Contd.
How does Dick’s essay (1999; 1964) illuminate his use of Nazism as a motif in High Castle?
Dick illuminates the use of the Nazi motif with a citation from Harry Warner; ‘...we might identify with the war guilt of the Germans because they’re so similar to us...’ (Dick, 1964)
Conjured within the nightmare of ‘becoming the enemy’ is a parallel ‘Was some old village German lady in 1939 ‘guilty’ of a decision at Eichmann’s bureau in Berlin?’ (Dick, 1964)
Here Dick exercises a use of relativistic logic reminiscent of the twist given in ‘The High Castle’ in the form of the alternate-world-within-an-alternate-world book ‘The Grasshopper Lies Heavy’.
I.e. The Nazis could be in our place, or we may very well be in theirs.
According to McKnee, what relationship did Dick’s ideas have to (a) Christianity (b) religion and philosophy in general?
Dualisms are present in Dick’s novels and they carry references to ‘Buddhism, orthodox Christianity, Platonic philosophy and Hindu Vedata, among many other philosophical systems.’ Conversely, some of his novels carry little to no expression of religion or philosophies, Lorenzo DiTommao (2001) argues ‘So many Dick scholars take for granted the view that his philosophy is static or entirely coherent. It is not, and sometimes not even within the context of a single novel.’
How would you assess Dick’s status as an author today in terms of (a) popular culture (b) critical reception?
Dick is something of an obscurity in popular culture. In life, he did not take criticism in the best of strides and he made little effort to build a relationship with his fanbase, remarking in Brown (2001) his surprise he even had fans. Today, critics pay tribute to his legacy and films inspired by his work have taken on a life of their own.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Week Eight - Filip (Part One)
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?
A Scanner Darkly
Film adaptations contribute to a bulk of Philip K. Dick’s cult fame, ‘second only to Steven King in the number of screen adaptations of his novels: A Scanner Darkly is the eigth.’ (Gollancz 2010)
The setting of an America having lost the drug war ‘Seven Years from Now’ gives the movie a resonance through its plausibility, including its big brother policing system.
The agents of this system don ‘scramble suits’, which serve as functional symbol of the character of Arctor loses his identity.
The suits have a beautiful synergy with the film’s artistic direction, too, making superb use of the rotoscoping (animation imposed over live-action) technique to give the movie a distinctly engaging element.
I feel the film owes much of its cult success to this direction, and has something to say about the rotoscoping technique itself. It’s an old trick with heavy cult appeal apparent in films like Heavy Metal and numerous works by Ralph Bakshi.
Its popularity doesn’t bring it into the mainstream spotlight as well as the next movie, but there is great appreciation to be had in seeing a recent, fresh use of rotoscoping.
Bladerunner
Bladerunner is adapted from Dick’s sci-fi novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ and is widely popular classic, making #113 on IMDB’s Top 250 rated movies. An amusing piece of trivia describes author Dick, P. K’s viewing of the film as quoted by Burroughs; ‘It was my own interior world. They caught it perfectly.’ Apparently neither director nor screenwriter actually read Dick’s novel.
This interior world contains ‘...images of a futuristic city under late, late capitalism (allowing) BLADE RUNNER to be read as a social critique.’ (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984) Commercialism and industry saturate the world with its toxicity and flashiness. ‘In fact, BLADE RUNNER’s formal style throughout is neo-expressionist with dark shadows, hazy lighting, and odd camera angles... The android chief Roy’s poetic speeches seem like abbreviated versions of the ideologically ambiguous, rhapsodic monologue found in much expressionist theatre.’ (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984) The memorable visuals give the movie a distinct feel. ‘Film noir’s ‘corrupt society’ ethos also dominates and shapes this film’s overall mood of cultural pessimism. (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984)
Adam Savage (2007), of Mythbuster’s fame writes ‘I worked on Star Wars Episodes 1 and 2, on the Matrix films, on AI and Teriminator 3; yet 25 years later there are waysi n which Blade runner surpasses anything that’s been done since.’ Part of the film’s longevity is attributed to its impressive special effects created with simple technology and its immersive environment. ‘This isn’t the kind of sci-fi where everyone wears silver suits. It’s lived-in science fiction – a world.’
It is with its simpler technology of models and illusions of scale via camera manipulation Bladerunner builds its world. The value of this older style of movie magic is praised by Savage (2007) over modern CGI techniques ‘...even now there are times you just can’t beat doing some effects like these “in camera”.’
