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Ethnocentrism of avatar
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When discussing the extent to which Neil Blomkamp’s District 9 is more evolved as a science fiction film than James Cameron’s Avatar, one can prove District 9 is far more evolved by arguing that it’s more subtle and innovative approach to its themes make the impact of these themes much more profound. Blomkamp’s approach to portraying the theme of Xenophobia is far more subtle and much deeper than in Avatar, and is dealt with in more profound way than Ridley Scott’s Alien. Blomkamp’s approach to the theme of human fear is also far more sophisticated than both Avatar and Alien. Avatar’s approach to the theme of Xenophobia is rooted firmly in the mise-en-scène surrounding the Na’vi. The blue and purple lighting of every frame we see them in as well as their primitive costumes serve to create an image of a peaceful alien race. This stereotypical approach is compounded by the aggressive nature of the humans, shown again in the mise-en-scène by soulless greys and lifeless blacks in high angle shots to try display some kind of power. These approaches in mise-en-scène are not innovative in the most extreme of interpretations, and therefore do not add anything at all to the theme of Xenophobia primarily because the approach is highly stereotypical, that approach being the classic evil humans versus evil aliens …show more content…
Alien deals with the theme in a generic way, trying to scare people with frightening music and unsettling blood in the mise-en-scene, therefore it can be agreed that this approach was lifted from a horror movie and adds nothing to the theme because it’s been overdone. Avatar deals with it by showing imagery of houses and trees being burned down, which is not innovative at all. District 9’s approach was far more evolved because it made people fear living in a dystopia with nothing, evidenced by the brown colouring which is far more evolved than both of the other
In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act which stated that the government must negotiate treaties with the Native Americans, that would require them to relocate west. At first, the Native Americans resisted in signing the treaties, but eventually there were so many white settlers that had invaded their homeland, that the Native Americans were outnumbered. Some saw no other choice than to exchange their land for land in the West, so they agreed and signed the treaties. A majority of the Cherokees however, opposed the treaties, and Jackson refused to negotiate. Similarly, in the movie “Avatar”, the humans claim that they will gain the trust of the native people, the Na’vi. Once they have gained their trust, they will convince the Na’vi people to move to another area. If the Na’vi refuse however, they will use force to get them to move. Although unlike the white settlers and the Native Americans, there wasn’t a treaty given for the Na’vi to sign. Also, in the movie “Avatar”, not a single Na’vi member gives up and relocates. They unite together as a whole, each and every one of them fighting together until the end.
Neill Blomkamp directed the film District 9 which was released in 2009. This South African science fiction action thriller was Blomkamp’s first feature film and is an extension of a short film, Alive in Joburg, Blomkamp did in 2006 (IMDb). In the film, aliens have invaded earth and are wanting to live among the humans, but the humans, being the xenophobic society that they are, discriminate the aliens; the aliens are then lead to a ghetto, known as District 9, in which they are to live. As the film progresses, one of the humans (Wikus Van De Merw) is sprayed by some alien chemical and begins to turn into an alien. The film then goes on to show Wikus’ struggle to cope with being half alien. Blomkamp evokes both ethos and pathos to show how the animalistic contemporary society has turned through the geography, film style and character development.
Stratford Caldecott’s “Remembering: Grammar-Mythos-Imagining the Real” is from his book Beauty in the Word, published in 2012. In this chapter, he argues that naming, as the beginning of grammar, is an integral part of our humanity. He goes on to connect grammar to the arts of remembering, tradition, and storytelling, as well as commenting on the danger of becoming too reliant on technology. Caldecott believes that grammar, and thereby Remembering, brings us into a greater community of human thought which transcends time; as a result, ‘Grammar’ is “the remembrance of Being” (Caldecott 59). This, he argues, is why it is so important to teach grammar; losing the art of grammar would mean losing our very humanity.
Literature and film have always held a strange relationship with the idea of technological progress. On one hand, with the advent of the printing press and the refinements of motion picture technology that are continuing to this day, both literature and film owe a great deal of their success to the technological advancements that bring them to widespread audiences. Yet certain films and works of literature have also never shied away from portraying the dangers that a lust for such progress can bring with it. The modern output of science-fiction novels and films found its genesis in speculative ponderings on the effect such progress could hold for the every day population, and just as often as not those speculations were damning. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis are two such works that hold great importance in the overall canon of science-fiction in that they are both seen as the first of their kind. It is often said that Mary Shelley, with her authorship of Frankenstein, gave birth to the science-fiction novel, breathing it into life as Frankenstein does his monster, and Lang's Metropolis is certainly a candidate for the first genuine science-fiction film (though a case can be made for Georges Méliès' 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune, his film was barely fifteen minutes long whereas Lang's film, with its near three-hour original length and its blending of both ideas and stunning visuals, is much closer to what we now consider a modern science-fiction film). Yet though both works are separated by the medium with which they're presented, not to mention a period of over two-hundred years between their respective releases, they present a shared warning about the dangers that man's need fo...
This essay will explore how horror films reflect the fears of both individuals and societies focusing on the film Cloverfield (Cloverfield, 2008). Films can often serve as an astute reflection of reality in a varying number of ways depending on the genre. The horror film can often serve as an analogy for the horrors of the real world. In the case of Cloverfield Director Matt Reeves creates a solid allegory of the September 11th terror attacks on New York City. “The horror film can bring us uncomfortably close to the worst that could ever happen—to a character or to ourselves” (Kawin, 2012).
