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Blade Runner Genre

Blade Runner Genre. Blade Runner - Genre. Blade Runner is a genre hybrid – it contains elements of several different genres: Science Fiction Film Noir Cyber punk German Expressionism. Blade Runner - Genre. Science Fiction Iconography: Task

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Blade Runner Genre

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  1. Blade RunnerGenre

  2. Blade Runner - Genre Blade Runner is a genre hybrid – it contains elements of several different genres: • Science Fiction • Film Noir • Cyber punk • German Expressionism

  3. Blade Runner - Genre Science Fiction Iconography: Task What elements of Science Fiction iconography can you find in the opening sequence of Blade Runner? Make a list in your jotters as you watch it again, looking out for mise-en-scene, props, costumes, locations etc.

  4. Blade Runner - Genre Science Fiction usually situates its audience through imagining possible futures that have gone incredibly well (utopia) or incredibly badly (dystopia). Blade Runner’s view of the future is thoroughly Dystopian Task: • List all the things that have gone wrong in the BR world • How many of these problems exist in today’s world?

  5. Blade Runner - Genre • Film Noir • German Expressionism • Cyberpunk Task: • Read the notes on these genres and for each one, make a list of plot features, character types and genre iconography you can identify in BR

  6. GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

  7. History German Expressionism spanned from 1909 to 1924. Taking place during and the aftermath of WWI and the rise of socialism/facism in Germany. It is part of the larger expressionist movement that was occurring in Europe. The movement is defined by distorting reality to create an emotional effect.

  8. Distinct Characteristics Bold Shadows The use of black Madness and insanity Non-realistic and/or weird shaped sets The distortion of reality

  9. Bold Shadows Fritz Lang's "M" Nosferatu

  10. Insanity

  11. Use of Black Blood of a Poet The Golem

  12. Weird Sets

  13. Influence on Film German Expressionism had a major influence on current film This was the original horror genre All horror has drawn its dark roots from German Expressionism Also other directors have used the codes and conventions of the genre, ie. Tim Burton

  14. Tim Burton

  15. Film Noir “Black Film” Or “Dark Film”

  16. The film noir genre was born from crime films: audiences grew bored with the criminal protagonist. wanted more of a hero during war times more intelligent: German Expressionists heavily influenced with mise-en-scene. Lasted from 1945-ish to 1950-ish. They became simplified and too common. Did leave a lasting impression Some film noir films have criminals and private eyes, but not all private eye or crime films are film noir.

  17. There is no true definition of a film noir, yet many contain similar characteristics. Darkness represents two ideas: Darkness of setting Darkness of humanity Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon (1941)

  18. Darkness of the Setting Cities: • Mean, nasty places where anything can happen at any moment • Violence and crime occur often, usually randomly • Sex: strip clubs, bars, sultry women abound • Cities are grimy, dirty places with lots of shadows.

  19. Fog: • Fog obscures, makes unclear and unknown. • Fate, mystery, future . Water: • What lies under the water? • Rarely can the audience see below the surface of water. • Sometimes choppy and tumultuous Casablanca (1942) What Lies Beneath (2000)

  20. Lighting: • Film noir uses high contrast lighting with lots of shadows. • Sometimes props are the only source of light • This is called low key lighting. • Little key lighting (principle source of light) • Mostly fill light (lights from side or back) • Comedies, musicals use high key lighting to create uniform light with little contrast

  21. What do you see for lighting in this image of Bogart from Casablanca (1942)? Notice the Brox Sisters in 1929’s Singing in the Rain. What do you notice about the lighting?

