scholarly journals Robert Wise’s The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and Interplanetary Emissary Klaatu Are Not Anti-Atomic: A Reassessment of the Filmic Evidence

Humanities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Anton Karl Kozlovic
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Film Criticism ◽  
Jumping To Conclusions ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Selective Review ◽  
First Contact ◽  
Critical Literature

Inspired by a 1940s short story by Harry Bates, scripted by Edmund H. North, and directed by Robert Wise, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) is a science fiction cult classic. Of all its diverse interpretations, a commonly adopted reading influenced by the dawning of the Atomic Age parades it as an anti-nuclear exemplar starring alien emissary Klaatu visiting Earth with his robot companion Gort to (supposedly) suppress humanity’s atomic progress. However, upon a close forensic inspection of the film and commentator comments, this anti-atomic claim is resoundingly rejected. Utilizing humanist film criticism as the guiding analytical lens (i.e., looking inside not outside the frame), plus a selective review of the critical literature, it was demonstrated that: (a) there is a dearth of atomic iconography and dialogue, (b) there is no mention of banning atomic energy or weapons, (c) Earth’s atomics are nascent and not serious threats to the Federation, and (d) Klaatu is not anti-atomic but proudly pro-atomic. Overall, this SF film is strongly pro-nuclear in intention, word, and deed, which was frequently misinterpreted due to faulty film criticism, invented facts, and jumping to conclusions, and thus in need of academic correction. Further research into alien first-contact scenarios, robotic artificial intelligence, and the moral make-up of the SF universe is warranted and long overdue.

scholarly journals Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still (Part II)

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Karl Kozlovic
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Film Criticism ◽  
Audiovisual Media ◽  
Black And White ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Critical Literature

ROBERT WISE'S THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL PART II: KLAATU AS ALIEN MESSIAH AbstractIn Part I, the author had documented how the SF cult classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) was traditionally perceived as a UFO film with Artificial Intelligence (AI), political, police and philosophical dimensions, and arguing that it is best understood as a profoundly religious film. In Part II, the critical literature was revisited and textually-based, humanist film criticism was again utilized as the guiding analytical lens to explicate the subtextual construction of Klaatu as an alien Messiah within an SF Passion picture. It is argued that Klaatu is the Christ-figure of 1950s science fiction cinema. IntroductionIn the Fall 2013 issue of Kinema: A Journal for Film and Audiovisual Media, the author closely examined the classic black-and-white UFO film The Day the Earth Stood Still. He highlighted the film's anti-nuclear political theme, its...

scholarly journals “A Fourfold Vision: Nature Religion and the Wages of Scientism in Ursula K. Le Guin’s ‘Newton’s Sleep’”

Religions ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Catherine Newell
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Religious Intolerance ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Contemporary Science ◽  
Nature Religion ◽  
Near Future

Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1991 short story ‘Newton’s Sleep’ begins in a utopic society that escaped the environmental and social calamity of a near-future Earth and created an enlightened culture on a space station. The group, led by a scientific elite, pride themselves on eradicating the irrational prejudices and unempirical mentality that hamstringed Earth; but chaos blossoms as the society struggles with the reappearance of religious intolerance, and becomes confused by an outbreak of mass hallucinations of the Earth they left behind. This narrative trope of the necessity of nature for the survival of humanity—physically, mentally, and spiritually—represents a new and relatively common allegory in contemporary science fiction in an era distinguished by separation from the natural world.

AI and the Movies

2019 ◽  
pp. 63-96
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
The Moon ◽  
The Earth ◽  
History Of

The history of science fiction (SF) in the movies is reviewed in depth. At this point in the Big Moon Dig story series, an artificial intelligence (AI) is needed placed in the new settlement on the Moon. Designing electronics for operation in space is difficult and two major AIs on Earth support this design effort. The question of whether or not the Earth-bound AIs can be considered the parents of the space-based AI is a key point of discussion. The story in this chapter, “Caterpillars on the Moon,” features the landing of an inflatable habitat section on the Moon and its movement, caterpillar fashion, into position.

scholarly journals Scripture Filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Karl Kozlovic
Keyword(s):  
School Teacher ◽  
Sunday School ◽  
Film Criticism ◽  
Selective Review ◽  
Critical Literature

SCRIPTURE FILMMAKER CECIL B. DeMILLE: BIBLICAL, RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL? AbstractThe legendary producer-director Cecil B. DeMille was a master of the American biblical epic who shaped the public's perceptions of Judeo-Christianity in his role as Hollywood's Sunday school teacher. Despite his exceptional narrative talents as a sacred storyteller, critics praised or condemned his Bible films according to whether they deemed him a biblical, religious or spiritual filmmaker. But what sort of Scripture filmmaker was DeMille exactly, were the critics' condemnations fair and valid, and what of the DeMille style today? Utilizing humanist film criticism as the guiding analytical lens, a selective review of the critical literature and a reading of CB's biblical oeuvre were performed to address this issue of category confusion. It was concluded that DeMille was primarily a biblical filmmaker, not a religious or spiritual filmmaker, whose scriptural oeuvre was frequently mislabeled and unjustly assessed as a consequence....

