Introduction

                                 Welcome to Stuart Fernie’s Blog

Please scroll down or find on the right links to articles, pages of reflections on films and books, and occasional pieces of short fiction.

Articles include discussion of "Sicario" (2015), Steve McQueen, "Dracula entre l'amour et la mort" (the French-Canadian musical), science-fiction films, films about teaching, "A Tale of Two Cities" (1958), "The Invention of Lying", the Arts, the James Bond films, "Sweet Smell of Success", "Rollerball" (1975 and 2002), "The Professionals" (1966), "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "The Name of the Rose", "The Man who would be King", "Mr. Holmes" (2015), "The Last Samurai", "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961), "The Sand Pebbles", "Forrest Gump", "Gran Torino", "Gangs of New York", "Emperor of the North", "Five Easy Pieces", "Chinatown", "Casablanca", Blade Runner", "The Big Red One", early Luc Besson films, "Being There", "An Inspector Calls", "La Belle et la Bête", "The Searchers", "The Mission", "High Plains Drifter", "Nuremberg" (2025), "Prime Cut", the influence of existentialism in society today, anxiety, professional criteria and essential attributes in teaching, professionalism versus careerism, thoughts on the meaning of "success" and "worth", "Hobson's Choice", "Quai des Orfèvres", "Le Corbeau", "The Wages of Fear", advice and questions to assist in the writing of essays about films, thoughts on Proportion and Self-respect, "The Offence", "Trainspotting", "Three Days of the Condor", "Spotlight", "Good Night and Good Luck", "The Count of Monte Cristo" (French version, 2024), "Midnight Express", Jason Bourne, Advocating Arts and Humanities, "Heaven's Gate", "Civil War", "The Ghost and Mrs Muir", "Ad Astra", Duality in 19th century literature, "Living", "Hell in the Pacific", "Point Blank", "Vera Cruz", "Dr Strange in the Multiverse", my interpretation of "Il faut cultiver notre jardin", "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des Sources", "Drive my car", "The Batman", the place of acting in society, thoughts about religion and fate, "The Banshees of Inisherin", "Full Metal Jacket", "The Bishop's Wife", "Moliere", "Les Fleurs du Mal", "Soylent Green", "Bad Day at Black Rock", "The First Great Train Robbery", The Dreyfus Affair, "Persona", "The Seventh Seal", "A Clockwork Orange", "Night Moves", "Lonely are the Brave", "In the heat of the night", "The League of Gentlemen" (1960), thoughts on the nature of film noir, "Star Trek", "Seven Days in May", "Dead Poets Society", "Good Will Hunting", "Callan", "The Hill", "Cool Hand Luke", "The Hustler", "Road to Perdition", "The Verdict", "Three Colour Trilogy", "Jojo Rabbit", "Jeremiah Johnson", "Collateral", "Joker", "Barry Lyndon", "The Bridge at Remagen", "Le Mans '66 (Ford v Ferrari)", Charles Foster Kane ("Citizen Kane"), "The Deer Hunter", "Highlander", "No Country for Old Men", "Gattaca", "The Adventures of Robin Hood"(1938), "Apocalypse Now", "Spartacus", "The Bridge on the River Kwai", "The Long Good Friday", "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", "The Third Man", "Finding Forrester", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "Untouchable" (2011),"Unforgiven", "The Manchurian Candidate", "The Wild Bunch", "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "Papillon" (1973), "Public Eye", "Existentialism in society today", "Seven Samurai", "It's a Wonderful Life", "Don Quixote", "We're No Angels", "The African Queen", "Babette's Feast", "War for the Planet of the Apes", "Dunkirk", “Dances With Wolves”, “Inherit The Wind” and “The Prisoner”. 

A link to my YouTube channel with video presentations of a number of my pages.

After I retired from teaching, I thought I’d write my memoirs, “What have I done?”, and present them online. Please find links to these memoirs, some French support pages and reflections on "Les Misérables" below.

I can be contacted through the comments sections or at stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk

Other blogs available:

French Support Pages

Discussion of “Les Misérables”

Tales of teaching – memoirs of a former French teacher

Versions françaises d’articles initialement publiés en anglais sur mon blog

All intellectual property rights reserved

Reflections on characters and themes in “Sicario” (2015)

 

Reflections on characters and themes in “Sicario”

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro

FBI agent Kate Macer, an expert in kidnapping cases, is invited to join a mysterious task force whose objective is to trace leaders of drug cartels in Mexico and to cause maximum disruption to their operations. However, all is not as straightforward as Kate hoped and this leads to a journey of moral exploration and discovery, and conflict with her newfound colleagues.

Fundamentally, “Sicario” presents us with a juxtaposition of law-abiding principle and idealism, disillusioned and determined realism, and ruthless or amoral acts of retribution, showing how one can descend from one to another.  

