The construction of the technology society and the cinema: A visual analysis of five postmodern cult Hollywood movie examples

This study aims to understand the social functions of cinema in technological society where the usage of computer technologies is increased, digitalization is experienced in all living spaces, and artificial intelligence and robots are commonly used. For this purpose, popular postmodern cult Hollywood movies that have reached large audiences are analyzed. Within this context, the structural characteristics of technological society that have been discussed in the social science literature are investigated, particularly the discussions on changing production and labor processes (post-Fordism), the emergence of new cultural values (postmodernism), and the differentiation of inspection and control mechanisms. Within this scope, themes are established and five movies that meet the research criteria (Westworld, Blade Runner, The Truman Show, Simone, Blade Runner 2049) are selected from among postmodern Hollywood movies about technology. Subsequently, matching equivalents of themes created in those five movies are sought. Visual analysis based on a qualitative research design is used for that purpose. As a result of the findings, it is determined that cinema has developed a hypertext regarding the society of the future and it has essentially previewed the society of the future by constructing a hyperreality over it. Within this framework, it is concluded that cinema has facilitated the objectification of hypertexts in a sense by creating a perception of the future, or a visual externalization, among the masses. Therefore, cinema may be used as an ideological apparatus that serves to create new values and norms, and as an embodiment of industrial and cultural domains of existence. Keywords: Postmodernism, technology, cinema, hyperreality, visual analysis