Week 5 Flashcards
What are the main forms of redemption discussed in the lecture?
Rescue:
- Revelation of a saving nature
- Restoration or restitution of something taken away or lost
How does the kaleidoscope serve as a metaphor for interpretation in film analysis?
Like a kaleidoscope that combines different pieces and light to create new patterns
- interpretation involves bringing together different elements to reveal new insights that wouldn’t be visible otherwise.
What are the two key questions in “The Interpretive Task”?
- What do we put together?
- What do we leave apart?
How is the concept of “sacred” twisted in the context of the films discussed?
While “sacred” traditionally means something special, unique, and irreplaceable
- in these films, it’s twisted to justify the exploitation and dehumanization of those who are “set apart.”
What are the two key questions about being “set apart”?
- Who is set apart?
- Who decides who is set apart?
How does Holy Angels (2024) relate to the concept of the sacred?
it explores how the designation of “sacred” or “set apart” can be used as a tool of oppression rather than elevation, particularly in the context of institutional power structures.
What are the main components of oppression shown in Holy Angels (2024)?
Othering:
- Coerced Assimilation
- Making certain bodies illegal
How does Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” relate to the concept of redemption?
The story explores whether a society built on the suffering of others can be redeemed, and suggests that some choose to walk away rather than participate in such a system.
What is the relationship between “othering” and being “beyond redemption”?
When groups are “othered,” they are often placed outside the possibility of redemption, suggesting that the act of othering itself creates conditions that make redemption seem impossible.
How does the concept of “making certain bodies illegal” connect to both Holy Angels and Blade Runner?
Both films explore how power structures can declare certain groups of people (Indigenous peoples in Holy Angels, replicants in Blade Runner) as illegal, justifying their oppression and dehumanization.
What philosophical question does “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” pose about societal happiness?
It asks whether the happiness of the majority can be morally justified if it depends on the suffering of a marginalized few.
How does Film Noir relate to the concept of “Worlds Beyond Redemption”?
Film Noir portrays cynical worlds beyond saving, characterized by fear of changing times and excessive modernity, where moral ambiguity prevails and traditional redemption seems impossible.
What are the three key characteristics of Film Noir as shown in Metropolis (1927)?
1) Cynical worlds beyond saving
2) Fear of changing times
3) Too much modernity/technological anxiety
How does Utilitarianism connect to the themes in both “Omelas” and Blade Runner?
Both works explore the ethical implications of sacrificing the few for the benefit of many
- Omelas: through the suffering child,
- Blade Runner: through the exploitation of replicants.
What is the fundamental difference between Film Noir and traditional “good vs. bad” narratives?
Film Noir presents a world where it’s “not a case of good guys and bad guys,” but rather “a case of something being wrong about the world” that prevents or delays redemption indefinitely.
What are the key characteristics of Film Noir worlds?
- Resignation and resilience are expected
- Something is being endured
- The hopeful try to break through but usually fail
- The cynical say “I told you so”
- If someone breaks through, it’s extraordinary
What philosophical question does Blade Runner raise about Replicants?
- Are Replicants “More Human than Human”?
- Are Replicants Persons?
How does moral ambiguity manifest in Film Noir characters?
Characters are neither purely good nor evil, but complex figures operating in a morally grey world where traditional notions of right and wrong become blurred.
How does Blade Runner (1982) represent “sacred space”?
Through the Tyrell Corporation’s ziggurat-like building, representing a temple or sacred place where replicants were “born”
What is the significance of the replicants’ return to Earth?
It can be interpreted as a pilgrimage - a dangerous journey to their place of origin seeking meaning and “more life
How does Emmanuel Lévinas define “The Other”?
According to his quote, “If one could possess, grasp, and know The Other, it would not be other” - suggesting that true otherness exists only when it cannot be fully understood or possessed
What is Lévinas’s view on the relationship between “The Other” and “the future”?
The very relationship with The Other is the relationship with the future” - suggesting that encountering otherness is like encountering the unknown future
How does the concept of “NOW” relate to Rachel’s character development in Blade Runner?
The “NOW” represents a moment of transformation where Rachel moves from certainty about her identity to uncertainty, showing how the present moment contains both continuation of the past and possibility for complete change.
What makes the replicants’ journey a “Spiritual Quest”?
The replicants’ search for more life and meaning, despite the dangers of returning to Earth, represents a spiritual journey for knowledge, transformation, and transcendence of their situation.
What is the definition of pilgrimage ?
A journey undertaken for a religious motive, where pilgrims seek a specific place that has been sanctified by association with a divinity or other holy personage.
What are the key examples of sacred spaces discussed in relation to different religions?
- Kaaba in Mecca (Islam)
- the Western Wall (Judaism)
- the Ganges River (Hinduism)
- the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (Catholicism).
How can the Replicants’ return to Earth be interpreted from a religious perspective?
As a pilgrimage - a sacred journey to their place of origin seeking knowledge, transformation, and transcendence
What is the dual nature of being “set apart” or “sacred” in Blade Runner?
While being “set apart” traditionally indicates something special/divine, for Replicants it means being “othered” and dehumanized
How does Roy’s confrontation with Tyrell parallel religious themes?
It represents a creation confronting its creator/god, questioning the justice of its predetermined lifespan and seeking redemption
What is the significance of Roy’s question “Can the maker repair what he makes?”
It parallels religious questions about creator responsibility and highlights the complex relationship between creator and creation
How does the quote about creation stories being “centers”relate to Blade Runner? - becoming kin
It suggests that creation stories help us understand our relationship with the world and our origins, just as the Replicants seek understanding of their own existence
How do the Genesis passages (Gen. 1:26-27) parallel themes in Blade Runner?
Both deal with beings created in their maker’s image, raising questions about the nature of humanity and the relationship between creator and created
What is the significance of “Four Years” in relation to Sacred Time?
Four Years represents Roy’s predetermined lifespan, which he discovers is his very short life expectancy, making every moment more precious and “sacred”
How does the film explore the concept of Redemption through Roy Batty?
Through two key actions: his murder of Tyrell (payback) and sparing Deckard (gift/grace), showing both vengeance and mercy
How does the film explore the concept “More Human than Human”?
Through genetic engineering and the creation of replicants who sometimes display more humanity than humans themselves
