Blade Runner and Frankenstein Essay Example

Blade Runner and Frankenstein Essay Example Blade Runner and Frankenstein Essay Blade Runner and Frankenstein Essay Mary Shelley gothic novel Frankincense, first published in 1816, and Riddled Coots science fiction film, Blade Runner, released in 1992, share common themes and ideas as well as similar warnings based on the time period. Despite being produced nearly 200 years apart, both texts reflect upon the values of their times as well as raising concerns that are timeless. Both Frankincense and Blade runner explore the implications of Science and technology, the relationships between the creator and creation and they also explore the notions of monstrosity and humanity. Science and technology is a common concern shared in both Frankincense and Blade Runner. As Shells grew up in an intellectual, educated and scientific household, aware of contemporary experiments about the imitation and creation of life I. E. Galvanism and the experiments with the frogs. He believed in natural philosophy. She was able to have Victor study the works of Cornelius Agrarian, which is a mixture of the supernatural and science. These are melded with contemporary natural philosophy and a leap of knowledge that brings Victor to the point where he can re- animate dead matter, showing a mixture of medieval alchemy and modern science. This Novel Questions the scientific processes to uncover mysteries of the time and criticizes the uncontrolled scientific experiments and the horrors of Vivisection I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave, or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay. Sexual language is demonstrated, showing how nature is generalizes, They penetrate into the recesses of nature, and show how she works in her hiding places. Similar to Victor, Walton wants to uncover and discover the unknown and is willing to sacrifice his life and the life of others. Mary Shells explores owe Science and technology influenced people of her time and tries to warn the audience of what could happen if science and technology isnt morally controlled. By the time Blade Runner was produced, Riddled Scott assumes that the audience will accept that in 2019 technology might have developed to enable the production of replicates that are unrecognizable from humans through genetic manipulation, mapping of human genome and cloning. Although during the mid 20th century optimism allowed people to believe that humans could eventually be able to do anything through scientific development, e. . Flying cars. The advances of science and technology are shown in a negative light and Riddled Scott tries to emphasis what will happen if society continues to not consider the long-term impacts of the advances of science and technology. Los Angels 2019 depicts a world that has destroyed nature and civilization. This is shown with the opening sequence of the long shot revealin g a futuristic and industrialized landscape through the use of special effects including flying cars, electrical lighting and explosions. This post-modern world shows the effects of extremely dangerous advances in science and technology. Mary Shells and Riddled Scot are both interested in what happening is happening within their time based on the advances in science and technology and both look at the consequences of what can happen if science is taken too far and is uncontrollable. The world that is depicted in Blade Runner has become the sort of world Mary Shells would have Victor may not have been motivated by greed and profit but they both share a fear of the potential of what they have created. Similarly both texts continuously have the eye motif, In Frankincense is the first indicator of life and horror: l saw the dull yellow ye of the creature open. In the same way Blade Runner has a screen-filling eye in which appears in the opening moments of the film where both of these texts are used as warnings towards their audience of the dangers of seeking knowledge susceptible to corruption by mankind. Again in Both texts, Blade Runner and Frankincense, they look at the relationships between the Creation and creators. Throughout the novel, Victor Frankincense has the idea of himself as the creator l felt what the duties of a creator towards his creature were, although the concept does not bring him any happiness, as he warns he reader to learn from his example and not to aspire to become greater than his nature will allow. Victor like one of the Greek titans thinks he can take over the role of God and create human beings. This shows that Victor is man acting as god and that he has pride in his own ability to do so. The fact that Victor uses sparks, fire and electricity Just as the titan was said to have done, Victor is compared to the Prometheus. This in turn shows man acting upon nature and highlights what can happen when men does so. Once Victor has decided that he will no longer create the eve companion for the creature, there is a significant power relationship change; The creature becomes more dominate and powerful that its creator, shown when the creature addresses victor, Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension and you are my creator, but I am your master obey! from this point Victor is hunted down by his creation, showing his loss of control. Similarly in Blade Runner, Riddled Scott highlights the destruction of nature, which has lead to cloning, and