  22. Darkness of Humanity: It’s a world of paranoia and entrapment • Male protagonist feels trapped and overwhelmed by a situation • Chance plays a larger role than fate • Heavy use of mise-en-scene to show craziness and entrapment: • Bars or lines in front or behind character • Tight framing • Canted shots • Odd angles • Slow tracking shots • Backward tracking shots

  23. Femme Fatale • A “dangerous woman” who traps or pulls the male protagonist (usually a common, everyday Joe) into a world of crime and danger. • She is sexy, dangerous, often filled with “mad love,” greed, or jealousy. • Often, one or the other, maybe both, will die. • The Spider Woman. Why would the femme fatale be called this as well? • Ensnares the hero in a web of danger, lies and death

  24. Other Symbols: • Fog, water, cities, shadows • All show obscurity or the unknown mystery • Transportation: • Used as a weapon or a place of isolation and escape • Cars, trains, planes, boats Double Indemnity (1944)

  25. Remember Marion’s clothing in Psycho (1960)? • Clothing: • Symbol of status, power, innocence or guilt • Mirrors and glass: • Sharp and dangerous yet fragile, like life • Shows all people are the same • Something might be hidden behind a mirror The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

  26. Postmodern Film Noir Even though film noir died out, it still exists: • Small details have been taken from the classics (symbols, lighting, characters) • Some feel film noir must be black and white, others feel that high contrast can be achieved through vivid colors Examples:Blade Runner (1982), The Usual Suspects (1995), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

  27. Two stills from The Usual Suspects (1995) The hero and the femme fatale from Blade Runner (1982)

  28. Casablanca(1942) Directed by Michael Curtiz • with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman Watch for: -Film noir character relationships -Sense of chance vs. fate -Hero not wanting to be a hero

  29. Double Indemnity trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3wjJcuGsVE LA Confidential trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sOXrY5yV4g Blade Runner as a Film Noir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tbvMzqk3F4

  30. Blade Runner –The Effects of Hybridity • The generic hybridity of B R is appropriate because: • It reflects the confusion and schizophrenia at the heart of the film – Deckard is part cop, replicant, human, lover, rapist, hero, anti-hero etc. The mixture of genres reflects the audience’s uncertainty about Deckard, and helps to keep us uncertain about the replicants’ status – are we on their side? Are they more “human” than the human characters in the movie?

  31. Blade Runner –The Effects of Hybridity • This ambiguity is reflected not just in the characters but also in the design of the movie: by mixing visual and narrative conventions from different genres (flying cars, ancient Egyptian and Mayan pyramids, 1940s apartment buildings etc.) the future is made to appear regressive – advanced technology has actually taken human beings backwards in their history, not forwards.

  32. German Expressionism https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FUY1t1BH72jus2dcRKkf3vyJdtcB70VF3BuurUPlbYU/edit#slide=id.i0

  33. Blade Runner - Tone • Blade Runner’s tone is serious, dark, melancholy and emotionally intense • Task: Make a list of 3 examples from the film you could use as evidence for this statement (you could think about mise-en-scene, use of sound, lighting, plot/narrative, character, use of camera etc.)

  34. Blade Runner - Purpose • Profit – • released in cinemas, VHS, DVD • Changes made to original workprint after poor test screenings • Director’s Cut released commercially in 1992 • Anniversary box set reissue due in December

  35. Blade Runner – Purpose • Entertainment / storytelling • Demonstrate craft of filmmaking • Scott’s third feature film, aiming to establish reputation for visual flair and originality • Enhance reputations of whole production team • Build on success of Star Wars (Harrison Ford)

  36. Blade Runner - Purpose 4. Social critique: • Question current trends i.e. pollution, genetics • Raise question over what it means to be human • Reflect on issues of racism / slavery.

  37. Blade Runner – Other Categories • Director – Ridley Scott. Young, only his third feature film, following the critical success of Alien. • Star – Harrison Ford. Career recently taken off with Star Wars. Just finished filming 1stIndiana Jones movie. Would attract Star Wars audience to see movie.

  38. Blade Runner – Style Mainstream Hollywood: • Uses classical continuity editing • Chronological story Artistic ambitions: • Expressionist techniques used to enhance emotion • Carefully designed and lit to create atmosphere • Enigmatic – emphasis more on mood and emotion than on story – aims to make audience think for themselves

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