GATTACA BACKGROUND ‘film noir’ Came to prominence in the 1940’s Involved a criminal...
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Transcript of GATTACA BACKGROUND ‘film noir’ Came to prominence in the 1940’s Involved a criminal...
GATTACA
BACKGROUND
‘film noir’Came to prominence in the 1940’sInvolved a criminal investigation or a male
becoming embroiled in a murder engineered by dangerous, sensual and dangerous women
Black and white, grimy, shadowy urban locations
Subdued lighting which masks a criminal world of corruption and dubious morality
‘film noir’The UnderclassMen who roam the streets are lined up in a
shadowy, squalid compound and bodily scanned for their identity
‘film noir’The mystery and thrillerRomance which is indicated as early as
the opening scene
Science fiction genre
As a science fiction genre it breaks its boundaries at times
It has something to say about the context and concerns that preoccupied the Western World at the time they were released
Science Fiction
Hypothesise on future worlds in which humans are no longer in control of what they have created
Contemporary views are displaced onto the future
Science fiction is as much about the present as about the future
Science Fiction deals with
The unknownThe impact of forces outside the human
realm; far fetched world that are unlikely to exist
Science Fiction deals with
The marvellousThe marvellous makes awe at its
inventions in the service of perceived human needs
Science Fiction deals with
The fantasticThe fantastic deals with the possibility of
changes to society and culture wrought by technology, with its simultaneous promise and menace
UtopiasDystopiasPost –apocalyptic worlds
Science Fiction deals with
The uncannyThe uncanny deals with the technological
alteration of the self, exploring our unconscious, repressed fears
Science Fiction deals with
Cautionary talesMany science fiction films are cautionary
tales, warning us of the possible consequences of unfettered, immediate science and progress
Science fiction often argues an ethical position that makes you think about what kind of worlds you want to live in
GATTACA is no exception
William Gaylin: I not only think we will tamper with human nature, I think mother nature wants us to
Recent developments in medical science and the ways computer technology has defined our world. Eg., medical imaging, key hole surgery, hair and saliva samples
The capacity to manipulate DNA; cloning not always with benign results
‘In vitro’ birth selecting a sperm and donor cell with ‘desirable’ genetic traits
2002; The Raelian sect is testimony to unfettered experimentation
GATTACAGATTACA takes its name from the DNA
blue print for all lifeThe spiral of deoxyribose nucleic acid is
encoded with all the genetic information for that living thing.
The spiral is made up of interlocking chemicals; guanine, adrenine, thymine and cystosine.
GATTACA
Scientist give these chemicals letter symbols to identify the written code
P and S for the phosphate and sugar rim G, T, C and A for the nitrogen blocks It is the nitrogen elements which vary, and therefore
define genetic make up Since the P and S blocks are constant, only the
nitrogens are written down, using the letters G, A, T, and C. A sequence might be: GGAATTAACCAA.
Hence the name of the society based on genetic perfection: GATTACA
DNA is a scientific and social issue in our society
How the concept of human can be defined?
What does individual identity mean?What personal values might be admired
most in a society where eugenics (scientifically – controlled population breeding program) was practiced?
GATTACA
This film is clearly expressing concern about what will happen is scientific tools are used without social or ethical constraints
Opening quote: Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked? Ecclesiastes
Humans are discovering a God-like power to alter the world but may not have the moral understanding to see where such tinkering might take us
Central Message
• There is no gene for the human spirit
• In spite of genetic engineering there is still room for human error
• What measures has the world of GATTACA in place for those who are second best?
STRUCTURE AND SETTINGIN GATTACA
How does the structure, setting and cultural context work in the film to develop its themes and
ideas?
Structure
• GATTACA has a character driven plot, with a lengthy flash back accompanied by voice-over narration. Huge time jumps are involved and vital information about Vincent are given in a speedy way. Events then rush together in a few days before the Titan mission launch
• Note the confessional voice I am not Jerome Morrow
Structure: sub-plots
Two major intersecting narrative structures: MURDER / THRILLER FRIENDSHIP / ROMANCE
MURDER/THRILLERVincent’s deception and quest to travel into space
MURDER/THRILLERMurder investigation;
Rivalry between Vincent and Anton
FRIENDSHIPJerome and Vincent
ROMANCEVincent and Irene
Structure: motifs
Motifs are recurrent visuals and sound clues which have a thematic meaning
Vincent cleans himself, shaves, sloughs off rough skin
Repeated shots of urine and blood samples Hair scenes These all underline the body as the identifier
or betrayer in this society Water scenes: moments of struggle and triumph
and struggle over nature represented at a subliminal level by the sea
Structure: Niccol’s doubles characters
Doubles
Vincent and Eugene Vincent and AntonDetective Hugo and
Investigator Irene and Doctor Lamar
Structure
Why has Niccol employed this structural device?
