Frankenstein and Blade Runner

The notion of humanity is a picture intricately painted using the ideals and morals that define us as human beings in contextual society. The audience is influenced by the morals and values present through techniques in texts to paint their own image of humanity. Our ideals and morals that differ in texts through context, scrupulously shape our image of humanity

Despite different contexts, both Shelley’s Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner enthrall the audience in a journey to explore the inner psyche through the various perspectives that are drawn.

BR depicts the hunger of mankind to break the barriers of humane principle and intrinsic concepts of nature. The extended irony in the film paradoxically gifts the artificial replicants with more emotions than humans, much like the monster in Frankenstein. Made in 1982 at a time of global de-stabilization, consumerism and a flux of migration, disaffection was a major concern in society, and Scott used this to predict a futuristic environment.

The scene portraying a bright advertisement in a gloomy backdrop epitomizes the scenery void of nature. It urges the audience to adopt Scott’s concept of “de-humanization through a consumer-driven outlook” of contextual society of 2019, provoking interpretations about the concept of humanity while reflecting on our own principles. The dark monolithic pyramid masking Tyrell’s well-lit room shadows the monstrosity in the principles of the Tyrell Corporation. Through “immortal themes of cheating death and controlling emotions”, the audience receives insight to the monstrosity being developed within humane society, much like F, where Victor banishes his own creation.

In the scene where Roy Batty finally confronts Dr.Tyrell in a quest f...

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.... However, unlike the humane approach portrayed by the monster, Batty kills his creator in an outburst of his “inner replicant self”. Despite contextual difference, the texts target the hunger of man trying to play God. It is the method of creating such experiments that is questioned through the use of language and film techniques. BR abides the concept of “post-modern Prometheus”, whereby technology has taken over humanity. F is a re-contextualization of the “modern Prometheus”, paralleling the Titans’ classical myth from the gospel.

The ideals and morals evident through techniques in both texts are consistent, despite their context. Thus through the texts, it is our ideals and morals that shape our image of humanity. Both texts highlight important facets of human nature in relation to context and its values, urging the audience to reflect on their own morals.