Genre – DYSTOPIADystopia – opposite of utopia (perfect), so it’s an imperfect world

Generic conventions• Dystopian worlds: Fictional place or state where everything is unpleasant or bad.• Dystopia explores Postmodern themes through the challenging narrative themes.• Narratives take place in the aftermath of a disaster. E.g. war, plague, alien invasion,

disasters etc.• Most post-apocalyptic ‘disasters’ have a man-made cause.• Relate to real-time fears in society. E.g. Cold war, medical advances, environmental

change etc.• Agrarian societies often develop: return to pre-industrialised soc.• The possibility of human demise: survivors struggle for existence!• These films create the sense of finality and in some instances a new beginning/

survival / re-birth.

Character types• Heroic male protagonist• ‘Post-Modern Cowboy’ – loner, pushed into action, constant threat and violence for

him (survives against the odds)• Groups/tribes who seek to profit from violent anarchy.• Human surviver group - small group from the pre-apocalyptic modern world,

struggling to survive in the savage new world. • The Helper – Often from the alien/infected race who assists the hero in his quest for

resolution.

Sub GenresScience fiction – a sense of ‘science gone wrong’ where future is controlled by a ‘big

brother’ scenario relating to fears in society.

Post-Apocalyptic – end of the world scenario with limited survivors.

Horror – Presenting a chaotic world of mutants or Zombies created from human genetic research.

Timeline – Historical Contexto Pre War (1920s) – Fear of mass production,

totalitarianism, modernist critique, Big Brother style scenarios. E.g. Metropolis (1927)

o Post War – Cold War fears, Nuclear Armageddon, Fear of invasion, Post apocalyptic ideas. E.g. Planet of the Apes (1968)

o 70/80s – Fears of technological advancements, genetic modification, computer and robotic power, authoritarian states E.g. Blade Runner (1982), The Terminator (1984)

o 90s and now – Fears of cloning, genetics, dystopic themes, environmental disaster, using postmodern ideas of Hybrid genres and pastiche. E.g. 28 Days Later (2002), District 9 (2009)

28 Days LaterDanny Boyle (2002)

• Post Apocalyptic theme – infection ‘rage’ virus. Plays with real life fears of human race being killed out.• Male Protagonist/Post-modern cowboy, reluctant, • Unexpected hero. Alienated • Confused helper, reluctant• Disruption at the beginning, no hints of resolution in trailer• Follows the narrative structure by Todorov.

Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary. - IMDB

The RoadJohn Hillcoat (2009)

• Post- apocalyptic theme – America burned and freezing conditions.

• Plays with real life fears of another ‘ice age’.• Male protagonist/post modern cowboy – Forced into

danger• Helper – His family, reluctant helpers

A post-apocalyptic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible. - IMDB

Planet of the ApesFranklin J. Schaffner (1968)

• Post Modern narrative – World run by apes and humans are seen as the ‘animals’.

• Plays with real life fears/concerns about what could be on other planets

• Disruption when one of the humans becomes captive by the apes for experimentation.

• Follows Todorov’s narrative structure.

An astronaut crew crash lands on a planet in the distant future where intelligent talking apes are the dominant species, and humans are the oppressed and enslaved. - IMDB

TerminatorJames Cameron (1984)

• Post Apocalyptic theme – robot from the future with a mission to kill. Plays with real-life fears of the future and fears of technological advancements• Female protagonist – post modern as stereotypically the protagonist is male/post

modern cowboy – forced into danger unknowingly.• Helper from future (post-modern), knows what’s going on – not the stereotypical helper who normally doesn’t know what’s going as well as protagonist.• Antagonist – Robot from the future disguised as human. Disruption at the

beginning of trailer, no real hints of resolution

A robotic assassin from a post-apocalyptic future travels back in time to eliminate a waitress, whose son will grow up and lead humanity in a war against machines. - IMDB