The films Jurassic Park and The Matrix - Essay Example

?Film Analysis The films Jurassic Park (1993) and The Matrix (1999) by Steven Spielberg and Larry and Andy Wachowski (Wachowski brothers) represent the science fiction adventure/action genre in cinematography. One can easily identify that both these films are symbolic of the growth and development of cinematography. Within this context, there exist some similarities and dissimilarities between both these films and directors. To be specific, the most important similarity is that both the films represent the same theme, future of human race and development within science, computing and information technology. The basic difference is that both the directors superimpose the same theme in different contexts. Thesis statement: The compare/contrast study based upon the films Jurassic Park (1993) and The Matrix (1999) prove that both the directors made use of the same theme but differ in contexts, narrative techniques, visual/stylistic characteristics and treatment. Compare/contrast: Jurassic Park (1993) and The Matrix (1999) The industrial/ philosophical context One can easily identify that the film Jurassic Park is symbolic of the industrial scope of amusement parks. So, the Jurassic Park which consists of cloned dinosaurs represents the human effort to exploit the scope of amusement parks as an industrial venture. In the film, the spark of greed that can be viewed in the eyes of John Hammond (owner of the park) while inviting the experts to the park (opening scene) prove that industrial interest is the grass root level reason behind the construction of the park, not mere amusement. On the other side, the film The Matrix deals with the scope of philosophy that can be inculcated to the scenario of cinematography. To be specific, the portrayal of the protagonist (Neo) as a superhuman in a number of fight scenes is interconnected with the philosophical concept of super-humanism put forth by Nietzsche. So, the film Jurassic Park represents the influence of industrialization in the field of amusement and the film The Matrix represents the influence of philosophy in the cinematography. Influences From a different angle of view, the film Jurassic Park is deeply influenced by Spielberg’s interest in creating prehistoric creatures. At the same time, the director is aware of the misuse of science to satisfy personal interests. Besides, Spielberg’s earlier films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (released in 1982) proves that he is utmost interested in creating imaginative creatures and imaginary worlds. On the other side, the Wachowski brothers were deeply influenced by different fields of knowledge, art and entertainment. For instance, the philosophic content of the conversation between Neo and Morpheus proves that Wachowski brothers made use of philosophy in this film. Besides, the film’s theme is symbolic of the influence of literature and spirituality. Themes and narrative techniques The dominant theme in the film Jurassic Park is the danger of manipulating scientific experimentation for entertainment value and harmful effect of human interference into the rules of nature. On the other side, the film The Matrix deals with the same theme because the director provides ample importance to the drawbacks of the development of science and information technology, especially computing. One can easily identify that this film portrays the human dependence on machines and its consequences in future. On the other side, the narrative techniques made use by Spielberg and Wachowski brothers is different. For instance, Spielberg makes use of background sound to create terror in the minds of the viewers and to manage the story information. For example, the sounds of the dinosaurs (artificial) played in the opening scene and the close ups in scene 3 leads the viewers towards an imaginative world of dinosaurs. On the other side, the film The Matrix makes use of the theme music (say, not sound) and visual effects like ‘bullet time’ as an innovative narrative technique to mesmerize the viewers. Visuals/stylistic characteristics The most important visual/stylistic characteristics of the film Jurassic Park is the connection between the same and the theme. For instance, the third scene in the film consists of close up shots which reveal the relationship among fossilized (pre-historical) fly entrapped in amber, dinosaur bones and the main theme. To be specific, Spielberg makes use of long shots to have wider and clear view of dinosaurs and close up shots of fossils to combine believable special effects and historical evidence. On the other side, Wachowski brothers make use of virtual cinematography, special effects and computer generated environment as the source of innovative visuals/stylistic characteristics of the film. To be specific, the usage of still photography to create two dimensional images is predominant in this film. For instance, the fight scenes between the agents and Neo display the possibility of virtual cinematography and special effects. Landscape In the film Jurassic Park, the concept of landscape is judiciously utilized to recreate past, which is symbolic of the third world, away from the mainstream society. To be specific, the landscape of Hawaii and the American Mainland (California) suits the prehistoric landscape of the imaginative island in the film, namely