In my attempt to definitively determine which genre I would place District 9, I referred to Sobchack for aid in defining the difference between Science Fiction and other closely related genres, like Horror or Monster films. Sobchack runs through her distinctions between SF and Horror genres thoroughly, detailing the differing emphasis in themes and attention. For instance, Sobchack believes that Horror films are characterized by their focus on the disruption of natural order and individual moral struggles, whereas SF films are focused on disruptions of social order and the alien other (30). While District 9 certainly includes the aliens, I am not sure that it includes the “other,” especially when SF trends today to “embrace alien Others as ‘more human than human’ or finds it can barely mark their ‘otherness’ as other than our own” (293). Although including a couple of shots of pro-alien protesters, the documentary style footage in the beginning half of the film is tinted with anti-alien sentiments, “humans only” posters, and derogatory references to the aliens as “prawns.” The people in this film do not see the prawns as themselves, but their mistreatment of them, such as packing them into slums, causes the audience, almost immediately, to identify with their abuse and begin to see in the prawns their own history, most specifically the South African Apartheid. The coldness and calculability of the humans in the film is alienating to the audience, who beg...
From the silent epic of Fritz Lang Metropolis (1927) to Ridley’s Scott’s spectacular Blade Runner (1982) the connection between architecture and film has always been intimate. The most apparent concepts that connect these two films are the overall visuals of both films and their vision of city of the future. The futuristic city of both Scott and Lang are distinct in their landscapes, geography, and social structure. These two films sought to envision a future where technology was the basis by which society functioned. Technology was the culture and the cities would crumble without it (Will Brooker). Metropolis and Blade Runner uses the themes relationships among female sexuality and male vision, and technology. However, Gender roles and technology seems to be the most important part in both films.
Many timeless novels have impacts on our everyday culture, not only as a book, but also through music or movies. Many popular novels have multiple adaptations, which shape how we approach their interpretation, in ways we may never even notice. In some films, humans are depicted as monsters, whether through their actions, or through the thoughts of other beings. In these films we find issues with our own society, and in turn see ourselves as monsters, and look for ways we can change, for the better. One particular novel that influences this side of Hollywood is Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein”. The ways Frankenstein influences pop culture can be seen in science fiction films in which humans are depicted as monster, and “monsters” are seen as more humane beings, such as I, Robot, and Ender’s Game.
Popular movies often reflect society’s real world fears; likewise in horror movies monsters reveal our true anxieties as well. The monster that I am going to be using as examples will show how they reflected society’s fears and anxieties during specific moments in history.
In Hollywood today, most films can be categorized according to the genre system. There are action films, horror flicks, Westerns, comedies and the likes. On a broader scope, films are often separated into two categories: Hollywood films, and independent or foreign ‘art house’ films. Yet, this outlook, albeit superficial, was how many viewed films. Celebrity-packed blockbusters filled with action and drama, with the use of seamless top-of-the-line digital editing and special effects were considered ‘Hollywood films’. Films where unconventional themes like existentialism or paranoia, often with excessive violence or sex or a combination of both, with obvious attempts to displace its audiences from the film were often attributed with the generic label of ‘foreign’ or ‘art house’ cinema.
10. Heilbronn, Lisa M. "Natural Man, Unnatural Science: Rejection of Science in Recent Science Fiction and Fantasy Film". Contours of the Fantastic. Ed. Michele K. Langford. New York: Greenwood, 1990, 113-9, 115.
Since the late 1890’s films have been constantly changing the history of pop culture and the way people view war, politics, and the world as a whole. As the timeline of the history of film progressed, there were many different phases: gothic noir, slapstick comedy, tragedy vs. love, romance, and many more. Towards the more recent times, the central ideas of films started drifting to the greatness of the directors. Directors such as Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and many more were noted as outstanding directors of action and cinematography. In this paper I will speak about Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, and the ever so infamous Baz Luhrmann. These directors have changed the way filmmaking has been and will be looked at from this point on.
One might argue that the scariest horror films are those films which horrors portray a sense that something of that nature might actually happen in the real world. The beauty of horror films is that anything could theoretically be possible, like Freddy Krueger sticking his tongue through Nancy’s phone as he says, “I’m your boyfriend now, Nancy” or a horde of zombies stampeding through the cities of the United States wiping out humanity in its path. If one thinks about it long enough, anything we can perceive could happen. However, there is a line between the pure science fiction and those horror films which attempt to tackle a more realistic, social, cultural, psychological, or political problem in society.
Altogether, Avatar seems to accurately portray the contemptible history of colonization, exploitation and elimination of indigenous people in The United States of America and numerous other places around the world. Since the 18th century, colonizers from Europe have coerced indigenous peoples like the Omaticaya off their homeland and subjugated them for economic and private benefits. The mentalities that Colonel Miles Quaritch and Parker Selfridge have about the inquisition reflect exactly those of who tyrannized native communities in America and African communities too. Their justifications and propaganda were pulled straight from past oppressors. The movie does not do much to make the history of colonization look bad, as it was ignominious in of itself.
Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982) presents an imminent look into the future of the 21st century. A film adapted from the novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, Blade Runner focuses on the struggle of humanity – often accentuating the notion that humanity in the year 2019 co-exists with android-like humans (replicants). The idea conveyed behind Blade Runner becomes additive to the sizable realm of Sci-Fi films that attempt to peek into the future of humanity. With comparable scenery, films such as Star Trek and Star-Wars may seem related, but Blade Runner contains an underlying culture that causes vast separation. A deeper analysis of Blade Runner will uncover the films