WEEK 9 (Winny)

Wilcox and Lavery (2002) identify 9 defining characteristics of ‘quality TV’ – can you apply any of these to other television series that you have viewed recently? Are there any other characteristics that you could add to their list?

According to Wilcox and Lavery (2002), "Quality TV usually has a quality pedigree.", "Desirable demographics notwithstanding, quality shows must often undergo a noble struggle against profit-mongering networks and non-appreciative audiences.", "Tends to have a large ensemble cast.", "Has a memory.", "Creates a new genre by mixing old ones.", "Tends to be literary and writer-based.", "Is self-conscious.", "The subject matter of quality TV tends toward the controversial." and "Aspires toward 'realism'." .

I don't know much about reality televisions because after I've went to University I actually didn't watch many.  The only American drama series I've watched is Supernatural.  Indeed, I think Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are quite similar.  They're both about killing demons and other supernatural creatures, isn't it?  Well, the big difference is Supernatural doesn't really have a heroine, but instead it has two handsome heroes.  To say in truth the reason I started to watch this was just, simply because I like the casts.  I think the Winchesters Brothers' relationship are very strong and you never get bored to see what will happen to them next.  Maybe not all but I do think Supernatural does have some of those identified characteristics.  For example the one that says "Tends to have a large ensemble cast.", the heaven wants Dean's power and the hell wants Sam's.  Sam has demon power because the yellow demon has done something... One of the angel Castiel helps the Winchesters brothers as they fight.  Also, I think the one says "Creates a new genre by mixing old ones" should be applicable too.  As I've said I think the theme/background of Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are quite similar.  However there is one point, which is Supernatural tends to tell more on the brothers' relationship, rather than on their love experiences.  Females who have sexual relationships with them usually die immediately or either being separated.

References

Wilcox, R. & Lavery, D. (2002). Introduction, in R. Wilcox & D. Lavery (eds) Fighting the forces: what's at stake in Buffy the vampire slayer. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.

WEEK EIGHT

How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?

Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle is a Sci-Fi story based on an alternate history post World War II and is based on what would happen if Germany and Japan had won the war.

In Dick’s essay he makes clear that Nazism was still a huge fear in society and goes on to say “We are still very much afraid” ( Dick, 1964, pg.112.). But it was not only us who were afraid. Dick goes on to say that the Nazi’s were also afraid, but of different things, like the U.S.A, U.K and Russia etc. but most of all the fear of Jews, Which to us we cannot comprehend. Dick questions theses fears and states that “it is subrational; it is psychological, not logical” (p.113). He goes on to question “Why do some people fear cats or streetcars or redheaded goats?” these are all strange Phobias which people do not know why they are afraid of them. And it springs "from the depths of the self unknown to the self”. Although unlike Phobias, Nazism can be explained as a result of brainwashing and propaganda. For example the pre-Nazi ‘Richard Wagner’ “invented the idea that Jews were aliens, hostile to Germany.” In my opinion, German people were brainwashed in to believing that Jews were evil in the same way we can be brainwashed by the media in thinking that nations like North Korea are threats.

Dick, P.K. (1995). Nazism and the High Castle. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The Shifting Realities of Philip K. Dick (pp.112-117). New York: Vintage.

Nazia Week 9

Wilcox and Lavery (2002) identify 9 defining characteristics of ‘quality TV’ – can you apply any of these to other television series that you have viewed recently? Are there any other characteristics that you could add to their list?

The defining characteristics of ‘quality TV’ are (I tried to think of examples of as many as I could):

1. Quality TV usually has a quality pedigree

2. Desirable demographics notwithstanding, quality shows must often undergo a noble struggle against profit-mongering networks and non-appreciative audiences.

3. Quality TV tends to have a large ensemble cast:
Grey’s Anatomy is a great example of this. There are 14 actors in the main cast, 7 in the recurring cast and an additional 17 with guest starring roles.

