Despite being separated by their respective contextual influences, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (Director’s cut) both highlight humanity’s ambition and desire to overstep natural boundaries as an enduring aspect of humanity. The question of human identity is put forward by both texts, and through the study of the respective Romanian and Postmodern contexts, the values of human nature can be identified.
Frankenstein cautions against humanity’s ambition and desire to bypass natural boundaries through addressing the experimentation on dead bodies by scientists such as Galvani and Aldini. Mirroring these scientists of Shelley’s time, Victor is presented as a rash individual in being ”deeply smitten with the …show more content…
In response to global warming, globalisation and environmental degradation, Scott’s combination of science fiction and film noir portrays the dark future of Los Angeles as a direct consequence of our overambitious overstepping of natural boundaries. The opening shot of the ‘Hades’ landscape formed by the imagery of smoke. lightning and fire is augmented by the eerie artificial Vangelis music, to highlight the artificial scene devoid of nature, all as a consequence of destructive scientific advancements. Following this is an extreme close up shot, where the mirror image of fire within an eye is reflective of the contextually recent development of In-Virtro-Fertilisation, a corruption of natural processes resulting from humanity’s bypassing of natural boundaries. This is comparable to the “dull yellow eye” within Frankenstein, as both represent the moral consequences of human scientific advancements. Following the criticism of scientific developments, the character of Tyrell is used to criticise the scientists themselves. Tyrell’s myopic ambition ultimately renders him unable to recognise the importance of moderation in his scientific research, symbolised through his thick glasses. Like Shelley, Scott warns of humanity’s ambition and desire to transgress natural boundaries through the depictions of mankind and the consequences of our scientific …show more content…
During Deckard’s confrontation with Roy, the illuminated low-angle shot of Roy is juxtaposed with a dark high-angle shot of Deckard, illustrating the moral superiority Roy holds over Deckard. Ironically, the unhuman replicants serve as a true symbol of humanity unlike the immoral, money-driven Tyrell, highlighting mankind’s loss of human identity. Furthermore, the Christ-like representation of Roy through the nail piercing the hand and his redemptive act of saving Deckard is used to indicate his higher moral ground, and similar to Frankenstein, questions are raised about whether the creation is indeed “more human than human” and whether it is moral to “retire” them. However, Scott addresses the pressing issue of mankind’s loss of human identity through the symbolic release of the dove into the extraordinarily rare clear blue sky, implying that humanity can still be restored if society reverts to its original clear and pure values of moral
Frankenstein cautions against humanity’s ambition and desire to bypass natural boundaries through addressing the experimentation on dead bodies by scientists such as Galvani and Aldini. Mirroring these scientists of Shelley’s time, Victor is presented as a rash individual in being ”deeply smitten with the …show more content…
In response to global warming, globalisation and environmental degradation, Scott’s combination of science fiction and film noir portrays the dark future of Los Angeles as a direct consequence of our overambitious overstepping of natural boundaries. The opening shot of the ‘Hades’ landscape formed by the imagery of smoke. lightning and fire is augmented by the eerie artificial Vangelis music, to highlight the artificial scene devoid of nature, all as a consequence of destructive scientific advancements. Following this is an extreme close up shot, where the mirror image of fire within an eye is reflective of the contextually recent development of In-Virtro-Fertilisation, a corruption of natural processes resulting from humanity’s bypassing of natural boundaries. This is comparable to the “dull yellow eye” within Frankenstein, as both represent the moral consequences of human scientific advancements. Following the criticism of scientific developments, the character of Tyrell is used to criticise the scientists themselves. Tyrell’s myopic ambition ultimately renders him unable to recognise the importance of moderation in his scientific research, symbolised through his thick glasses. Like Shelley, Scott warns of humanity’s ambition and desire to transgress natural boundaries through the depictions of mankind and the consequences of our scientific …show more content…
During Deckard’s confrontation with Roy, the illuminated low-angle shot of Roy is juxtaposed with a dark high-angle shot of Deckard, illustrating the moral superiority Roy holds over Deckard. Ironically, the unhuman replicants serve as a true symbol of humanity unlike the immoral, money-driven Tyrell, highlighting mankind’s loss of human identity. Furthermore, the Christ-like representation of Roy through the nail piercing the hand and his redemptive act of saving Deckard is used to indicate his higher moral ground, and similar to Frankenstein, questions are raised about whether the creation is indeed “more human than human” and whether it is moral to “retire” them. However, Scott addresses the pressing issue of mankind’s loss of human identity through the symbolic release of the dove into the extraordinarily rare clear blue sky, implying that humanity can still be restored if society reverts to its original clear and pure values of moral