Kate does everything by the book and is proud of her honesty and dedication to duty. That said, she is willing to accept that her efforts have made barely a dent in the nefarious activities of the Mexican cartels and other drug gangs. Matt Graver, a CIA officer specialising in covert activities, recognises all too well the legal limits, restrictions and confines of confronting these highly organised and ruthless drug gangs and he is willing to push legal boundaries to their limits and beyond in his determination to halt or at least curtail their activities. That said, there are limits that he, as a representative of his government, cannot go beyond and that is where Alejandro Gillick comes in. Alejandro has suffered great personal loss and pain and is more than willing to apply the gangs’ own rules of engagement and standards to them. He takes brutal and merciless action as a private citizen, though with the willing, if necessarily limited, co-operation of Matt and his forces.

Kate is impressed by Matt’s knowledge, determination and purpose, and is persuaded to join him in a venture that is laden with murky secrecy but which promises to be more effective in a few hours than all her efforts to obstruct the flow of drugs into her country over several years. She is thus drawn into a dark and amoral world in which it seems the end justifies the means.

Vaguely reminiscent of the principle behind “The Dirty Dozen”, our film charts the decline of idealistic and principled law enforcers in favour of devoted and perhaps desperate professionals willing to do whatever it takes to damage the cartels’ operations.

We are shown evidence of the cartels’ brutal and ruthless methods used to establish and maintain their position of criminal dominance and Kate, representing the relatively innocent and morally upright audience, is rightfully horrified and disturbed. She may be morally outraged by the actions of her new colleagues but she sees the magnitude and moral dilemma of the problem, and is willing to recognise the progress Matt and his colleagues have made and the effectiveness of their admittedly dubious methods.

Kate is left in no doubt as to the vicious and pitiless methods the gangs will employ to gain the advantage when her trust is shattered by a treacherous would-be lover and when she discovers the reasons for Alejandro’s contempt for and utterly merciless attitude toward his enemy. His wife and daughter were brutally slain as a result of his efforts to legally prosecute the gangs. So, Alejandro was undoubtedly once as idealistic as Kate but his tragic experience in losing his family taught him that principle has little or no value when dealing with people who do not share your values, and who are willing to show no mercy in seeking to assert their will.

As the film progresses, Alejandro becomes the central figure and his actions provide a demonstration of the level of ethically dubious determination and even inhumanity which may be necessary to dent the drug gangs’ activities. It is, quite simply, a matter of tit for tat. Alejandro is willing and able to stoop to their depths to stop them because he has lost everything, including his compassion and moral inhibitions, due to their actions and methods.

Ironically, the gangs’ success is dependent on the humanity of their victims as they react with horror and fear to the gangs’ intimidation and savage actions. In order to combat the gangs’ progress, Alejandro has committed to allaying any vestiges of humanity. The gangs and any willing to support them must be treated in the same way the gangs are willing to treat others and, as Kate discovers, Alejandro is willing to apply his brutal determination and disregard for humanity and compassion to anyone who may hinder his plans for the gangs’ elimination. For him, there is no room for legal or moral squeamishness and, though he is driven by a desire to do “good” and eliminate what he sees as a force of evil, his conduct raises questions about his own soul…

This neo-noir par excellence seems to suggest that man-made rules are great so long as everyone agrees to abide by them but extreme contempt for society’s rules may require extreme solutions – amorality may be called upon to defeat amorality, though a façade of legality and respectability is required to avert general anarchy.

Toward the end of the film, Kate has an opportunity to stop Alejandro but she cannot bring herself to do so. Whether this is due to the strength of her principles or a realisation that her principles serve little purpose in the face of abject amorality is not clear, but she is left to reflect on her outlook on life…

The film ends with a haunting image of a mother watching her son play football with the sound of gunfire in the background – the veneer of social “normality” and fun with the distant reality of the ever-present threat of amoral violence.

This film works because by and large we in the audience will have retained our idealism and as such we are shocked by events and perspectives in the film. We may be represented by Kate and we, as well as Kate, have our eyes opened to relentlessly escalating and violent issues, and their potential solutions that are equally unremitting and ferocious. This erosion or undermining of the veneer of respectability and propriety in society is explored in different ways in two of Taylor Sheridan’s other works, “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River”.

I have to say I was somewhat disappointed by the sequel, perhaps because the brutality was not offset or balanced by the idealistic approach we had in Kate. It became a matter of just how brutal things can become and there was little or no shock value or conflict as principle and idealism have been eradicated and replaced by similar but opposing factions of violence and amorality.

My thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.

Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)

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An appreciation of Steve McQueen and a selection of his films

 

An appreciation of Steve McQueen and a selection of his films

Why do I like Steve McQueen and his films?

Maybe the answer lies in the type of character he tended to play.

He was inclined to play an individual in conflict with society or perhaps even himself – a “small” guy who was imperfect but tried his best, and who showed determination and intelligence, qualities accessible to us all. His characters show integrity, are down to earth and are unimpressed by position or wealth. Often regarded as something of a loner, his characters are sociable without being needy, and remain quite independent. In short, he mostly played very human characters who may be flawed but did their best while remaining true to themselves, and thus appealed to the best in all of us.

