24 Hour Party People

In what ways is 24 Hour Party People a postmodern text?

24 Hour Party people, about the 70’s rave music movement considering the life Tony Wilson’s but mainly about what was going on around him musically, historically and personally in Manchester (Madchester!) The title of the film is the name of Happy Monday’s first album name, so this would attract a different audience, and could be considered postmodern.
Tony Wilson set up a record company first called ‘Factory,’ which had to main bands Joy Division and New Order. Then later Happy Mondays with Sean Rider who Wilson refers to as a legend, directly to the audience by breaking the 4th wall, which is a postmodern aspect, as it changes the feel of the text it makes you feel very involved and as if they are talking to you. The film includes many references to historical events and people such as the creation of the wheel, titanic, Nazi’s, Beatles and Andy Warhol which today’s audience can still relate to even though the film is set 30 years ago. Tony Wilson makes reference to Icarus, a fictional character which also involves audiences who know about the story, but doesn’t affect audiences who do not, I find this postmodern as it involves audiences on two different levels. Also Tony Wilson attempt to create a new mythology whilst referring to ancient myths which makes him sound interesting and gives you an insight into what he was like. (This could relate to Baudrillard, what is the reality?) But then audiences may doubt the truth of what is being told, is this a trust worthy version of what happen? I think that the fact that the film asks questions and makes us doubt are self adds to postmodern elements in the film. Because of all of the reasons above the film may appear humorous or ironic to certain audiences. I feel this brings in Barthes codes; the film is definitely for a British audience as the whole film is bases on the cultural code. Tony Wilson’s seems very ironic, but I feel this was just his personality, but some audiences may find this comical or annoying which creates a different view for each individual viewer, which makes the film postmodern.
Tony Wilson loved Manchester and wanted to make Manchester a ‘cool’ place over London. Near the beginning of the film the Sex Pistols (London, punk) gigged at The Free Trade Hall in 1976, Manchester, only 42 people attended and most of them ended up involved in the Manchester 70’s movement. This is shown to the viewer by a recreation but also band footage of the actual gig. Which is postmodern as it blends reality and a recreation so closely and makes the film so real and interesting. Because of this amount of reality it sometimes feels like a documentary, Tony Wilson was a news reporter and at the very beginning of the film its blends the real news report and a recreation of Tony Wilson hand gliding. This is a switch in time, for example when Wilson tells the audience he had a kid and got married when the child is about 4, this also shows that the film is not about him its about what was going on around him, and makes the film non linear as well as linear, this is postmodern as it chops and changes and doesn’t stick to one straight line
Some of the characters are played by themselves, in the film and there are also a lot of famous northern actors which reflects Wilson’s love and support for Manchester. There is also loads of intertexuality included in the film, as Tony Wilson makes many quotes about popular culture at the time. This can involve audiences who know about this information but still doesn’t exclude other audiences which relates back to a point I have already mentioned, that it can be watched on to levels which I find postmodern.
24 Hour Party People, is 100% a postmodern text, particularly because of the 4th wall being broken by Tony Wilson and the ironic humor to his and others lives. I believe that the text is postmodern; the film is about a postmodern movement in music so the style of the film fits to the context and is an interesting yet enjoyable postmodern British film.