Isla Nublar. Besides, the usage of apt landscape and the amalgamation of the same with a partially true theme are symbolic of past and one of the factors behind the success of the film. For instance, the opening scenes and climax scene creates fear in the mind of the spectators and landscape plays an important role in recreating prehistoric atmosphere. On the other side, the replication of landscape in the film The Matrix is symbolic of the division between the real world and a virtual world of fantasy. For instance, the scene in which Morpheus offers the pills to Neo is symbolic of the division between the virtual and real worlds. Frontier and utopia One can see Spielberg provides utmost importance to the concepts of frontier and utopia. To be specific, the isolated island is symbolic of the frontier/border of the prehistoric world, in which visitors are allowed with limited freedom. Besides, this frontier or alienation from the outer world creates an artificial world for the individual viewer. To be specific, the amalgamation of an island as the background helps the director to create and utopian world in which he can communicate with the viewer in a direct manner. For instance, the escape from the island in the climax scene is to be considered as the escape of the viewers from the utopian world created by the director. On the other side, the concept of frontier in the film The Matrix is utopian/virtual and out of reach. Besides, most of the characters in the film are not aware of the fact that they are entrapped in a dreamy world or matrix. From a different angle of view, the pills, the public telephone, and the Nebuchadnezzar (ship) are symbolic of human attempt to escape from a utopian world. Postmodern concept The film Jurassic Park can be evaluated as an innovative attempt to reproduce the prehistoric world. So, this can be considered as the human endeavor to have a temporary escapade from the mainstream society to the wilderness of nature. The inculcation of the postmodern concept of reality vs. reproduction/imitation of reality leads the viewers to be attentive and to experience the difference between the real world and its replica. On the other side, the film The Matrix never tries to reproduce reality. Instead, the director tries to lead the viewers to a virtual real world where the main characters try to escape from the same. To be specific, the director makes use of the postmodern concept of reality vs. reproduction of reality to communicate with the viewers. Hero Journey In the film Jurassic Park, hero journey is interconnected with the hero’s (say, Dr. Alan Grant) journey to the amusement park and his attempt to save the other visitors from dangerous dinosaurs. One can easily identify that Grant is not ready to accept the process of cloning dinosaurs because he is a palaeontologist. Later he tries his level best to restore the security of the park and saves the other visitors. This proves that Grant is symbolic of the hero cult that can be seen in most of the Hollywood films. On the other side, Neo in the film The Matrix represents the real superhuman hero. Irwin opined that “Neo is on a mission to save the human race from unwitting enslavement to artificial intelligence” (6). To be specific, his status as the chosen one who is destined to save the human beings from machines/computers is the most important factor of the film. Besides, his journey to the real world to the virtual real world or the matrix is with a noble aim to free human beings from ignorance or slavery. The genres Both the films represent the same genre (science fiction) but with slight difference. For instance, the film Jurassic Park represents the adventure film, which is a subgenre of science fiction. Lewitt stated that “In addition to being an enormously entertaining movie, Jurassic Park (1993) is a cautionary tale of technology gone wild” (163). One can see that the journey of the hero from the known world to the unknown in search of adventure is the core element of adventure films. Within this context, Jurassic Park is a science fiction which provides ample importance to the adventure of the hero. On the other side, The Matrix represents the same film genre, i.e. science fiction. But the director provides ample importance to action (say, the war between human beings and machines/computers). Besides, The Matrix represents the philosophical quest of human beings and unending search to attain reality or the eternal truth. Summing, both the directors (Spielberg and Wachowski brothers) provide utmost interest to inculcate innovative ideas/themes in their films. On the other side, both the films try to influence human perception by creating different worlds (say real and virtual real). The division between these two worlds is too narrow because the hero and some of the main characters in both the films are able to trespass this border. In addition, the contexts, narration, visuals, treatment etc in both the films is different to an extent. Still, both the directors make use of their heroes as their mouthpiece to convey their message to the spectators. Works Cited Irwin, William. The matrix and philosophy: welcome to the desert of the real. Illinois: Open Court Publishing, 2002. Print. Lewitt, Michael E. The Death of Capital: How Creative Policy Can Restore Stability. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, 2010. Print. Read More