Is it simply McQueen’s acting?

Although he played a considerable range of roles and they all had various qualities in common (see above), they all benefitted from McQueen’s acting style. Very natural and “spare” (I believe he was actually criticised for how naturally he performed), McQueen had a tremendously expressive face and managed to convey meaning and reveal feelings with a slight facial movement rather than repeat several lines of dialogue to produce the same effect (or less). He also managed to imbue each performance with complexity, sympathy, understanding and humanity. This, combined with an underlying humour, created empathy and warmth among the audience who were drawn to him because they could recognise reactions and, more importantly, they liked him because of his character’s authenticity, sincerity and vulnerability.

For all the reasons given above, I consider him one of the best screen actors, if not THE best of them all.

My favourite Steve McQueen films

Naturally, this is a very personal choice which will reflect my own interests and character, but I hope you will find my thoughts and comments of interest.

Although he had relatively small roles in “The Magnificent Seven” and “The Great Escape”, he made a huge impact, especially in “The Great Escape”, and he tends to dominate his scenes in each film. He did much to make each part considerably more than was scripted and came to embody the spirit of each of these films, especially “The Great Escape” in which McQueen took on iconic status as Hilts, the “cooler king”, who came to represent the resilience and spirit of the would-be escapees. Limited though they were, these roles give a taster of some of the brilliance to come.

“The Cincinnati Kid” is undoubtedly one of my favourite McQueen films.

Set during the great depression, this is an existential poker-based drama about luck, following fortune and pursuing fate by way of the talents given to us. It is about confidence, doubt, fear, greed and the path to success.

Eric (the “kid” of the title) is sure of himself – he has “something” and he has talent, but is he equal to the recognised (but ageing) master, “the man”, Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson)?

Lancey has devoted his life to winning, and he is about to give young pretender Eric a valuable life lesson that success, or winning, is about more than confidence and talent, and can be influenced by doubt and personal factors outside the game itself. Indeed, “making it” is as much about attitude, determination, principles and sacrifice outside the game as it is about skill within the game.

In the end, Eric is defeated and it appears this defeat has shattered his confidence – he may have lost that “something” when he realised he could be defeated. However, the experience also allows him to see what is important in life and to gain some perspective, even if this is brought about only by losing.

This is the perfect role for Steve McQueen – an intimate drama with an appealing, flawed, human and sympathetic principal character – we feel his pain when he loses to Lancey, yet we are pleased to see there is more to him than just being “the man”.

Success in any walk of life means determination and sacrifice – maybe Eric has learned that sometimes the life of a “loser” has greater value than that of a “winner”.

 

"The Sand Pebbles" has been one of my favourite films since I first saw it on television in 1976. It is set in 1926 in revolution-torn China, when the crew of an American gunboat, the San Pablo, is called upon to rescue some American missionaries working far up the Yang Tse river.

The widescreen version does justice not just to the sweeping panoramas of the quite breathtaking Chinese scenery, but also to the sweeping events and themes of the story. It is in every way a "big" film, dealing with political and military intervention (clear parallels with Vietnam at the time of release), nationalism, racism, and the horrors of war. Yet for all its heavy themes, it is most successful in the depiction of its very human characters.

These characters are not just the means of conveying the "messages" of the film, or fodder for the gripping and well-staged action scenes. They are individuals in their own right, involved in something far greater than their own destinies. Some are unpleasant and ignorant while others are honourable but lost in the sea of historic events surrounding them. Some, like Jake Holman (Steve McQueen), demand sympathy and respect as they struggle to come to terms with their personal challenges brought to the fore by these historically significant and politically dangerous events.

Robert Wise's direction is strong and emotionally charged, complemented perfectly by Jerry Goldsmith's wonderfully haunting and ominous music. Steve McQueen gives what was probably the performance of his career (receiving his only Academy Award nomination), and he is supported by a wonderful cast including Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen (aged just 19), and especially Mako. But it is really McQueen's film. His very presence lifts scenes and he manages to convey authenticity and gain the sympathy of the viewer with consummate ease. Once again, McQueen has gone for a character at odds with society but who remains true to himself and his friends to the point of self-sacrifice.

 

“Bullitt” was a huge success for McQueen and still has a considerable following today. Once again, the theme of conflict with society or superiors is highlighted as Lieutenant Bullitt investigates the murder of a witness (while under his protection) due to give testimony at a high-profile trial. All is not as it seems, however, as Bullitt comes under pressure from a self-serving politician who is willing to use Bullitt as a scapegoat for his own failures.

It was perhaps particularly with this film that McQueen gained the reputation for being the “king of cool”. Bullitt remains cool, calm and professional throughout, to the point where, at the end of the film, he may be wondering about his own humanity.