re-animation of the natural qualities within society. This is further highlighted through the setting in Trestles office where nature is artificial including the owl, showing that even the richest man cannot afford a real owl. This becomes farcical and effectively responders recognize the folly of men and the dangers of nature becoming commodity. Trestles pride creation is Roy as he talks very highly of him; a light that burns twice as bight, burns half as long and you have burned so very brightly. When Roy first meets his creator there is a sense of black and white imagery shown as Utterly is dressed in white with black hair whereas Roy is wearing black with white hair. Scott may want to show that you cant Judge one by their looks. This black and white imagery is also shown when they play chest as the checker board is black and white showing the power Utterly may have over Roy which is deceiving and may not be a true reflection of reality. In Los Angles 2019 there seems to be no families or relationships between humans, although the replicates do have a father fugue of Utterly. In Both Blade Runner and Frankincense the creator ends up not having any control over their creation in which ultimately leads to the creator being killed because of what they have created. In Blade Runner Utterly is killed by his proudest creation within his own home, whereas Victor dies on his search for the creature. The Juxtaposition of nature in both texts from different times raises awareness in audiences of the need for a change in attitude. Trestles different to how victor speaks of the creature Vile Wretch and Demon. Therefore in both texts the replicates and the creature are both searching for love and compassion by their creators and others within society. Shells and Scott also explore the notions of monstrosity and humanity, and what it means to them. My person was hideous and my stature gigantic. What did this mean? Who was l? Whence did I come? What was my destination? These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them The creature is continuously asking himself why he was created so inhuman like and questioning his humanity. This is Ironic because no one actually knows the answers to these questions, so in the end how do we know if were completely human or not? Unlike the ancient mariner who learns to appreciate nature, Victor throughout the chase shows how he can no longer be urged by nature, showing his dehumidification and how he is like the return and driven by violence. Shells questions what it means to be human and how humanities relationship with nature can be lost turning one into a devil. Scott questions what it means to be human throughout the film. The use of mechanical empathy test is used to identify mechanical humans. This betrays a deep confusion about how humans are managing to identify themselves. This Test for humanity is an emotional reaction, Leon fails when asked about his mother and once he is identified as inhuman like he acts in violence and shoots the detective at the start of the film. The Unicorn motif throughout the film also creates continuous questioning about humanity and monstrosity. The unicorn represents hope and understanding and the first indication of the unicorn motif is when there is a merge from the shot into the dream, which sets up the dream sequence. The dream is shot in black and white showing the Nature and beauty of the dream and it is the only time within the entire film when there is a shot of the natural world. The beautiful movement of the horse is shown through the use of slow motion. This shows the unicorn moving free (unlike he artificial animals in Los Angels), and how it is free to move compared to Declared being trapped and enclosed. This Unicorn motif questions what is human, because Declared is shown as one of the only normal human stuck in this world. Although the origami of a unicorn at the end of the film again hints that Declared may be a replicate. Throughout the film we consider Grief to be Deckers controller, who ends up giving him the unicorn, and therefore must know his dream. Scott really plays on the idea of what it truly means to be human and what are the implications if someone knows your dreams, have they been implanted? And if Declared is a replicate how can we decipher what is human? Both Blade Runner and Frankincense look at what it means to be truly human. Whether creature or replicate, they are made into monsters by the inhumane treatment they receive from the humans who reject them because they remind them if who they were or should be. This suggests that they are the personification of our human ontology: conscious and unconscious, good and evil. Although there is a difference between both texts, in the novel the humans are considered human through their appearance, thats how the creature is rejected. But in Blade runner the replicates are almost the perfect human form yet there rejected by society because of lack of emotions (Bight Jump test). Own time, reflecting on what is important to each of the composers. Both texts look at similar ideas but are based in different eras. Mary Shells and Riddled Scott explore similar ideas about the implications of Science and technology, the relationships between the creator and creation and they also explore the notions of monstrosity and humanity. These ideas do have shifting values and approaches but they are both exploring timeless issues and concerns.