80's pop soundtrack is what actually triggers the audience's memory and nostalgia for that specific time period, plus being a teenager and experiencing a similar place . The characters themselves also regularly mention '80s pop culture, talking about films like Halloween, Evil Dead, and Back to the Future. There are some intertextual references in Donnie Darko, one of which is Graham Greene's book The Destructors (1954), the book is used in Donnie's English lessons. The book features the main character burning down a house, as does Donnie, showing that the book did not have an influence on Donnie in the film, but also influenced director Richard Kelly while he was writing the screenplay. There's also the relationship Donnie Darko has to Alice in Wonderland, which is the idea that "Frank" Donnie's twisted psyche is associated with the white rabbit who leads Alice down the rabbit hole, similar to how Frank is leading Donnie into a black hole. , hybridity is seen a lot in Donnie Darko as it displays characteristics of multiple genres and themes. The use of mixing multiple genres is used so that the audience has no idea what will happen, they can't read the film, like a modernist Hollywood film where it would be easy. The film has a mixture of horror, science fiction and thriller, blending dark shadows and eerie locations along with time distortions and wormhole special effects confuses the viewer as to what they expect to see, which emphasizes the "postmodern style" in the theory. that mixing different cinematic styles and genres helps make a film postmodern. This combination of different gender ideologies inspires audiences to become more active in watching, offering them unpredictable and non-traditional images and themes with which they become confused about what is real and what is fake. “Simulation threatens the difference between true and false, between real and imaginary. Since the simulator produces real symptoms, is he sick or not?” Donnie Darko can be classified as a postmodern film, as it implements many narrative techniquesand postmodern stylistics. One of these is the rejection of metanarratives. Metanarratives are broad, traditional concepts that are imposed on society and shape people's beliefs. In the film, Donnie's town is heavily influenced by law and religion: "it represses freedom."through its institutions of work, school and family' with gym teacher Mrs. Farmer who is a devout follower of these ideologies . These concepts and the characters who apply them are portrayed negatively, and Donnie rebels against them for the good of his community. For example, when life coach Jim Cunningham talks to students about his reductionist beliefs about life, Donnie objects to him and these concepts that are shaped by metanarratives. Later, when Jim's house is burned down, he is revealed to have a collection of child pornography, which casts a negative light on him and his religious beliefs. Additionally, Donnie actively looks to science and time travel for answers about life, rather than the religion forced upon him by school and therapist. This rebellion against traditional beliefs shows the film's postmodern rejection of metanarratives. Another postmodern trait included in Donnie Darko is the use of a non-linear narrative. Traditionally, films follow a chronological, linear narrative to present a story, however non-linear or fragmented narratives encourage audiences to be active in watching to fully understand the story. This is reflected in Donnie Darko through the theme of time travel. The film begins on October 2, 1988, and then the story is told over 28 days as it counts down to the "end of the world." At the beginning of the film, a plane engine falls into Donnie's room, triggering a series of events that occur throughout the film. Towards the end of the film this event repeats, but this time Donnie is killed and the countdown resets to October 2, 1988. When this happens, the audience must connect all the events that happened to the outcome to fully understand the film. . Initially, the narrative seems linear, however this unexpected ending forces the audience to reconsider their understanding of the film. Furthermore, Jean Baudrillard's postmodern concept of simulations and simulacra is applicable to Donnie Darko. Baudrillard suggests that, while simulations are an artificial representation of reality, the simulacrum is a completely new reality of something that has never existed before; a 'parallel universe' as such. This concept can be explained through the use of narrative within Donnie Darko. Initially, the town in the film is presented as a typical American suburb. However, we quickly begin to question reality when surreal events such as wormholes and vortexes begin to occur. While this may suggest a dream state, it could also indicate that the world is a simulation. At the end of the film, however, we see the narrative reset, returning to the date the film began. This implies that any events that occurred did not actually happen, suggesting that the world and its history existed within a simulacrum. Postmodern ideas of characterization, such as multiple or fractured identities, are used in Donnie Darko. This concept is most clearly applied to Donnie himself, linking back to the psychoanalytic theory of the Ego, the Superego, and the Id. Donnie can be seen as having multiple identities, due to the inclusion of his "imaginary friend", Frank. When a character has multiple, fragmented identities, they can often feel lost or lack self-confidence, but they can also find hope for other problems they face. This is evident in Donnie,.