Despite apparent differences all are equally VALID as human beings
That in a society founded on genetic engineering, detection and classification become obsessive
Setting The main locations are all bare, functional spaces.
Smooth polished floors, bare walls, glass, vast airy interiors and provide an atmosphere of modernism and minimalism:
1. The Gattaca complex2. The navigation lab3. The space centre4. Jerome’s apartment5. Irene’s house6. The police centre
This encodes the idea of society based on principles of perfection
Eugene’s/Jerome’s apartment
The circular staircase evokes a number of connotations:
1. Its grand architectural feature suggests wealth
2. Allusion to Hitchcock films and thus to suspense
3. Shape of a double helix; the theme of genetics constantly in the background
4. Vincent’s ladder
Style
DystopicRetro look (backwards in time): Cold War
of the 1950’s, environment of concrete and chrome
Images of totalitarianism and allusions to Nazi Germany
Sterility: coldly scientific, large uncluttered spaces in contrast to Vincent’s family home
Mise en scene
Mise en scene, is the sum total of everything that can be seen through the camera lens at any given moment
Mise en scene
Example: when Vincent tears off his own image from the family photograph, Anton, who is in the background fills up the space previously occupied by Vincent. Vincent is effectively erased in this scene. In this case, the camera doesn’t move, but what is in the frame does change as Vincent is torn from the photograph
Soundtrack
Disjunction between the vision and the sound; hairs crash like trees. This disjunction points up a key theme of the film; the importance of body parts in a world dedicated to genetic perfection
Think too of the sound effects of the cars in the road crossing scene. The blurred vision matches the sound to capture Vincent’s myopia and present danger
Music
The orchestral music sets the tone of sombre reflectiveness, but as Vincent moves close to his goal there is a crescendo in the music
The piano solo carried out with six fingers
CHARACTERS IN
GATTACA
Jerome Morrow (Eugene) Jude Law
What makes you think that you can be meWe have to get drunk immediately!What’s Titan like at this time of the year?I’m going travelling, too
Vincent and Jerome
One man’s loss is another man’s gainJerome: Are you all right? Vincent: Yeah,
Do you want to go dancing?Listen, it’s not to late to back out. This is
the last day you are going to be you and I am going to be me
You should be going instead of me. Up there your legs wouldn’t matter
I am proud of you, Vincent
Vincent Freeman (Jerome Morrow) Ethan Hawke
Life expectancy 30 years For the genetically superior, success is easier to
attain but by no means guaranteed We now have discrimination down to a science My resume was in my cells I was never more certain of how far I was from
my goal when I was standing right beside it For someone who was never meant to stay on
earth, I’m having a hard time leaving it … maybe I’m going home
Vincent and Jerome
You can’t quit on me now – I’ve put too much into this
You still don’t understand, do you? When they look at you, they don’t see you any more, they see me
How are you, Jerome? … Not bad, Jerome I think she likes us I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you
my body. You lent me your dream
Anton Freeman (The investigator) Loren Green
Come on, you cowardI bet I could be an astronaut if I wanted
Vincent and Anton
You sure you want to do this? You know you’re gonna lose
Are we brothers?This is how I did it, Anton – I never saved
anything for the swim back
Irene- Uma Thurman and Vincent
If you pretend like you don’t care, don’t look up Vincent: see I’m not the only one who looks up
when there’s a launch Jerome, I had you sequenced If you are still interested, let me know Jerome, you don’t look well. Why don’t you go
home? You don’t know who he is, do you, Irene” You couldn’t see, could you? You crossed
anyway
Lamar (Xander Berkeley)
Have I ever told you about my son?Unfortunately, my son’s not as good as
they promised … but then, who knows what he could do
For future reference – right-handed men don’t hold it with their left, just one of those things
Geneticist (Blair Underwood)
This child is still you – simply the best of you
You could conceive a thousand times naturally and never get such a result
German (Tony Shalhoub)
Blood knows no nationality
Director Joseph (Gore Vidal)
It’s right that someone like you is taking us to Titan
It hasn’t stopped the planets turning, has it?
No one exceeds potential – if he did it would mean we didn’t accurately gauge his potential in the first place
There is not a violent bone in my body