McQueen gives a very controlled, clever, performance playing a consummate professional who never loses his cool and who is persistent in the face of personal and professional threats. Bullitt might even appear rather cold and calculating, but McQueen hints at a humanity and vulnerability not immediately obvious in the script, creating a more engaging character than would otherwise have been the case.

Well known for its action sequences, the film also boasts McQueen’s performance, and that of Robert Vaughn who is wonderfully oily and manipulative opposite McQueen’s straight and principled Bullitt.

 

“The Thomas Crown Affair” is a morally challenging and emotionally manipulative piece. Thomas Crown should, by rights, be a fairly unpleasant and unlikeable character, yet McQueen makes him human and attractive. Of course, this is helped by the entire premise of the film whereby the traditional values of right and wrong in terms of theft are challenged – the “jobs” are organised as if in a game. Crown sees each “job” or theft as a challenge to “the system”, to see if he can overcome the substantial measures taken by various banks to protect their money. He feels that no harm is done as banks are compensated by insurance companies who make vast profits anyway. Actually, he would probably have fitted perfectly in today’s markets, and might even have added a little colour!

It is about winning, a challenge, and beating the system in a world where money is simply the means of proving your intellectual superiority. It is another potentially cold and unpleasant role, but McQueen makes it all seem relatively acceptable and human, especially in his romantic dalliance with the insurance investigator. However, is his relationship genuine, or is this all part of his plan?

Dated in places and on dangerous ground as you really end up rooting for no-one, this is a beautiful and playful existential exercise in challenging morality which only works because McQueen charms you into being on his side, until, perhaps, the last few seconds where he makes us doubt our previous judgement of him. Much darker and more thought-provoking than the admittedly entertaining remake.

 

“Junior Bonner” was McQueen’s least successful film until “An Enemy of the People”. However, it is also one of his most touching and poetic films.

Continuing the theme of conflict with the world around him, we have a new development – being out of kilter with the world, not really understanding (or approving of) developments taking place in society, and trying to find a place in modern life – a place where character and values appear to be replaced with money and “success”.

Increasingly out of place, Junior Bonner returns home to find his home town changing while he and his father (and the values they represent) are left behind.

Lacking pace, energy and much of a plot, this is nonetheless an excellent vehicle for McQueen, and a pleasant lament for a dehumanised world in which business and “success” have become the focus of society, a society Junior Bonner finds hard to accept.

 

“Papillon” is a hymn to determination and self-belief. This is the story of Henri Charrière, condemned to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guyana for a crime he maintained he did not commit, his experiences, survival and escape from that penal colony.

Part history lesson, part social commentary and part drama and adventure, McQueen brings Charrière to life, showing us his determination, his suffering, hope, depression, elation, but most of all the strength of his spirit as he faces countless challenges.

Once again, humanity pervades his performance which appears calmly simple opposite Dustin Hoffman as the ever more desperate and nervous Louis. Unlikely to appeal to all, this is nevertheless a powerful and tremendously touching performance.

 

“Tom Horn” is not, sadly, the film it was meant to be or could have been. A bigger beginning was foreseen to introduce Tom Horn and establish his past and character. Presumably lack of money meant the introduction was dropped and I think this hurt the film as we only ever really hear about Horn’s reputation rather than see and understand his true standing in the West.

That said, it remains a most engaging film and the role of Tom Horn fits perfectly the type of role McQueen liked to play – a professional who doesn’t see eye to eye with society or his “superiors”, but who may be used for society’s or his superiors’ benefit, and usually to his own disadvantage. Again, political ambition rears its ugly head as Horn’s actions threaten the aspirations of his employers, to which he himself will fall victim.

Refusing to buckle to their threats, Horn faces trial for a murder he claimed he did not commit, but is found guilty – another example of traditional values being out of kilter with “modern” society focused on profit and political ambition.

While hardly uplifting, this is nonetheless a solid and worthwhile film which tells its story simply and clearly – and would likely have gained the approval of Tom Horn himself.

McQueen’s performance is entirely natural and appears effortless. However, closer examination reveals considerable variety and colour within the confines of this naturally quiet and principled hero of the frontier. There is much more going on than a first viewing might suggest.

 

“The Hunter” was McQueen’s last film, and he knew it. Already quite ill with cancer when he made “Tom Horn”, McQueen was apparently breathless after takes when making this film. As a testament to his courage and determination alone, this film bears watching, but McQueen also managed to imbue his performance with vigour and humour – something largely missing from his last few performances, and which he undoubtedly wanted to revisit in what would be his last outing.

Here he has come full circle, repeating his role as a bounty hunter (“Wanted Dead or Alive”) in this relatively small, undemanding but entertaining and fairly personal film.

The theme of not fitting is once again revisited, though this time largely due to age and fear of change. The characters and episodic style of the piece are familiar and are clearly meant to be treated as light entertainment, though light comedy is mixed with some more serious points.

