LFTVD: INTERTEXTUALITY - HISTORICAL CONTEXT

 Task 1: Read and grade

Another way that we can assess the validity of the statement, is to examine the way that the two shows use intertextuality to address historical context. Both are set in 1983 and use intertextuality to establish the verisimilitude of their diegeses, but while both use mise en scene and music to this end, the certainly don’t use intertextuality 'in the same way.' Let's start by looking at the way that D83 uses visual and aural signifiers in the sequence that introduces the recently kidnapped Martin to West Germany. Firstly, We can apply Barthes by considering the way that signifiers such as the Puma T Shirt, Adidas Trainers and Levi’s 501s act as intertextual references which clearly connote the historical diegeses, but also suggest values and ideological messages around identity within a capitalist society. The protagonist's exposure to Western these  brands (especially Levi's) symbolise the allure and cultural dominance of capitalist consumerism, serving as an intertextual reference to Cold War tensions between East and West. As the scene continues, Martin ‘escapes’ and runs into a supermarket, filled with shelves of brightly coloured products. These signs work as myths, communicating the ideological message that the West is a place of abundance. However, the soundtrack features a direct intertextual reference to the song ‘Sweet Dreams’ which is playing in the supermarket. Just as the western branded clothing established the authenticity of the West German 1980s setting, so the music powerfully reinforces the verisimilitude of the diegesis. However, the song bemoans the consumer capitalist focus on choice, suggesting that the endless choices of the capitalist West are essentially empty and unfulfilling. So, far from being a simple and unoriginal method to build a believable 1980s setting, here, intertextuality is also used to constructs a thought provoking and original commentary on the difficulties faced by Germany in coming to terms with its culturally and politically divided past. 

1. ANSWER THE QUESTION [0,1,2,3,4,5]
2. ADDRESS CONTEXT [0,1,2,3,4,5]
3. APPLY THEORY [0,1,2,3,4,5]
4. USE EXAMPLES [0,1,2,3,4,5]
5. ANALYSE EXAMPLES [0,1,2,3,4,5]
6. COMPARE [0,1,2,3,4,5]

WHAT WILL WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO IMPROVE OUR SCORE ACROSS THE TWO?

Task 2: Now write a paragraph about Stranger Things.

You may wish to consider using one or more of the following ideas. However, whatever you choose, remember that you need to COMPARE and ANSWER THE QUESTION.

- Like D83, we can apply Barthes to the way that Stranger Things uses signifiers to construct both its historical, and also its cultural diegesis. For example, the opening sequence establishes the setting of Wheeler household using intertextual references to 1980s cinema. The warm, inviting lighting, suburban kitchen layout, period-accurate props (like the wood-panelled T.V. and the rotary phone) are all intertextual nods to films such as E.T.  (1982) and Poltergeist (1982). The costumes, particularly Karen Wheeler’s homemaker attire and Mike's casual, era-appropriate clothing, reinforce the cultural and historical setting. However, while D83 has been highly praised for its authentic rendering of 1980s Germany, these details immediately immerse viewers in a hyperreal version of the 1980s, recalling iconic portrayals of suburban American families in Spielbergian cinema.

- Intertextuality is perhaps the most easily recognisable feature of Postmodern texts, so it is not surprising that Baudrillard is highly applicable to the way that Stanger Things uses intertextuality. Baudrillard theorises simulations lead to a state of hyperreality. We have already established that Stranger Things relies on signifiers (mise en scene and music) to construct its hyperreal Spielbergian diegesis and we might argue that there is nothing original about this, after all pastiche in has been popular with TV audiences since the 1960s. However, few directors are quite so committed to this process; the Duffer Brothers even used Leica Summilux-C lenses to recreate the visual style of Spielberg’s late 20th-century classics (Goonies, E.T. etc). One of the pleasures of watching Stranger Things is nostalgia. But nostalgia for what? Not, the reality of 1980s small town life. It is nostalgia for the simulacrum. Stranger Things attempts to simulate a feeling: of family, adventure, camaraderie, the Spielbergian American Dream. It’s a copy, of a copy, of a copy. But consciously so. From its opening disequilibrium Stranger Things makes it clear that the American Dream is not all it seems, that there is something else beneath all this, something sinister, something Alien (1979).

- Stranger Things reflects 1980s values, attitudes, and ideologies influenced by key historical events like the Cold War, using intertextual tropes that some may view as archetypical rather than original. The depiction of Hawkins National Laboratory, tied to fears of governmental secrecy and unethical experimentation, mirrors societal anxieties of the era. These themes, combined with the nostalgic references to films like E.T., form recognisable intertextual motifs that enhance audience enjoyment but also encourage multiple readings. Applying Hall’s encoding/decoding model we may see some viewers  decode these references as nostalgic, while others may see them as counter-typical reinterpretations of familiar narratives, blending historical context with creative storytelling.