4. Quality TV has a memory.
True Blood is an example of this. As the series goes on the characters remember incidents that happen in previous episodes and even previous seasons. For example in Season One the murder of Sookie’s grandmother is mentioned throughout the subsequent seasons and becomes a part of her character almost, as she is struck by sadness at the thought of it every time. Also, Jason (Sookie’s brother) goes through a number of traumatic events which change and shape his character in the following seasons and episodes. A string of deaths, for example his grandmother, a few towns’ people and also his girlfriend cause Jason to change from a small town bachelor to wanting more from life.

5. Quality TV creates a new genre my mixing old ones.
The Vampire Diaries is similar in this sense to Buffy as it also adheres to and mixes up the same genres as Buffy. For example as Wilcox and Lavery (2002) mentions some genres such as “day-time soaps” (the drama of the plot in VD fulfils this), “gothic romances” (love-triangle between Stefan, Elana and Damon), “Grade-B horror flicks and supernatural fantasies” (this comes into play with the supernatural themes in VD and also the action scenes that are present).

6. Quality TV tends to be literary and writer based.
Eastenders is a well known British TV series going since the mid-eighties and is one of the highest rated programmes in the country. An example of this characteristic is shown in one of their successful writers for the show, Keith Brumpton, who is also an author. Brumpton has written over 35 humorous children’s books.

7. Quality TV is self-conscious.

8. The subject matter of quality TV tends toward the controversial.
Dexter is a good example of inhibiting this characteristic as there are many controversial themes in this series. Lying, cheating and the most obvious one is that the lead character (usually a likeable character in most TV shows) moonlights as a serial killer and still manages to sympathise with his cause.

9. Quality TV aspires towards ‘realism’.


References:
Wilcox, R. & Lavery, D. (2002). Introduction, in R. Wilcox & D. Lavery (eds) Fighting the forces: what’s at stake in Buffy the vampire slayer. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.

Trevor week 5 Bonanza za za zaaaaa

What is the ‘shojo’ and how does it often function in anime?

According to Cavallaro the word Shoujo translates to Little female. In anime it is often observed in female characters that are in that transitional phase between girl and adolescent and deals with the theme of the innocent girl/child and the transistion to erotic desire which comes with adulthood. Although it 'shoujo' eludes to both the innocence and the contrasting sexual awareness at this age. It seems to focus more directly on the murky area in between the two poles of innocence and eroticism that exists in anime as a blurred edged, sexually mis understood, curious neutral almost dreamlike wonder state.

According to Cavallaro when talking about Shoujo "it alludes to the transitional stage between infancy and maturity, and its admixture of sexlessness and budding eroticism. On the whole, the worlds depicted by shoujo stories are serenely dreamy and bathed in an atmospher of magic and wonder"

Reference

Cavallaro, D. (2006). Introduction. In The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki (pp.11). London: McFarland & Company.

Week 8-SFII_ LoveKim

How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?

Philip K. Dick (1999; 1964) employs Nazism as a motif in his novel of The Man in High Castle, which is mainly different interpretation of Nazism from what most people consider. Many people have criticized the Nazi Germans for their ideology and actions in WWII, but the majority of those who criticize ignored an attempt to understand the deepest sense of the reason for that. The connection to the psychological and emotional status of fear that they may have had, which often cannot be comprehended, has completely been neglected. 

Dick claims that there were environmental factors, for example, socio-economical and psychological pressures after WWI that led them to another war. There was a Great Depression globally, but the Germans still had a huge burden of paying a great sum of money to the Allies countries. As it is human nature, the Germans could feel feared the power of the USSR, France and England, and possibly including the Jews, just as the way of all human beings would feel. The person who was in a high position of the SS in Nazi also had the fear that we all have although a matter fact. No one has a clear answer for the reason of phobia that exists in the depth of human being. It is basically a human nature that attempting to protect themselves when they have a fear of being killed otherwise.

 
Dick believes that the reportedly victims of Jews, particularly the Jewish nationalist fanatics, are also racists. Their behaviours in Israel after the WWII are an injustice and have no difference to that of the Nazi Germans.

