Ancienit Worlds of Tomorrow: Science Fiction and Cinema

Tutor:

Michal BREGANT

Synopsis:

311MSFC

Ancient Worlds of Tomorrow: Science Fiction and Cinema

Instructor: Dr. Etienne François Augé, coordinated by Michal Bregant zá/4 credits

Date and Time: November 13 (Thursday) 7pm-10pm

November 14 (Friday) 10am-2pm

November 21 (Friday) 10am-2pm

November 28 (Friday) 10am-2pm

Place: Room no. 1

Prerequisites:

Study Objectives:

Outline and Syllabus:

Syllabus:

Science fiction cinema never quite received the appraisal it should. Considered a minor genre by mainstream audiences, science fiction cinema supposedly involves a bad script with robots and light sabers, performed by second-class thespians for teenagers and geeks. The reality of science fiction cinema could not be more different. Science fiction has attracted some of the top creators in cinema, such as Stanley Kubrick, Fritz Lang, David Lynch or François Truffaut. Science fiction can rely on some of the most visionary scripts based on the works of major writers such as Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick or Frank Herbert. Finally, regarding financial returns, out of the top 20 top-grossing movies of all time, 8 films belong to science fiction (and 11 to fantasy). Not limited like westerns or musicals, science fiction movies can deal with infinity of subjects, from the most trivial to the most intriguing. This module intends to present science fiction as a major genre, using philosophy, politics and history. The goal is to try and eradicate prejudice against a genre of cinema that is too often discarded from film schools? programs. Also, a reflection will be conducted to understand why most movies shown in class are produced in the United States, whereas the colossal nazi film production never included science fiction. Ideally, students will learn to appreciate their own kind of science fiction, and understand that, rather than predicting the future, the role of science fiction is to prevent potential catastrophes for the human race.

Themes developed:

1. Birth of cinema, birth of science fiction, birth of science fiction cinema: why France showed the way of the future and why it lost it.

1.1. Genesis: Invention of the future

1.2. A brief history of science fiction: fear and hope

1.3. Why SF sells? and how it doesn?t (Demographics, product placement and the Story of the Right film at the Wrong time):

2. The Others: redefining humans

2.1. Continuing Mythology: from Golem to Super-heroes (and Super villains)

2.2. Aliens: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2.3. Robots: from Docile Servants to The New Humanity

3. Politics and cinema: utopias and dystopias

3.1. A not so far future: science fiction as metaphor

3.2. What could go wrong? Social engineering

3.3. Virtual realities

4. Catastrophic futures

4.1. Man-made disasters

4.2. From God to Godzilla: Mad scientists and their mutants

4.3. Nature strikes back

5. Chosen Ones: conquest of the universe

5.1. Time

5.2. Space

6. World Box office: why the U.S. show the way to the stars

Films presented:

? 1984 (1984)

? 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

? A Clockwork Orange (1971)

? A.I. (2001)

? Aelita (1924)

? Appleseed (1988, 2004, 2007)

? Batman (1989)

? Blade Runner (1982)

? Close Encounter of the Third Kind, A

(1977)

? Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951)

? Dune (1984)

? E.T. (1982)

? Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

? Gattaca (1997)

? Independence Day (1996)

? Matrix (1999, 2003)

? Metropolis (1927, 2001)

? Serenity (2005)

? Solaris (1972, 2002)

? Soylent Green (1973)

? Spiderman (2002, 2004, 2007)

? Starship Troopers (1997)

? THX 1138 (1971)

? Tron (1982)

? Truman Show, The (1998)

? Twelve Monkeys (1997)

? X-Men (2000, 2003, 2006)

? Zardoz (1974)

Students assignments:

A short essay will determine 70% of the grade. Participation will account for 30% of the final grade.

Etienne Augé CV:

Doctor of Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Etienne Augé has worked in the field of Public diplomacy notably at the French Embassy in Beirut and in film production. He has taught at several film schools and universities, and was appointed Chairperson of the Departement of Mass Communication of University of Balamand in Lebanon. He is now Visiting Professor at Université Saint Joseph (Lebanon), Film and TV School of The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and Anglo-American University (Czech Republic). Specialized in the Hollywood film industry, his publications include ?Petit traité de propagande ? l?usage de ceux qui la subissent?, a book on propaganda very close to science fiction.

Study materials:

Note:

Further information:

Course may be repeated

Schedule for winter semester 2008/2009:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue
Fri
Thu
Fri

Schedule for summer semester 2008/2009:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Animovaná tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Dokumentární tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Dokumentární tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Animovaná tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Scenáristika a dramaturgie - bakalář (optional subject)
• Scenáristika a dramaturgie - magistr (optional subject)
• Režie - bakalář (optional subject)
• Režie - magistr (optional subject)
• Kamera - bakalář (optional subject)
• Kamera - magistr (optional subject)
• Produkce - bakalář (optional subject)
• Produkce - magistr (optional subject)
• Audiovizuální studia - bakalář (optional subject)
• Střihová skladba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Střihová skladba - magistr (optional subject)
• Zvuková tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
• Zvuková tvorba - magistr (optional subject)
• Fotografie CZ - bakalář (optional subject)
• Fotografie CZ - magistr (optional subject)
• Fotografie EN - bakalář (optional subject)
• Fotografie EN - magistr (optional subject)
• Audiovizuální studia - magistr (optional subject)
• Cinema and Digital Media - Cinematography (qualification subject, optional subject)
• Cinema and Digital Media - Screenwriting (qualification subject, optional subject)
• Cinema and Digital Media - Directing (qualification subject, optional subject)