What's your favorite? I was thinking that most people would say Blade Runner but as I was thinking about it is the future in Blade Runner that bad? Maybe the movie qaulifies as an environmental dystopia and yeah life in the city seem to suck but what about life outside the city? The final scene with Decker and chick driving in the country-side, that seemed pretty nice. Also there is life off-world.
I also caught robocop on TV the other day and it reminded me of all the 70s-80s dystopian flixs that were based on the fear that we would never be able to contain Crime. Consider RoboCop, Escape From New York, A Clockwork Orange (Does "The Warriors" count?)It reminded me that Dystopian Sci-Fi works based when it plays on societal existential threats. In the 70s and 80s I remember one of the biggest things people were concerned about was crime and it manifested in the movies from that era. It was also a big theme in the comics from that era (see the Dark Night Returns).
It got me thinking that's why the Movie V for Vendetta fell so flat. Despite the Patriot Act and the war times powers claimed by the government, are people on a whole really concerned these days about the US turning into a Big Brother type fascists government? I am not but this isn't the place for that debate. I think I am worried more about everyone watching me not just the government like in the movie Minority Report.
I also think the idea behind Atlas Shrugged is kinda garbage. Who is really buying into the idea that successful people are victims of a lazy, parasitic society that would use the govt. as a tool to bleed them dry? Though its a bit slapstick, I think "Brazil" better captures a possible bureaucratic threat from the government.
If you ask me the story that best captures a dystopian future that best reflect the fears and anxiety of people today, I think its got to be "Children of Men"(Not at all coincidentally one of my top 3 sci-fi movies of all time). Though on its surface its a story about what would happen if folks stop having kid, the chaos that was depicted in the movie seemed totally foreseeable if there were a worldwide financial depression (which these days seems totally possible). Actually, there are any number of things that could happen that could throw us into a world that resembles the world in CoM which makes the movie all the more scary.
Anyway, I touched on a few movies that come to mind and shared some thoughts and was interested to hear other folks thoughts. Did I miss any movies worth discussing? Anything to add about some of the movies I mentioned?
- corporations take over - crime takes over (might be same as above) - science run amok (e.x. killer animals, robots, or diseases) - post-thermonuclear war - government run amok - religion takes over or is abolished completely (depends on who is writing)
any others?
on topic, it depends on the vibe being looked for - some are horrific (zombies and radiation victims) some are kinda played humorously (ie - robocop)
4. "Windup Girl is my current fave" In response to Reply # 0
Post Genetics meltdown set in Thailand.
I tend to prefer "near" future dystopias heavy on somewhat believable tech - i.e. cyberpunk stories are typically dystopian. (Sterling, Gibson, Stephenson)
I wish it was possible to do a hip hop dystopia as good as the Alkaholik's 2014.
17. "HA! well in 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later," In response to Reply # 16
there was plenty of parking in London...you just had to be aware of the fact that you'd be dealing with raging zombies and the like coming out of nowhere because they hear the car trying to parallel park and what not.
20. "Lately I'm digging the sneaky ones" In response to Reply # 0 Thu Mar-01-12 04:07 PM by buckshot defunct
Like, Blade Runner looks awesome *as a movie*, but I wouldn't want to live in that shithole, and I have a hard time imagining that anyone else would either. Mad Max, Terminator... yeah. Same with those, although most people in those worlds are victims of circumstance and are just playing the post-apocalyptic hand they were dealt.
But when the dystopias start resembling utopias, it's a bit more interesting to me (lately, anyways) because you can totally see how people could be lured into that kind of society. At a glance, it looks perfect. Then the story unfolds a bit more and reveals the nasty underbelly. Futures where the apocalypse never happened and people still take baths.
>But when the dystopias start resembling utopias, it's a bit >more interesting to me (lately, anyways) because you can >totally see how people could be lured into that kind of >society. At a glance, it looks perfect. Then the story unfolds >a bit more and reveals the nasty underbelly. Futures where the >apocalypse never happened and people still take baths.
22. "Minority Report and... Pleasantville maybe?" In response to Reply # 21
These worlds have a certain allure to them for the security they seem to provide. It's not immediately evident of what has been lost to gain that security, which turns out to be an illusion to add insult to injury.
Brave New World probably fits into the general mold I'm thinking of, but I ain't read alladatshit.
23. "Haven't seen Pleasantville but Minority Report is a great example" In response to Reply # 22
I actually like Minority Report quite a bit. I'm sure if the "pre-cog" technology somehow was to become a real thing, there would definitely be a segment of the population who would be in favor of using it, regardless of the potential flaws in the system.
41. "RE: The Fifth Element" In response to Reply # 20
> >But when the dystopias start resembling utopias, it's a bit >more interesting to me (lately, anyways) because you can >totally see how people could be lured into that kind of >society. At a glance, it looks perfect. Then the story unfolds >a bit more and reveals the nasty underbelly. Futures where the >apocalypse never happened and people still take baths.
The imo the fifth element is the perfect example of what you are talking about.