Reference

Dick, P.K. (1995). Nazism and the high castle. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The shifting realities of Philip K. Dick (pp.112-117). New York: Vintage.

Week 8 Farish

According to McKee, what relationship did Dick’s ideas have to (a) Christianity (b) religion and philosophy in general?

According to McKee, Dick seemed to agree with the ideas of Christianity and in his book “A Scanner Darkly” he seems to use different ideologies commonly found in Christianity, such as “the holy ghost” as well as “the logos” (Mckee, 2004).  This logos to Dick was identified as the hidden message which held not just one truth but every truth. Dick never seemed to find religious interpretations more valuable in comparison to political and more secular analysis. Also in Dick’s other book “The Man in the High Castle” he is known to portray the disruption plaguing the land, through a religious transformation rather than a political one. Dick rather than study one religion in particular seemed to study different ancient religious literature from different religions, than create entries which had similarities among them. Although numerous studies on Dick’s books seemed to expose how as much as there were mentions of concepts of other religions, his writings of religions powerfully supported Christianity. Although his ideas were heretical, but “never questioned the power or the authority of Christ.” All his theories on religion returned to Christianity and Dick believed in the Christian God  (Mckee, 2004)

McKee, Gabriel (2004). A Scanner Darkly: Dick as a Christian theologian. In Pink Beams of Light from the God in the Gutter: the sciencefictional religion of Philip K. Dick. NY: U Press of America.

Week 7-LoveKim

What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel?

According to Brown (2001), the main themes of the novel of The Man in the High Castle written by P.K. Dick are first of all, the employment of Dick’s philosophy, psychology, religion and knowledge to his work. Dick believed that SF is connected to the events that each individual experience in their life, and the results are brought by the effects of the events.  In fact, his life reflected in his novels, which was uncommon in the SF area in 1950s and 1960s. Dick had basically a pessimistic point of view when it comes to writing his novels, which is presumably related to his difficult childhood and family background. And it was believed to be responsible for the anxiety and psychological issues in his later life. Although he sometimes introduced the common ideas of SF novels to his work such as rocket-ships, alien worlds and ray-guns, he used them through his own thematic motivation. He also showed a long belief in the humanity of the individual in his SF novels. These aspects were basically contrast to the majority of the themes of SF in America.  For example, he attempted to explore the mechanism of metaphysics, the nature of perception of reality, good and evil, and power abuse through the novel. 

Dick’s primary concern, which was described in his novel, was what makes a true human being in opposition to a fake human. He responded to the question through his another novel Do Androids Dreams of Electronic Sheep?, which was published in 1968. 

Reference

Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The man in the high castle, v-xii. London: Penguin.

WEEK 8 (Winny)

Research the films that have been adapted from Philip K. Dick novels or short
stories. Which have generally been acclaimed as the most successful? Why? 



Completed Films
Blade Runner  (1982)
Based on "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
Screamers  (1995)
Based on "Second Variety"
Total Recall  (1990)
Based on "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale"
Confessions d'un Barjo  (French, 1992)
Based on "Confessions of a Crap Artist"
Impostor  (2001)
Based on "Impostor."
Minority Report  (2002)
Based on "The Minority Report."
Paycheck  (December 25, 2003)
Based on "Paycheck."
A Scanner Darkly  (July 7, 2006)
Based on "A Scanner Darkly"
Next (April 27, 2007)
Based on "The Golden Man"

Films in ProductionThe Adjustment Bureau  (coming 2010)
Based on "The Adjustment Team"
King of the Elves  (coming 2012)
Based on "King of the Elves"

According to Batty (2011), arguably the most famous and most successful of all the Philip K Dick adaptations, Blade Runner has a very troubled history, much like the author himself. Critically and commercially unsuccessful, Screamers went straight to video in most countries. Whilst suffering from poor writing and acting, it is successful in exploring some of the original stories anti-war themes and man’s relationship with their machines.