McQueen gives a very good and relaxed performance which contains all his usual elements, though more focused on comedy this time. There may even be references to previous roles – the theme of taking on responsibility and accepting change, the card game in his home in which he refuses to participate, and of course the frequent jokes about driving. This really was a personal McQueen film and there would have been no film without McQueen.

I also found the final scene (laced with comedy) very touching, as he holds his baby who sneezes and he says “God bless you” – he might just as well be passing the message on to his many fans and the younger generation as a whole.

My thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.

Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)

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Reflections on the musical “Dracula – entre l’amour et la mort”

 

Recently, I watched the 2025 Luc Besson version of “Dracula” and while I found it entertaining enough with moments of inspiration and I thought it was very well made, I felt it lacked a solid foundation for Dracula’s vampirism (God damned Dracula for renouncing Him) and I’m afraid I found it inconsistent in tone and pacing. It was also rather dependent on coincidence, which M. Besson tried to pass off as style with humour. Perhaps most surprisingly, I found the whole somewhat derivative. The film’s focus on lovelorn grief and longing as the motivation for Dracula’s reign of terror and selfish abuse of others to ensure his continued existence is not new. This theme was explored in the 2006 French-Canadian musical “Dracula, entre l’amour et la mort” (between love and death) starring Bruno Pelletier and seeing the Besson film reminded me I wrote up some notes on the musical which I present below:

Reflections on the French-Canadian musical

“Dracula – entre l’amour et la mort”

Written by Richard Ouzounian, Roger Tabra and Simon Leclerc

Starring Bruno Pelletier, Sylvain Cossette, Daniel Boucher,

and Andrée Watters

 

The following notes are reflections on the 2006 musical staged in Quebec, a liberal interpretation of the classic Dracula tale where the characters, or certain aspects of the characters, are used to promote the storyline and themes developed by the creators of the show.

Personally, I have never been keen on horror per se and have never really understood the appeal of Dracula, beyond that of an effectively scary figure in horror films. However, on doing a little research I discovered that Bram Stoker’s original story is regarded as representing a turning away from myth and superstition to modernity and science, yet questioning whether science can truly explain everything adequately. It may also have Christian significance as the cross and goodness are used against this creature of evil.

In the context of the French-Canadian show, Dracula is a warrior. He is a courageous but perhaps overly ambitious Prince who is loved yet feared by his people. Offered the hand of the young sister of the King of Hungary in marriage, Dracula immediately falls in love with her, but Elhemina has a dark secret, and to win her, Dracula must suffer eternal damnation, living as a vampire from the blood of others.

Dracula is a strong man and leader, not afraid to impose his will on others, but he can be carried away by ambition and power, leading to acts of cruelty. Such excesses may be tempered and redirected by love, but Dracula finds a “wrong” and selfish love which leads to eternal damnation, despair and pessimism. Tragically (for Dracula), Elhemina is assassinated, leaving Dracula to face an eternity of pain, despair and death alone, but he swears to find his love again.

After centuries of survival, and twisted by personal frustration and self-centred despair, Dracula has come to hold man and morality in contempt. His extensive experience has given him a unique overview and he has seen so much cruelty and destruction that he sees little hope for the world. In his eyes, mankind deserves no compassion – it is a matter of survival and he selfishly uses others, like the rest of mankind as he sees it, to ensure his own continued existence, but even he needs a purpose to go on – that of finding the reincarnation of his beloved Elhemina, the one thing that gives him hope.

While the world’s (and man’s) problems are recognised by Jonathan (a principled journalist), his idealistic close friend Mina, the humanitarian Van Helsing and his daughter Lucy, they remain more positive than Dracula and are willing to seek some way to resolve these problems and seek happiness where there is unhappiness.

Dracula and Mina (the reincarnation of Elhemina) meet and are attracted to one another. Will Mina’s thoughtful, humane and optimistic attitude allow Dracula to see life and its possibilities differently, or will Mina be drawn to Dracula’s dark and indulgent life?

Here, Dracula may well represent man and the horrors of which he is capable if his will is given free rein and he believes in nothing but himself.

Love, however, may lead to thought, consideration and respect for others.

Dracula embarks on a mission to gain Mina’s love, ultimately forcing all the characters to question themselves and what they believe in – right or wrong, good or bad, humanity and caring or self-indulgence and survival. Something or nothing.

Will Mina choose Jonathan or Dracula?

This version of the story really caused me to see Dracula in a new light – as something more than just a terrifying figure of horror, and representative of mankind’s descent into selfish survival, believing in nothing but himself.

It is worth mentioning that religion is not promoted as a response to Dracula. Idealism and belief or faith in humanity and hope, yes, but faith in a particular system of belief is avoided – perhaps in order to avoid causing offence, but also, perhaps, suggesting the authors’ wish to present a broader alternative based on compassion and humanity to offer hope for the future.

