Deadwood – a Genre Analysis
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Deadwood – a Genre Analysis ”You cocksucker!” – Al Swearengen 1 Abstract The following thesis takes into consideration the topic of genre, more specifically the western genre. My object of study is the HBO series Deadwood (2004-06) created By David Milch. The purpose of this thesis is to show how Deadwood relates to the western genre, and how it diverges from the traditional depiction of the western mythology. For the purpose of the analysis, my theoretical framework will consist of relevant theories within the theoretical field of genre. My theory is derived from the anthology comprised By Barry Keith Grant called Film Genre Reader IV. My theory section deals with the proBlems concerning the definition of genre, more specifically how we categorise genres. For this part my theory starts with a discussion of the problems arising from genre analysis. Hereon follows a discussion of relevant theories and methods within the framework of genre. I include in this section Edward Buscombe’s method on inner and outer form of genre; Rick Altman’s method on Semantic and Syntactic relations; Ideology which is derived from the workings of Rick Altman, RoBin Wood, and BarBara Klinger; a section concerning myth based on Barry Keith Grant’s notions of myth in genres; furthermore I discuss the issue of characters within genre, as it is a suBject important within the analysis of a TV series. My analysis consists of two parts. The first part is a historical overlook of the western genre, in which I take into consideration the various conventions, narratives, semantic traits, the mythic connections, and the ideological perspective of the genre. This part focuses on filmic examples starting with Stagecoach (1939), and westerns from the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, early 70’s, and the 90’s. This part of my analysis, sets out to estaBlish how we arrive at what Andrew Tudor laBels as a “common cultural consensus”, and also pinpoints distinctive changes within the evolution of the genre. The second part of my analysis takes into consideration Deadwood’s use of iconography; the narratives of Deadwood; the characters; and the ideological aspect of the TV series. Throughout this analysis, I intend to show how Deadwood diverges from the classical portrayal, by deploying subversive strategies. In my conclusion, I conclude that Deadwood diverges from the traditional western. It does so By suBverting the iconographic conventions; its narrative resembles that of a classical western, however, it remains highly critical to the conventional portrayal of western mythology; on the issue of characters I conclude that Deadwood 2 diverges By turning the character roles somewhat upside down. The hero of the story is in fact the villain, and the conventional western hero is subverted to a degree, in which he forms an alliance with the aforementioned villain; on the subject of ideology I conclude that Deadwood can Be read as a post 9/11 critical portrayal, and a reflective negotiation of the myth of the old west. Furthermore, in my conclusion I Bring forth two examples on how Deadwood has influenced the western genre. Within the film No Country for Old Men (2007), I reveal how Deadwood has influenced this particular film. In the TV series Hell on Wheels I further emphasise the significance of Deadwood. 3 Table of contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Genre Theory ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 The Genre ProBlematic ................................................................................................................................ 7 Inner and Outer form of Genre .............................................................................................................. 11 The Semantic/Syntactic Model ............................................................................................................. 14 Genre and Ideology .................................................................................................................................... 18 Genre and Myth ............................................................................................................................................ 23 Ending discussion: Film VS Television, and the Issue of characters .................................... 25 Film Narratives vs. TV Narratives ................................................................................................... 26 Characters ................................................................................................................................................. 28 Analysis ................................................................................................................................................................ 32 The Western Genre: A Historical Perspective ................................................................................ 32 The Classical Westerns of the 1940’s and 50’s .......................................................................... 32 The Westerns of the 1960’s and the Start of the 70’s – The Foreign Influence, and the Death of the Western .................................................................................................................... 40 The Westerns of the 1990’s – The Leonean Inspiration ....................................................... 45 Analysis of Deadwood .................................................................................................................................... 47 The Setting and the Semantic components ...................................................................................... 47 The Narratives of Deadwood .................................................................................................................. 52 The Characters of Deadwood – Al Swearengen and Seth Bullock .......................................... 58 Ideology and Deadwood ........................................................................................................................... 64 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 68 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................................... 75 Filmography ....................................................................................................................................................... 75 4 Introduction Westerns - a genre, which has dominated the genre spectre for half a century. The western Became increasingly popular in the 1940’s and grew in stature during the 50’s and 60’s only to fade away in the latter part of the 20th century. The western genre film is easy to recognise, the question thus Becomes how do we achieve this immediate recognition. The following thesis will concern itself with the concept of genre, more specifically the western genre. The oBject of my studies will Be that of the HBO series Deadwood (2004-06) created By David Milch. The focus of the analysis will Be on how Deadwood relates to the western genre, does it relate to it in the classical sense, or does it challenge the conventions and the romantic ideal of the western? Furthermore, how does Deadwood revive a rather ‘dead’ genre, such as the western? For the purpose of my analysis I will apply theories concerning the concept genre. In the Beginning of the following theory section I will introduce Andrew Tudor’s term “common cultural consensus,” as well as Edward Buscombe’s term “accretion of meaning,” as these are their central terms in distinguishing genres from one another. The question is then raised, how do we arrive at a common cultural consensus, or an accretion of meaning? The following theory section will seek to reveal how we arrive at these central terms. In this process I will look at concepts within genre studies. First, I will focus on Edward Buscombe’s method of “inner and outer form” of genre. This method emphasises the iconographic elements of genre films, the outer form, as well as the themes they create, the inner form. Then follows Rick Altman’s method consisting of how semantic components (Buscombe’s outer form) are structured, which he calls the syntax of genre. Furthermore, I will look at how ideology plays a part in the analysis of genre. Firstly, by looking at the two critical approaches to ideology: the ritual approach and the ideological approach. Secondly, I will focus on Robin Wood’s theories on ideological contradictions, and thirdly, on Barbara Klinger’s theories on the progressive genre text, which complements Wood’s notions on ideology. From here I will turn my focus to the concept of myth, and see how this concept relates to genre. The last part of my theory section will focus on an issue, which has not Been treated to a full extent, within genre measures. It is the issue of characters, which I Believe will Be of great 5 benefit when dealing with an analysis of a TV series, as the characters are central to the narrative process. My analysis will consist of two parts. The first part will focus on the historical development of the western genre, in order to reveal how a common cultural consensus and an accretion of meaning are estaBlished. The second