Batty also stated that it adds a strange dream like aspect to A Scanner Darkly which is highly successful in bringing Dick’s drug addled, mixed up world to life. The second is how close to the source novel the film is. It remains faithful to the book, retaining the quirky, black humour while having a crazy energy all of its own.


I haven't really seen any films adapted from his novel before.  The first one I've seen was A Scanner Darkly in this course's screening session, so maybe it would be easier for me to comment more on this film.   I was quite surprised with the techniques they've used on A Scanner Darkly.  Maybe it sounds a bit weird but I didn't know anything about rotoscoping before I've watched this.  I've seen a Japanese Anime called Kūchū Buranko, literally translated as "Flying Trapeze" which was made similar like this, but I don't think those people in this anime really acted... and it was more animated than A Scanner Darkly.  I think one of the reason why A Scanner Darkly was a successful film was because of the rotoscoping technique.  I do believe it is true like Paul has said in the lectures, books and movies are totally two different genres so we couldn't really compare them, but I also think people usually just like to compare things.  It does makes people love the film more if the content is close to the original work.  

References


Batty, A. (2011). The works of Philip K. Dick. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://hopelies.com/2011/03/10/genre-the-works-of-philip-k-dick/

Dick, K. (n.d.). Movies and Films based on works by Pilip K. Dick. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.philipkdick.com/films_intro.html

Nazia Week 8

Research the films that have been adapted from Philip K. Dick novels or short
stories. Which have generally been acclaimed as the most successful? Why?

Films based on Philip K. Dick novels and short stories:

Film Title: Blade Runner
Based on: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Film Title: A Scanner Darkly
Based on: A Scanner Darkly

Film Title: Total Recall
Based on: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale

Film Title: Minority Report
Based on: The Minority Report
Film Title: Next
Based on: The Golden Man

Film Title: Paycheck
Based on: Paycheck

Film Title: The Adjustment Bureau
Based on: Adjustment Team

Film Title: Radio Free Albemuth
Based on: Radio Free Albermuth


Film Title: Impostor
Based on: Impostor

Film Title: Screamers
Based on: Second Variety

Film Title: Confessions d'un Barjo (Confessions of a Crap Artist)
Based on: Confessions of a Crap Artist

As it can be seen from the list above, so many of PKD’s works were adapted into films and the reason for this is that his writing combines a perplexing twist of the imagination with an elevated concept of action. The top five highest grossing films (from highest) are Minority Report, Total Recall, Adjustment Bureau, Paycheck and Blade Runner. The reason PKD’s have been so successful is because his work poses the question of reality. What is real? And who are we? These questions when considered can trigger the paranoia within us all and these films explore the ‘what ifs’. The films and his novels usually have characters that feel like they are losing a grip on reality (which most of us can relate to at one time or another in our lives) but sometime he puts in the influence of drugs and its effects, which he could relate to well. An example of this is in A Scanner Darkly where the main character has been so influenced by drugs where he doesn’t even know that the person he is chasing is himself. Another theme that is prominent in PKD’s work is the idea that the future may not necessarily be better. That technological advancement may actually be harmful to the human race, rather than helpful.


I’m not a huge fan of Sci Fi but the works of PKD are quite astounding given the time he was writing them. Amazingly his ideas were so far ahead of his time that his works can seem prophetic almost.

Week 8: SF II

How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?

Philip K. Dick seems to me to have been a very open minded man. His views on the Nazis in World War 2 show that he did not support their actions at all, but shows a sort of understanding for the German people. He obviously had a keen interest in the Nazis proving why he illuminated them as a motif in High Castle.

Dick almost seems to view the Nazis as an interesting study, keen to uncover the mysteries of their actions. “We know what they did, we know what their slated ideologies were… but we do not actually know why, in the deepest sense, they – i.e., the Nazis – did it.” Dick did not speak of the Germans in a blaming sense and seems to honor them in a way, “We are still very afraid, still rightly so very much disturbed, and, as Harry Warner so correctly said, “… we might identify with the war guilt of the Germans because they’re so similar to us…””

Dick viewed the Nazis fear of Jews as being very simplistic. “It is sub rational; it is psychological, not logical. Why do some people fear cats or street cats, or redheaded goats?”