Although it has received considerable acclaim, the show has also been criticised for “reducing Dracula to a figure of evil in a corrupt world”, but surely that is exactly what he had already become. Here, we delve a little more deeply to find a strong but corruptible man who descends into despair and negativity as the result of experience and love, but who eventually appears to recognise, again through love, the potential for humanity, thus reflecting man’s potential for good in spite of his past, and the importance of hope in achieving it.

Might Elhemina’s reincarnation as the humanitarian Mina represent the development of mankind’s general adoption of a more caring, tolerant and compassionate approach to life and society?

Love and respect appear to cause Dracula to rethink the entire direction of his life. He is faced with a choice – to maintain his self-centred position or adopt a new stance. To persist in believing in nothing and seeing others as a means of maintaining his own existence, or adopt a more humanitarian, even existential, approach, respecting the rights of others and recognising qualities and aspects of life whose very existence he had come to deny.

Love has a way of causing us to see things differently….

As for the show itself, I thought it was worth all the time and effort invested in its production. The show has a valid universal theme, just as pertinent today as when created by Bram Stoker, though clearly there has been some attempt to modernise it to accommodate modern sensibilities and problems. The fundamental idea of dealing with man’s abandonment of principle, morality and faith to become self-serving and amoral, concerned only with his own survival, yet discovering other possibilities through love and respect, is always relevant and of interest.

The music and songs are lovely and haunting and the performances are strong, especially Bruno Pelletier who has a quite remarkable voice and stage presence. I would go so far as to say he is my favourite singer.

However, I do think there was a certain lack of clarity in the narrative framework, with character exposition, motivation and inner feelings not sufficiently well drawn in places.

If we are to admire Dracula’s final sacrifice, I suggest it would have been even more affecting if Dracula had clearly intimated, through a simple sign of regret such as a pause to bow his head or a longing look at Mina with a heavy sigh, his understanding that Mina has a mind and life of her own which he must respect, and that all his waiting and pain had been for nothing. This might have been made even more touching had Dracula shown some remorse for wasting others’ lives for his own benefit. This is implied at one point, without any real reason being given and “Temple de Satan” certainly further hints at this, but if we are truly to feel pity for the character, it should be made clear that throughout it all he remained driven by his love for Mina/Elhemina. Thus, when he is rejected by Mina, the audience would be able to feel sympathy, even for him.

My thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.

Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)

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Science-Fiction films and their history, scope and purpose.

 

Science-Fiction films and their history, scope and purpose.

Clearly, science-fiction films appeal to the imagination of lovers of the “what if …. ?” scenario, hypothesising different pasts, presents, futures, worlds or people, but they serve also to increase awareness of situations and attitudes on present-day Earth and its reality.

Science-fiction films can allow us to study familiar societal, human and/or psychological issues, but examined in unfamiliar contexts with a view to lending clarity to various aspects of these matters.

It is perhaps hoped that by transposing issues, or by exploring potential outcomes in the future of policies being considered at present, these issues may be viewed with greater objectivity and understanding, enabling us to deal with concerns and problems more reasonably and with greater perspicacity.

It is, however, rather curious and ironic that such an outlandish (sometimes literally) genre should actually be used to study essentially human characteristics, failings and accomplishments. A mutually accepted fiction (by both maker and viewer) lends greater distance and objectivity to the viewing of science-fiction, and allows bigger themes to be dealt with perhaps because the audience is more willing to accept exaggeration and microcosm within an entire premise which is knowingly (and acknowledged to be) false, yet the genre works best when infused with human traits and characters with whom we can empathise.

Perhaps these points are best illustrated by example:

Science-fiction started early in the history of cinema, just a few years after the birth of the moving picture in the 1890s, when Georges Méliès created “Le voyage dans la lune” in 1902. Demonstrating the potential of mankind (in terms of space exploration) as well as the potential of the relatively new moving picture, Méliès also incorporated implied criticism of colonial attitudes in the way in which inhabitants of the moon are treated as subordinate by the “conquering” and rather pompous scientists, an early indication of the way science-fiction can be used to make pertinent points about human society and nature.

Of course, the film also suggests that technology can open the way to possibilities previously thought closed or not considered at all, and that imagination and ambition may lead to reality.

Science-fiction need not, of course, be about journeying through space and time to meet inhabitants of other worlds, but may be focused on society on Earth, with its rich source of material for discussion and criticism.

In 1927, Fritz Lang made “Metropolis”, a massive film in terms of length (about two and a half hours), budget (over five million Reichsmark), scale and ambition. It is a story of love, industrialisation, mechanisation and the chasm between ruling and working classes. A truly remarkable feat of film-making which uses its genre to make clear the social ills it sets out to depict, and for which it seeks solutions.

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”, 1951, Robert Wise

The original was made in 1951, shortly after the production and implementation of nuclear power and weapons. An alien, Klaatu, arrives on Earth to warn Earthlings of their responsibility toward themselves and others in the universe now that they have discovered nuclear power. The Earth will be watched and judged by alien forces who will not hesitate to protect themselves from human aggression.

