Learning Objectives

• To introduce the Science Fiction ‘sub genre’ of the Dystopian Future film.

RECAP

• Play keyword game with mini whiteboards.

Sci - Fi

The Dystopian Future sub-genre.

•Dystopia or utopia?

• Dystopia – a pessimistic, nightmarish vision of the future

• Utopia – a fantasy ideal, a perfect society.

Future World Films

Dystopian Futures ??????

• This sub –genre of Sci-Fi is perhaps the most popular.

• Dystopian future films exploits the continual fascination audiences have with the future.

• However for the most part these films present a future world in a nightmarish and often‘apocalyptic manner.

• Dystopian films pose a hypothesis, a ‘what if’?

A Future World.

• Starter Task 1: attach a film(s) to the following themes

• Survival after an apocalyptic event.

• Technological progress – that will eventually be a threat to mankind/society.

Future World Films For the most part these films present a

DYSTOPIAN future world, a nightmarish and often' apocalyptic’ vision. Why?

• Often dystopian films ‘prophesise’ about the future based on what is currently happening in society or globally.

• This is known as……

• ………reflecting the zeitgeist.• Think: can you name any dystopian

Sci-Fi films that reflect a contemporary issue?

In the year 2040…• Discuss your future world.• In groups you will be given an aspect of the

future to discuss with an accompanying article.

• What is the news story about? • How might earth have changed by the year

2040? (Technological/Medical, The Environment, Society).

To ReviewKey concepts : • Sub Genre • Dystopia • Apocalyptic• Ideological theme • Zeitgeist• Prophecy• Anarchy/breakdown of society

• To finish: write a detailed paragraph – how does ‘Children of Men’s’ view of the future differ from ‘Minority Report’. 5 mins

• ‘Soylent Green’• Dir: Richard Fleischer

• 1973

Case Study film: ‘Soylent Green’• ‘Soylent Green’ (1973), directed by Richard Fleischer, is

set in the near future of 2022.( Although the film was made 37 years ago).

• What does the film prophesise about the future? What is the film’s what if question?

• The film’s main hypothesise is that due to extreme industrialisation the world has become so polluted that global warming has turned the planet’s weather into ‘a continual heatwave’. This in turn has led to a severe shortage of farmed food.

• In addition the film also prophesises of a significant population increase that causes mass overcrowding in industrialised cities. Too few supplies for too many!

• As with most dystopian films, ‘Soylent Green’, predicts a future where mankind has to survive in a broken society.

Notetaking

• We are going to watch the whole film. Make notes on the sheets provided on both the micro/technical aspects and the macro aspects of narrative , genre etc.

• The WJEC board expect you to have a broad knowledge of both the case study films, particularly issues of representation and ideology.

• We will then be focussing on key scenes.

Ideological Themes• Dystopian films repeat certain thematic ideas as opposed to having

a set of repeated visual iconography. • These are ‘ideas films’ that play on our fascination with the future,

particularly a nightmare vision of the future!• What are some of the ideas in this film?

• Mankind’s greed• Survival of the species• Exploitation of the masses by big business/governments• Scientific discovery going to far.• Don’t mess with mother nature!

• Which messages/ideas are covert and which are overt?

• Is their a covert message in the film with religious or political subtexts?

Historical/social context• What does zeitgeist mean?• The spirit or mood of the time.

• As we discussed to understand any film form the past or present you need to know a little about the historical context of when it was made, particularly a film with strong messages/ideas.

• ‘Soylent Green’ was made in 1973. What do we know about the USA in the early 1970s?

• Brainstorm what you think you know.

• America was still recovering from the Vietnam war.• Nixon was a much disliked president.• US was in the midst of a financial crisis, lots of unemployment.• Many important civil rights figures such as Martin Luther King, Robert

Kennedy and Malcolm X had recently been killed.• New York in particular was a crime ridden, financially corrupt city in

desperate need of clean up! Lots of negative depictions of New York in films of the 70s.

Characterisation• What does characterisation mean?

• The construction of a fictional dramatic character.

• From your own knowledge do you know any terms associated with dramatic characterisation?

• Protagonist: the main character that the narrative revolves around.

• Antagonist: character that causes problems for the protagonist in the narrative.

Narrative

• What can we say about the narrative in Soylent Green? Look at your notes.

• What is the plot of the film?

• What is the exposition? How much is explained and how?

• How is the narrative structured?

The Technical aspects

• Iconography/mise-en-scene- sets, costume, props, lighting.

• Cinematography- angles, movements, shot types

• Editing – techniques, pace, effects etc.• Sound- diegetic sound including dialogue,

music.