Part of what makes a movie remain a classic is how well it ages. ‘It just doesn’t date.’ Finishes Savage (2007); ‘Some scenes have almost a 1930’s look to them, while others are totally futuristic.’ The special effects provide an intrigue which helps the substance of the story weather through generations.
http://www.greenmanreview.com/film/film_scannerdarkly_omni.html
Retrieved 26/9/2010
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/
Retrieved 27/9/2010
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC29folder/BladeRunner.html
Kellner, D. & Leibowitz, F. & Ryan, M. (1984)
Retrieved 26/9/2010
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/mythbusters/articles/4218376
Retrieved 27/9/2010
A Scanner Darkly
Film adaptations contribute to a bulk of Philip K. Dick’s cult fame, ‘second only to Steven King in the number of screen adaptations of his novels: A Scanner Darkly is the eigth.’ (Gollancz 2010)
The setting of an America having lost the drug war ‘Seven Years from Now’ gives the movie a resonance through its plausibility, including its big brother policing system.
The agents of this system don ‘scramble suits’, which serve as functional symbol of the character of Arctor loses his identity.
The suits have a beautiful synergy with the film’s artistic direction, too, making superb use of the rotoscoping (animation imposed over live-action) technique to give the movie a distinctly engaging element.
I feel the film owes much of its cult success to this direction, and has something to say about the rotoscoping technique itself. It’s an old trick with heavy cult appeal apparent in films like Heavy Metal and numerous works by Ralph Bakshi.
Its popularity doesn’t bring it into the mainstream spotlight as well as the next movie, but there is great appreciation to be had in seeing a recent, fresh use of rotoscoping.
Bladerunner
Bladerunner is adapted from Dick’s sci-fi novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ and is widely popular classic, making #113 on IMDB’s Top 250 rated movies. An amusing piece of trivia describes author Dick, P. K’s viewing of the film as quoted by Burroughs; ‘It was my own interior world. They caught it perfectly.’ Apparently neither director nor screenwriter actually read Dick’s novel.
This interior world contains ‘...images of a futuristic city under late, late capitalism (allowing) BLADE RUNNER to be read as a social critique.’ (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984) Commercialism and industry saturate the world with its toxicity and flashiness. ‘In fact, BLADE RUNNER’s formal style throughout is neo-expressionist with dark shadows, hazy lighting, and odd camera angles... The android chief Roy’s poetic speeches seem like abbreviated versions of the ideologically ambiguous, rhapsodic monologue found in much expressionist theatre.’ (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984) The memorable visuals give the movie a distinct feel. ‘Film noir’s ‘corrupt society’ ethos also dominates and shapes this film’s overall mood of cultural pessimism. (Kellner; Leibowitz; Ryan, 1984)
Adam Savage (2007), of Mythbuster’s fame writes ‘I worked on Star Wars Episodes 1 and 2, on the Matrix films, on AI and Teriminator 3; yet 25 years later there are waysi n which Blade runner surpasses anything that’s been done since.’ Part of the film’s longevity is attributed to its impressive special effects created with simple technology and its immersive environment. ‘This isn’t the kind of sci-fi where everyone wears silver suits. It’s lived-in science fiction – a world.’
It is with its simpler technology of models and illusions of scale via camera manipulation Bladerunner builds its world. The value of this older style of movie magic is praised by Savage (2007) over modern CGI techniques ‘...even now there are times you just can’t beat doing some effects like these “in camera”.’
Part of what makes a movie remain a classic is how well it ages. ‘It just doesn’t date.’ Finishes Savage (2007); ‘Some scenes have almost a 1930’s look to them, while others are totally futuristic.’ The special effects provide an intrigue which helps the substance of the story weather through generations.
http://www.greenmanreview.com/film/film_scannerdarkly_omni.html
Retrieved 26/9/2010
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/
Retrieved 27/9/2010
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC29folder/BladeRunner.html
Kellner, D. & Leibowitz, F. & Ryan, M. (1984)
Retrieved 26/9/2010
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/mythbusters/articles/4218376
Retrieved 27/9/2010
Week Seven - Filip
What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
According to Brown (2001), Science fiction puts the focus on the effect of events on individuals. With regard to The Man in the High Castle, he elaborates, ‘Dick has set the stage in a sub-genre of science fiction little explored at the time he wrote the novel, that of the Alternative World’. The book is identified as science fiction and as treading ground on a sub-genre, too.
What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of SF?
Beyond the exploration of an alternative world, Brown identifies ‘The terror of implicit evil, the claustrophobic sense of being imprisoned in a world seemingly without hope’ which are feelings embedded in the unknown of science fiction.
According to Mountfort (2006), what role does the I Ching have as an organisational device in the structure of High Castle? How does the use of this device illuminate the character of the novel’s protagonists?