scholarly journals Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still (Part III)

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Karl Kozlovic
Keyword(s):  
Film Criticism ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Critical Literature

ROBERT WISE'S THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL PART III: KLAATU'S HOLY ASSOCIATES AND RIVAL RELIGIOUS READINGS AbstractIn Part I, Anton Karl Kozlovic documented how the SF cult classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951, dir. Robert Wise), was traditionally perceived as a UFO film with political, A.I., police and philosophical dimensions, and then argued that it is best understood as a religious film. In Part II, Kozlovic explicated the complex subtextual construction of Klaatu as a Christ-figure in the alien Messiah mould. In this third and final instalment, the critical literature was again reviewed using textually-based, humanist film criticism as the analytical lens to explore how Klaatu's associates buttressed his christic construction and deepened its religious resonance. Rival religious readings of the film were also briefly canvassed. It was concluded that The Day the Earth Stood Still is even more profoundly religious than hitherto appreciated. Further...

scholarly journals Gdzie kończy się literatura? Głos Pana i  Golem XIV — Stanisława Lema „resztki po powieści”

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 39-50
Author(s):  
Dariusz Brzostek
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Creative Process ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Literary Works ◽  
Lacanian Theory ◽  
Stanislaw Lem ◽  
First Contact ◽  
Fiction Writer

Where the literature ends? His Master’s Voice and Golem XIV — Stanisław Lem’s “relics of a  novel”The paper discusses the literary works of Polish science fiction writer — Stanisław Lem, particulary two of his late novels: His Master’s Voice 1968 and Golem XIV 1981. The essay focuses on the relics of a novel in these non-narrative works, including the lectures of an artificial intelligence Golem XIV and scientific essays on the first contact between humans and alien life form His Master’s Voice. A  subject of the paper is the psychoanalysis of the creative process and the reading of the relics of a  novel such as a  description as a  pattern of development or a  found-manuscript device in terms of Lacanian theory of the symptom and the theory of jouissance of the speaking subject parlêtre.

“Our One and Only Home”: Humankind in the Solar System

2019 ◽  
pp. 135-169
Author(s):  
Robert Markley
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
System P ◽  
Cultural Ecological ◽  
Space Colonization ◽  
First Contact

In Robinson’s novels of space colonization, humankind’s diaspora across the solar system produces complex socioeconomic, cultural, ecological, and biophysical evolutions. Memory of Whiteness depicts life in a universe of abundance made possible by breakthroughs in physics, energy generation, and even music. This version of utopia, however, stands in contrast to the failed revolutions in Icehenge, symbolized by the mysterious, Stonehenge-like structure on the surface of Pluto. Galileo’s Dream weaves together different science-fiction genres--time travel, alternative history, and first contact with alien intelligences--to re-examine the origins and consequences of scientific inquiry. Confronting dogmatic forces in both the seventeenth century and the thirty-second, Galileo struggles against terrified defenders of traditional thought in Robinson’s portrait of the scientist as a hero within—and beyond—history. In 2312, the proliferation of micro-worlds in hollowed-out asteroids, multiple gender identities, and artificial intelligence define a future history that explores the possibilities of biophysical, ecological, and social diversity.

Science Fiction and Administrative Truths: The Short Story and Novella as Administrative Cases

Public Voices ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Nolan J. Argyle ◽  
Lee M. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Interesting Case ◽  
Organizational Complexity ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Hands On

Pre-service and in-service MPA students share a common desire for hands-on, real world instruction related to their professional career goals, leading to a pedagogic discounting of fiction as an appropriate tool for analyzing and "solving" problems. However, several factors weigh heavily in favor of using science fiction short stories and novellas in the MPA classroom setting. These include the need for interesting case scenarios exploring various administrative issues; leveling the playing field between the two types of students by de-emphasizing the use of "contemporary" cases; access to literature that explores the future shock of increasing organizational complexity; and the desirability of Rorschach type materials that facilitate discussion of. values and administrative truths. The discussion proceeds by tracing the development of the case study technique, its advantages and disadvantages in the classroom, addressing the utility of "fiction" as an educational resource, and showing how the science fiction literature has matured to the point where it can be applied in all of the major sub-fields of public administration. Several outstanding examples are detailed, and a thorough bibliography is provided.

Living machines in our cultural imagination

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Szollosy
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Cultural Imagination ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
The Future ◽  
Public Imagination ◽  
The Human Condition

Public perceptions of robots and artificial intelligence (AI)—both positive and negative—are hopelessly misinformed, based far too much on science fiction rather than science fact. However, these fictions can be instructive, and reveal to us important anxieties that exist in the public imagination, both towards robots and AI and about the human condition more generally. These anxieties are based on little-understood processes (such as anthropomorphization and projection), but cannot be dismissed merely as inaccuracies in need of correction. Our demonization of robots and AI illustrate two-hundred-year-old fears about the consequences of the Enlightenment and industrialization. Idealistic hopes projected onto robots and AI, in contrast, reveal other anxieties, about our mortality—and the transhumanist desire to transcend the limitations of our physical bodies—and about the future of our species. This chapter reviews these issues and considers some of their broader implications for our future lives with living machines.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document