Geog/Film

Historical representation and intertextuality

Toshiro argues that our ideas of what the past should look like on film is largely informed by other films, rather than scholarly sources or other kinds of images. Do you think that this is true? What films do you think of as informing your own notions of what the past looks like?

Versions of BRAZIL and BLADE RUNNER

I've added two short references on the different versions of Brazil and Blade Runner to the supplement to the course.

Go to the timeline.

Shared dream space

Continuing our discussion from last night, what did you notice about how the space of shared dreams work in Inception? What is the nature of the relationship between dreamer and subject? And between both and others sharing a dream? What is the relationship between mind, body, one's body in the dream and things in the dream, like bullets, buildings, vehicles? What are the physics of the dream space? What are the relationships between the places of the material world, the shared dream, and dreams within dreams?

Does it help to think in terms of comparing the space of shared dreams with the space of the matrix? Were there moments during the screening of Inception when you found yourself referencing The Matrix to make sense out of what you were watching?

Intertexuality and THE MATRIX

Following our discussion on R, use this entry to catalog the references to other texts that you noted while watching The Matrix. In comments, take note of:

1. What form the reference takes: quotation or allusion;
2. How the appropriation is made - lines of dialogue, visually, in the narrative;
3. The source, or sources, of the quotation or allusion;
4. What the appropriation is meant to signify.

Feel free to discuss references more informally here as well.

Open post on intertextuality

Use this space to discuss the topic of "intertexuality" from Edgar-Hunt, chapter 3.

LA JETEE (1962)

As noted in the credits, 12 Monkeys is "inspired" by a short film by Chris Marker, "La Jetee". You can see a discussion of that film by critic A.O. Scott here. You can also find video uploads of the whole film on various sites, but since none are of especially high quality, I chose not to link to them here.

Preview for THE MATRIX

Here are keywords and questions to think about during our screening of The Matrix.

1. Keyword: the body. What is the relationship between mind and body while "in" the matrix? How is this relationship signified by the film makers? What are the capabilities of the "digital body" in the matrix? How does one become able to use these capabilities? What visual devices are used to show these capabilities? What does the article by Lee say about the body of the action hero as conceptualized in The Matrix? How does it differ from prior conceptions?
2. Keyword: outwardlookingness. What is "residual self-image"? How does the expression of John/Neo's residual self-image change during the course of the movie? What do these changes mean and how are they signified?
3. Keywords: space, place, trace. What distinguishes the space of the matrix from the space of "the real world"? How does the film use the character of Cypher to explore this question? Is it possible to conceive of "place" in the context of the matrix? What kind of language does Lee use to describe the space of the matrix? How are these differences shown through the mise-en-scene or otherwise signified by the film makers?
4. Keyword: space. As you watch the film, look for elements that seem drawn from other texts/films. What genres does the film draw from? Where are appropriations from or allusions to other texts made? How do these references help you to make sense of the narrative space, the diegesis, of the film? Or are there references that confuse your understanding of that space?