That the warning came from an obvious outsider was intended to lend even greater weight and authority to the warnings mouthed by many at the time, though clearly such warnings carried no weight with leaders of the major nations of the time as they embarked on the great arms race that marked the 50s, 60s and 70s, and which indeed maintains a presence to this day.

The remake follows a very similar path, but broadens the concept of protection to protection of the life-giving Earth from the race that threatens its destruction – humanity.

“Forbidden Planet” 1956, Fred Wilcox

“Forbidden Planet” is a spectacular film whose influence has reverberated across much of science-fiction ever since, yet it has its roots in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and is actually a study of ego and one man’s obsession with having things his way. Of course, the film takes this fundamental notion and carries it to entertaining extremes while incorporating observations on man’s place in the cosmos, love, personal development, loyalty, duty, ego, vanity and curiosity – all very human traits laid bare against the background of a secluded inhabitation on an isolated planet, and laced with humour and some quite astounding special effects.

Quite apart from the “artistic” success of the film, it also provided something of a blueprint for a franchise that has made its presence felt for some sixty years as I write, and which is showing no sign of disappearing – “Star Trek”.

Gene Roddenberry created “Star Trek” to give expression to studies of our most human traits set against a backdrop of excitement and adventure in space. Over the years it and its offshoots have dealt with a myriad of emotions and issues such as racism, responsibility, friendship, religion and seeking God, duty, love, anger, remorse, pity, envy and doubt over one’s purpose in life to mention but a few. And all of this is set in imagination-inspiring backgrounds and plots.

Inspiring scientists to actually develop technology which appears in the series, and even inspiring some to study and learn the completely fabricated and artificial Klingon language, few TV shows can lay claim to have exercised such an influence not just on viewing habits, but on behaviour and society as a whole, and the reason is not the sci-fi environment but rather the profound humanity of its characters.

In the late sixties, there started another highly successful and innovative franchise, “Planet of the Apes”. Although it spawned several film sequels, a TV series, a remake and a further re-imagining of the basic premise, none has managed to outshine the dazzling 1968 original.

The film sums up, in many ways, what science fiction films invite viewers to do – to see ourselves and our society in a different and perhaps clearer light. Using role-reversal, the makers of the film try to shed light on various aspects of our society, focusing on our treatment of animals, religion and science, man’s ego and curiosity and of course man’s willingness to inflict pain and suffering on his fellow man.

Also in the late sixties, the mighty “2001, a space odyssey” was released (or launched?). While brilliantly made with quite staggering special effects, I’m afraid this story of inspiration, curiosity, identity, faith and artificial intelligence left me somewhat cold and uninvolved. For me, it was more of a lesson than a drama.

Hot on his success with “Planet of the Apes”, Charlton Heston made a few more forays into science-fiction in the 70s, notably with “Soylent Green”, a film based on the contemporary obsession with overpopulation and the inherent problems of food supply and health care, and which offers a novel and repulsive way of dealing with such matters.

Combining sci-fi with the mystery genre, Heston investigates various deaths, and in the process uncovers a variety of unsavoury truths about the society we are predicted to have created. Apart from the above-mentioned food and health problems, these include benefits accorded to the wealthy, a rather disdainful and misogynistic attitude toward women, and a rather autocratic view of authority and policing.

A prize example of the way in which sci-fi can be used to extrapolate directions our society and culture may take in the future.

“Rollerball” (1974, Norman Jewison) was another fascinating, if at times slow and stagey, foray into a possible future in which sport, in particular the sport of Rollerball, has replaced war and aggression in society.

Society is managed by a group of corporations run by faceless and characterless individuals whose sole purpose is to maintain the status quo. Rollerball exists to prove that team work is essential to success, and the individual counts for very little. To ensure a “happy” life, citizens need only accept without question decisions and measures taken by heads of corporations.

Jonathan E (played by James Caan) proves to be a threat to corporate-run society as he takes on cult status with fans of Rollerball due to his skill and longevity in the game, and measures are taken to ensure his influence, indeed his very life, will be curtailed. As Jonathan queries his directives, he starts to question first various aspects of corporate-run society, and then its very core.

Another notable example of the sci-fi genre turned on the nature and mores of society, this time with a warning of the dangers of corporate-run society.

In 1977, George Lucas made “Star Wars, A New Hope”, a film many consider the greatest sci-fi film ever, followed by two sequels. The first trilogy undoubtedly combines all the elements to make a great sci-fi film – love, courage, friendship, principle, family conflict and resolution, and even religion and faith are distilled down to “the Force”.

All of this is delivered with a sharp script which develops themes and characters within a structure of adventure and with humour and a lightness of touch, allowing audiences to enjoy the action while engaging with the underlying issues.

