Week 2 Flashcards
What does Shell Beach represent in Dark City?
- represents an ideal that exists in mind, hope, memory, and dreams
- something that’s very real in its presence but always just out of reach.
Where was John Murdoch a boy, according to Dr. Schreber’s quote?
- John Murdoch was a boy in Shell Beach
- though “not in this place” - suggesting Shell Beach exists only in implanted memories
What is the paradox of imagination according to Paul Ricoeur in relation to Shell Beach?
imagination both enables escape from current socio-cultural reality AND simultaneously constitutes a new socio-cultural world
How does Shell Beach connect to the concept of memory and redemption?
demonstrates how memories enable the possibility of different futures, showing a reciprocal relationship between memory and potential futures
Who ultimately creates Shell Beach in Dark City?
John Murdoch (with possible help from Dr. Schreber)
- transforming it from an ideal/memory into reality
What makes Shell Beach different from the Strangers’ creations?
- Shell Beach is born from genuine memory and has a future potential
- the Strangers’ creations are just recombinations without allowing memories to form.
What is an ideal according to the definition shown?
- a standard of perfection, beauty, or excellence
- it can also be an ultimate object or goal of endeavor
Why can’t anyone give directions to Shell Beach in the film?
- Shell Beach exists only as an ideal
- it’s present in memory and dreams but not as a physical location in the Dark City world
What is the philosophical significance of Shell Beach being “always just out of reach”?
It represents how ideals function
- they are very real in our minds and shape our goals, but by definition remain something we strive toward rather than fully attain
What is the Dark City’s perspective on creation and change?
Creation isn’t just a one-time event but requires ongoing development, renewal, and stewardship
How does Dark City portray the relationship between thoughts and reality?
in the new world Murdoch creates, thoughts are not just mental but become physically present and real
How do the Strangers represent the paradox of imagination mentioned in Ricoeur’s quote?
The Strangers attempt to flee their socio-cultural reality (their dying civilization) while simultaneously trying to constitute a new socio-cultural world through their experiments with human memories and identities.
How does Dr. Schreber embody the paradoxical structure of imagination?
Dr. Schreber both assists in fleeing the existing reality (by helping the Strangers manipulate memories) while also helping to constitute new realities (through his role in implanting memories and eventually helping Murdoch).
What does the spiral symbolize in terms of memory and identity in Dark City?
represents the cyclical nature of memory and identity, showing how the Strangers continuously erase and reimplant memories in a never-ending cycle of experimentation.
How does the spiral imagery relate to the concept of creation in the film?
suggests both destruction and creation - as it spins inward (destruction of old memories) and outward (creation of new identities), reflecting the film’s themes of genesis and renewal.
How does John Murdoch’s journey relate to the spiral motif?
Murdoch’s journey moves from the center of the spiral (confusion and lost identity) outward (gaining understanding and power), ultimately breaking free from the cyclic pattern imposed by the Strangers.
How does the Strangers’ experiment relate to Delacroix’s quote about originality and future?
Quote: “…One has not
originated anything if
one’s original output
does not have a future.”
The Strangers’ experiments fail to create true originality because their spiral of memory manipulation has no real future - it’s just an endless cycle of erasure and replacement without growth or development.
Why does Shell Beach represent true originality according to Delacroix’s definition?
Quote: “…One has not
originated anything if
one’s original output
does not have a future.”
Unlike the Strangers’ spiral of repetition, Shell Beach has a future because Murdoch creates it as a genuine new beginning with potential for growth and change, breaking free from the spiral pattern.
How does the spiral imagery reinforce Delacroix’s point about originality requiring a future?
The spiral shows how being trapped in a cycle without progression (like the city’s eternal midnight) isn’t true creation - real originality must break free from the spiral and move toward a future, as Murdoch eventually does.
How does memory relate to the possibility of a different future?
Memory and future possibilities have a bidirectional relationship - memory can make the possibility of a redemptive future feel “real,” while the possibility of a different future can give meaning to memories.
Why is the Strangers’ “reset” considered to be without redemption?
The Strangers’ reset lacks redemption because they don’t allow memories to form - they replace memories each time and impose dreamless sleep, preventing any possibility of growth or change through memory.
What is meant by “pure genesis” in the context of creation?
creation that occurs without any pre-existing material or precedent
- creation from nothing, where there was nothing to create with beforehand.
According to Paul Ricoeur, what are the two key aspects of human imagination?
Human imagination is characterized by both productive (creating something new) and reproductive/mimetic (imitating or reproducing existing things) aspects
What is the significance of asking about “pure genesis” in relation to creation theory?
This question challenges us to think about whether true creation from nothing is possible, or if all creation builds upon something that existed before.
What are the two requirements for Genesis/Creation?
Negative Space and A Future
How does Murdoch’s creation of Shell Beach work in Dark City?
He creates it in an instant, but caring for his creation becomes an ongoing task
How does the film Dark City represent the concept of Genesis?
Through Murdoch’s creation of Shell Beach, showing both immediate creation and continuous stewardship
What is the significance of negative space in creation?
It represents the empty space or void that allows for creation to occur; it’s a space that invites and enables comprehension
Why is “a future” considered essential for creation?
Without a future, creation has no potential for development or growth; it needs somewhere to go and develop
How do invention and genesis differ in the context of creation?
Invention typically involves working with existing materials, while genesis implies creation from nothing (ex nihilo)
How does Eden relate to the concept of creation in Genesis 3?
Eden represents the first created space, a perfect creation that later introduces doubt and choice through Genesis 3
What is the significance of Genesis 3 in understanding creation?
It introduces the concept of doubt and free will into creation, showing that creation isn’t just about making something but also about allowing for change and choice
What is the key principle of phenomenological film experience according to RLG232?
We experience film with our own senses and bodies as subjectively situated beings, where our sensory experiences cohere into a single unified world.
How does Merleau-Ponty describe the unique role of the body in perception?
The body is not just an object among objects, but a sensitive instrument that reverberates to all sensory inputs and gives words their primordial meaning through reception.
What does it mean that our senses are “transposable”?
Our senses, while discretely structured, are always interactive and can translate experiences across different sensory domains within certain limits.
What are the four main characteristics of Film Noir worlds?
1) Cynical worlds beyond saving
2) Fear of changing times
3) Moral ambiguity
4) Tainted protagonists
How does Film Noir reflect societal anxieties?
Through themes of fear of changing times, too much modernity, and worlds that are beyond saving