Mountfort (2006) explains the I Ching serves as the meta-narrative for the story. The consultations with the I Ching guide each character such that their actions affect (though they never meet) other characters the Ching manoeuvres as a plot device. ‘‘I’ve used it to develop the direction of a novel’ – Philip K. Dick on the I Ching’
‘Dick regarded the I Ching itself as having in a sense written High Castle.’
What does Dick (1995) himself theorize about the I Ching?
Dick’s (1995) claim of its wide usage, e.g. ‘John Cage, the composer, uses it to derive chord progressions.’ has me concluding the ‘I Ching’ as an object outside of the story is metaphorical; readily substituted by whatever token one feels comfortable with. Dick appears to rationalize the I Ching as an outlet for schizophrenic behaviour.
The concept of synchronicity is examined, wherein coincidence occurs via a shared meaning instead of cause.
‘If... they... ask for a cab so they can visit their good friend the pope, a garbage truck will run into the taxi, and if, after getting out of the hospital... another taxi is called and they try one more time, another garbage truck will appear and ram them again. They know this. They’ve had it happen. (Dick, 1995)
Synchronicity has been going on all the time; it’s only news to us that such coincidences can happen.’
Among the users listed are physicists, who ‘...use it to plot the behaviour of subatomic particles’ (Dick, 1995) suggesting, in theme with coincidence and possibility, a relation to quantum physics.
The benefits in using an ‘I Ching’ professed are reminiscent of Socratic dialogue; where questioning can help prompt critical thinking to help practitioners understand, cope, or find meaning in coincidences.
Dick invites readers to experiment with the I Ching; ‘If you’re totally schizophrenic now, by all means use the I Ching for everything ...If you’re partially schizophrenic... use it for some situations – but sparingly... If you’re not schizophrenic at all... kindly use the book a very, measured little ... Use the book as a sort of (ugh) fun thing.’ (Dick 1995) Dick suggests use of the I Ching can give focus to Schizophrenics whose thinking process is disrupted.
According to Brown (2001), Science fiction puts the focus on the effect of events on individuals. With regard to The Man in the High Castle, he elaborates, ‘Dick has set the stage in a sub-genre of science fiction little explored at the time he wrote the novel, that of the Alternative World’. The book is identified as science fiction and as treading ground on a sub-genre, too.
What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of SF?
Beyond the exploration of an alternative world, Brown identifies ‘The terror of implicit evil, the claustrophobic sense of being imprisoned in a world seemingly without hope’ which are feelings embedded in the unknown of science fiction.
According to Mountfort (2006), what role does the I Ching have as an organisational device in the structure of High Castle? How does the use of this device illuminate the character of the novel’s protagonists?
Mountfort (2006) explains the I Ching serves as the meta-narrative for the story. The consultations with the I Ching guide each character such that their actions affect (though they never meet) other characters the Ching manoeuvres as a plot device. ‘‘I’ve used it to develop the direction of a novel’ – Philip K. Dick on the I Ching’
‘Dick regarded the I Ching itself as having in a sense written High Castle.’
What does Dick (1995) himself theorize about the I Ching?
Dick’s (1995) claim of its wide usage, e.g. ‘John Cage, the composer, uses it to derive chord progressions.’ has me concluding the ‘I Ching’ as an object outside of the story is metaphorical; readily substituted by whatever token one feels comfortable with. Dick appears to rationalize the I Ching as an outlet for schizophrenic behaviour.
The concept of synchronicity is examined, wherein coincidence occurs via a shared meaning instead of cause.
‘If... they... ask for a cab so they can visit their good friend the pope, a garbage truck will run into the taxi, and if, after getting out of the hospital... another taxi is called and they try one more time, another garbage truck will appear and ram them again. They know this. They’ve had it happen. (Dick, 1995)
Synchronicity has been going on all the time; it’s only news to us that such coincidences can happen.’
Among the users listed are physicists, who ‘...use it to plot the behaviour of subatomic particles’ (Dick, 1995) suggesting, in theme with coincidence and possibility, a relation to quantum physics.
The benefits in using an ‘I Ching’ professed are reminiscent of Socratic dialogue; where questioning can help prompt critical thinking to help practitioners understand, cope, or find meaning in coincidences.
Dick invites readers to experiment with the I Ching; ‘If you’re totally schizophrenic now, by all means use the I Ching for everything ...If you’re partially schizophrenic... use it for some situations – but sparingly... If you’re not schizophrenic at all... kindly use the book a very, measured little ... Use the book as a sort of (ugh) fun thing.’ (Dick 1995) Dick suggests use of the I Ching can give focus to Schizophrenics whose thinking process is disrupted.
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