However, the second trilogy suffered from a bloated budget (if necessity is the mother of invention, can it be said that an excess of money stifles ingenuity?), bloated action sequences and special effects (bigger is not always better), a dull as ditch water script (where is Han Solo when you need him?), tired and wooden performances (due in part to the invasion of special effects and having no-one to bounce off), overemphasis on the political theme (reduced to the minimum necessary for the first trilogy) and a nominee for the most annoying character in the history of cinema – Jar-Jar Binks.

On top of all that, the engagement and youthful belief in principle have all but gone, leaving behind a shallow copy of the original and questions as to whether the producers actually understood what was appreciated and admired in the original. Of course, maybe they did recognise these weaknesses and that is why they started with episode 4.

“Alien” 1979, Ridley Scott

“Alien” is a film that works across several genres – sci-fi, thriller, suspense, mystery etc.. Building fairly slowly until the action explodes on screen (literally), the film then proceeds at a steady pace, delivering shocks, horror, suspense and action as the crew are hunted by the vicious but valuable alien they have unwittingly brought on board their vessel, yet the film does a great deal more than that.

Underpinning everything is the fact this is a merchant vessel whose owners are devoted to profit. The company considers all crew members expendable in the face of vast potential profits to be made from studying this creature and developing weapons from it. The android, Ash, apparently malfunctions but is in fact slavishly following its programme to capture and protect the alien being.

There is even a nod toward social division among the crew, and the question of the value of their own lives, and the issue of the place of women in society is raised as those women in the crew appear to be treated as second-class citizens, though Ripley proves the detractors mightily wrong.

These themes recur regularly throughout the series, especially that of profiteering at the expense of employees’ lives.

“Blade Runner” 1982, Ridley Scott

“Blade Runner” is a slow, atmospheric and fascinating film about our search for answers to the eternal questions of who we are, where we come from and what our purpose is.

Deckard is a detective tasked with finding and “retiring” (or killing) replicants (artificial humans) who have malfunctioned and who may pose a danger to humans. Some of them seek out their creator in order to gain answers to questions about their origins. In the course of the film, Deckard is forced to question his own nature and what it means to be human.

The “Terminator” films investigate the area of artificial intelligence, with mankind perhaps becoming too clever for its own good and creating machines in the future which develop consciousness and which send back through time killer robots to prevent the rise of resistance movements threatening them in the future.

Time travel and its consequences have long been a favourite plot source for sci-fi films, and they are dealt with well here.

The second film in the series is probably the most successful as it examines leadership, friendship, human rights, duty and humanity.

“The Matrix” 1999, Larry and Andy Wachowski

Science-fiction based on the philosophical precepts of Plato, “The Matrix” manages to combine action and excitement with some rather complex philosophical concepts – no mean feat!

Basically, it boils down to the division of the body and the mind (or soul). Plato believed (and influenced most of Western philosophy and religion in the process) that knowledge is innate and the body serves only to draw that knowledge out of us. It follows, then, that the body may be dispensed with if contact can be made directly with the mind, which is the centre of reality.

Here we have a film that investigates the possibilities of a world in which the mind rules, but the mind is not susceptible to the same physical restrictions as the body, leading to thrilling visual and intellectual spectacles.

The sequels appear “tagged on” and, like “Star Wars” before them, develop the spectacle but fail to live up to the premise of the original.

Cloning is a popular topic among makers of sci-fi films, and has been treated in a variety of ways. “The 6th Day” (2000, Roger Spottiswoode) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger offers cloning as the premise for a series of action sequences and is fairly light-hearted and entertaining.

More interesting and thought-provoking is “Moon” (2009, Duncan Jones) in which a lonely technician on the moon slowly uncovers the truth about himself as he questions his past and considers his future. This deals nicely with identity, the value attached to life and the whole issue of considering clones as second class or inferior.

“Oblivion” (2013, Joseph Kosinski) is a beautiful-looking film which deals with the slow discovery of truth about reality despite appearance, our dependence on memory in assessing reality, the inherent value of life (whether cloned or not), the value of freedom and the spirit to fight for it, and of course love which inspires acts of self-sacrifice.

“Elysium” (2013, Neill Blomkamp) is a much-disparaged film warning of the increasing division in society between the “haves” and the “have-nots”.

The wealthy live a life of luxury and good health on board Elysium, a satellite circling the Earth, while the poor scrape a living on a ravaged Earth and face health issues.

Denounced by many as left-wing propaganda, the film nevertheless raises issues of freedom and fairness in society today.

“Prometheus” (2012, Ridley Scott), like “Blade Runner” before it, deals with the age-old questions of identity, purpose and the overwhelming desire to meet our maker.

Criticised by some who wanted this prequel to “Alien” to resemble the original more closely, this film is much more ambitious and thought-provoking, inviting us to ponder the possibility that if we were to meet our maker, perhaps we may be disappointed ….

These thoughts are, of course, entirely subjective and the films mentioned are not intended to be a comprehensive list of the best sci-fi films available, but rather films that offer some insight into the themes and topics that can be usefully developed within the science-fiction genre.

 

My thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.

Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)

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