34. "Final scene in Blade Runner's theatrical release was tacked on by studio" In response to Reply # 0
>but what about life outside the city? The final scene with >Decker and chick driving in the country-side, that seemed >pretty nice. Also there is life off-world.
it ruins the whole complexion of the movie. you should really watch the dirctor's cut or the final cut.
and life on the off-world colonies very likely sucked, hence the need for propoganda blimps floating overhead telling ppl how great life is off-world + the need for replicants to do the hard work for survival there.
40. "There are scenes in V for Vendetta I like a lot but it does fall flat" In response to Reply # 0
Couldn't get through Brazil but Children of Men & Minority Report are both great. A Scanner Darkly isn't a popular choice here but it's still one of my favorites as well.
46. "Agree on the feeling of plausibility with Children of Men" In response to Reply # 0
It actually really got to me. It just felt right. Like, yep, this is what it will be like in 50 years. There are riots and anything might get bombed at any moment and toxic waste flows freely out of random pipes, but you still have to get up and go to your office and sit in front of a computer.
The sad thing is, this is probably what life is already like in a bunch of places.
---- I check for: Serengeti, Zeroh, Open Mike Eagle, Jeremiah Jae, Moka Only.
47. "Re-reading this post in the Post Snowden Era" In response to Reply # 0
I think I might need to take back my point about being worried about the government snooping on you.
I was thinking that it would be cool to be a minority report type story in which the government uses Big Data to come up with a 100,000 data point survey that can predict with 85% accuracy that you will be involved in criminal activity. A crime happens in the city and instantaneously a list of suspects pop up before the investigation even begins based on data about the cities citizens.
********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson
There is no absolute knowledge and anyone who claims it — whether a scientist, a politician or a religious believer — opens the door to
56. "it's a little eerie, right?" In response to Reply # 47
I mean, the scenario you describe sounds like sc-fi but isn't that what they're doing, on some scale? I'm sure it's nowhere near what you're describing but I think it could be, if they have their way.
It's bizarre reading old dystopian novels and seeing all the things they got right. I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 right now and the radios that go into your ear sound a lot like earbuds, the hound is awfully similar to a drone and their version of tv doesn't sound all that different from ours.
49. "the ones in the black mirror series currently" In response to Reply # 0
man too close to home
then atwood The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake series ~~~~ When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices. Live so that when you die, you rejoice, and the world cries. ~~~~ You cannot hate people for their own good.
50. "this is probably my favorite theme in sci-fi movies" In response to Reply # 0 Tue Feb-04-14 07:27 PM by southphillyman
probably because i ultimately see earth turning into a dystopia of some form i started watching atlas shrugged but stopped after a few minutes. i need to get into that one again
edit: damn a lot of movies in here i need to add to my netflix queue.
54. "There's a group of 80's movies that have a punk rock influence." In response to Reply # 52
Robocop, Gremlins 2, Miracle Mile....there's a handful of others. But you can see the punk rock idealogy and sense of identity in them. Also with a certain amount of kitsch.
55. "hadn't seen this thread but it's awesome...." In response to Reply # 0 Fri Feb-07-14 07:22 AM by denny
The hunger games is gonna really go down with this generation of preteen girls. It'll be like Star Wars for them. Taking the girls to that movie was totally inspiring to me. Seeing the way the audience was reacting and how deeply they were invested. Twice I saw a full house with kids standing up outta their seats saluting the characters as portrayed in the movie.
The Road is a commendable movie in that it is such a rigid and loyal translation of the book. Even where it makes exceptions to the source material...it is always serving it's spirit. I didn't really dig Looper. Writing was too 'boy' for me. Nerdy comic book dweebs can't write about women.
Has a dystopian story ever won oscars? "Her" seems to apply there. Trying to think...pretty sure clockwork orange, blade runner, COM didn't get awards. Any others?
58. "We never discussed Hunger Games in this post. " In response to Reply # 0
You know initially I thought it was too farfetched and didn't in anyway resemble our society but then I remembered my shoes are probably made by someone paid 3 a week.
********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson
60. "Read them as a kid, and now you made me wanna go back...." In response to Reply # 59
They were such great books, and so fully realized. Even the angle of psychohistory has been touched on by so many other sci fi franchises. ______________________________________________________________________________
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61. "I started to reread the whole series chronologically " In response to Reply # 59
Starting with Prelude to Foundation which was written much later. I was pretty much disgusted by how horrible a writer he was. I made it to the end of that one but couldn't bring myself to open another one.
█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄â–â–ƒ Big PEMFin H & z's "I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." � Miles
"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."
62. "definitely my hesitation to going back" In response to Reply # 61
Dude was my favorite writer as a kid just getting into sci-fi but I knew it wouldn't hold up very well.
Prose style aside, I am enjoying re-reading purely for the ideas alone.
It is also clear to me that it would be extremely difficult to translate to the big screen. It mostly just extremely stilted conversation.
>Starting with Prelude to Foundation which was written much >later. I was pretty much disgusted by how horrible a writer he >was. I made it to the end of that one but couldn't bring >myself to open another one. > >█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄â–â–ƒ >Big PEMFin H & z's >"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 >thing, a musician." � Miles > >"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."
********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson
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