In the essay it shows that Dick did not believe all German people to be ‘bad people’, “Even German whores came to the walls of the death camps, hoping ‘to do something for’ those within.

However, he acknowledges that the German people made a big mistake in voting in such a sadistic leader, “Yet, the German people, or a good part of them, better half, voted, legally voted, Hitler into power, and knowing his racial views.”

Dick proves he had a vast knowledge of World War 2 and of the Nazis which would have been why he wrote the ‘High Castle’.

Dick, P. K. (1995). Nazism and the High Castle. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The Shifting Realities of Phiip K. Dick (pp. 112-117). New York: Vintage.

Trevor, WEEK8

How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?

Dicks essay tends to suggest that yes, he was writing about Nazis in general and how they may have gone about their business had they taken over the rest of the 'Free' world. However his essay suggests that it is not a 'lets blame the Nazis' novel, but more to show that collectively we are all potential Nazis/fascists, no matter what country/religion we align ourselves to. His essay shows that he believed you should look past the party, past the religion, past Nazi, and past the jew, and observe the individual for the unique person that they are. His essay shows that the reasons that the general german followed the Nazi regime and entered the war was out of fear, and parallels it with the exact same emotion of fear that made the States, the UK and Russia enter the war. This to me shows he was trying to illustrate that no matter what the Banner people are acting under they are still just people, that will all act in very similar ways regardless of colour or creed. To me at least, Dicks essay shows that the use of the Nazi motif was simply one of being the most recognised example of the time that could be related to by the reader.

For me Dicks essay illuminates the motif of Nazis as the most monstrous evil and ugly thing in recent memory (from when the book was written) That it was not a view of anti Germanic sentiment, but is a view of the common ugly monstrousness of all human kind.


Dick, P.K (1995). Nazism and the High Castle. In Sutin, L. (Ed), The Shifting Realities of Phillip K. Dick (pp.112-117). New York: Vintage

KT's Week 8

How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?

Dick is famous for a SF author who has a unique imagination and complicated ideas. His genius was, again, proved in the book of “the man in the High Castle". The story is started from supposition of the history by Dick, and there is another story in the story. Aside from this, Dick used of Nazism as a motif in his book. Firstly, a German citizen couldn’t show any dissent from official policy, it means Nazi dominated the occupied area by the principles of military coercively. Secondly, the working class swung from supporting the Communists and the moderate socialists to the Nazis. Dick guessed the Nazis were always ready to listen, to help, to dole out food and support and the Germans were starving, dying, being evicted, being deprived; it was the Depression, and the people were desperate. In addition, at the time of the rise of anti-Jewish ideology among non-Jewish-Germans, The Jews and the Slavs were subject to discrimination.

The concept of German Nazism seemed to be quite based on the reality. (This may be how SF is distinguished to Fantasy.) Anyway, Dick concluded his essay as saying “Let’s live in the present and for the future, not dwelling neurotically on the outrages of the past.” and I don’t think it’s easy to do for the Jews.

With regard to the movie of “A scanner Darkly”, it was the interesting movie. I am not the huge fan of the SF yet, but it’s good to know the different styles of genre.

Reference

Dick, P. K. (1995). Nazism and the High Castle. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The Shifting Realities of Philip K. Dick (pp.112-117). New York: Vintage.

Linklater, R. (Director). (2006). A Scanner Darkly.

Week 7: SF I

What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of SF?


Brown (2001) clearly holds Philip K. Dick in very high esteem. In the article, he seems to focus alot on Dick and his ideas and themes throughout his SF novels.

Dick had very specific elements that he liked to focus on in his SF novels. He liked to often put a very ordinary character in extraordinary circumstances (possibly referring to him, having lived a very hectic life).

"Dick used SF to explore his obsession with meta-physics, the nature of perceived reality, good and evil, and the abuse of power. He obsessed with the idea that the universe was only apparently real, an illusion behind which the truth might dwell."

"Another of his concerns was what constitutes a true human being, as opposed to a fake - a question he explored in the novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' (1968), among others."
This novel was considered to be one of his greatest novels, having been made into the film ‘Blade Runner’. However, his best was considered to be ‘The Man in the High Castle'.

Dick did not just stick to his own unique themes in his novels however. He also conformed to alot of wider generic features of SF, but would do it in his own sort of style.

"At first glance, Dick's novels conformed to type: he used the popular leitmotifs of SF - alien worlds, precognition, ray-guns - but employed them to his own agenda."


Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.

Love Kim-Week 6

What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke? How does it 'defamiliarise' its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?


The underlying themes of  Princess Mononoke can be described as rejection and disintegration of the notion of the abjected Other, such as female, supernatural and premodern. For example, as the female characters in the film have their own rights and live independently, they proclaim that they are able to live separately from male as they still fulfill their lives. Moreover, San’s wild and assaultive body characterizes as the revenge of the abjected while the character of Eboshi represents the ferocious complexities of progress of modernity. The blood and the spirit of San are associated with premodern archetypes of ferocious femininity. So San’s femininity is uncanny and supernatural natural which is against modernity as well as civilization. It is in fact different from Japanese traditional culture in 20th century and has undermined the modernity. The belief of the irrational, the supernatural, and the apocalyptic image which have been linked with Japanese women is destructed in the film.

Miyazaki also attempts to defamiliarize in a couple of ways through the Princess Mononoke. The film first of all defamiliarizes the myth of the feminine as long-suffering and supportive. Next, the myth of Japanese living in harmony with nature is also defamiliarized although it was generally expressed through a union of the feminine with the natural. For example, Eboshi’s character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role by breaking femininity. Furthermore, San’s character also defamiliarizes the conventional view of the feminine and the natural as a form of sanctified Japanese harmony. Whereas, San is assault and destructive towards the nature which is against traditional Japanese aesthetics. Furthermore, the film also defamiliarizes conventional notions of Japanese history. While the background of the film is in the 14^th century, it subverts of conventional expectations related to that era of an ape of Japanese high culture, for example, tea ceremony, Noh theater, and Zen inspired landscape gardens. It was also an era of peace when the ruling samurai class literately grew and refined. However, the film subverts the samurai ethic of traditional period. The film comprises kami along with unusual protagonists of women, outcasts and nonethnic Japanese tribes. The kami are the ancient gods in japan and connected to the natural forces. The female characters linked with the kami represent the abjected Other, for example, sentient beasts and supernatural spirits. They are against the increasing civilized world of Japan which is dominated by the imperial court, the shogun, and the samurai.

Reference

Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl's moving castle. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

Week 6 Farish

How do it and other Miyazaki films address the humanity/nature divide, according to Wright (2005)? Could Miyazaki’s vision be described as in some sense religious (inasmuch as it conveys a sense of the sacred)?

According to Wright (2005), Miyazaki addresses the divide through the film Princess Monoke by the conflict between industry humans and the gods of forests. Normally in his movies though there is a depiction where industrilisation is accepted as the reality of modern while preserving the love of nature, with humans living in tandem with it. In addition to this Miyazaki seems to destroy the idea of a pure heart, which is one of the aspects of Japanese cultural history which seems to refer to a culture purely formed from Japanese traditions without any foreign cultural contamination. Instead he seems to prefer both an integration as well as an appreciation of different elements of foreign culture. It does seem to hold the religion of Shinto as significant but at the same time, Miyazaki seems to ensure that his audiences are able to explore Shinto freely without the limited and biased views of religion.

 

Wright, L. (2005). Nature Spirits, Giant Insects and World Trees: the nature vision of Hayao Miyazaki. In the Journal of Religion of Popular Culture. Volume X: Summer 2005.