Frankenstein_vs_Blade_Runner

The texts Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelly and Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott were written in very different contexts yet explore the common themes of humanity, science and ethics through the idea of Nature Vs. Creation. The contexts in which they were written is detrimental to the themes explored as these texts both strongly reflect on their societies, advances in technology and changing views and morals. Frankenstein was written during the Romantic period. At this time the Romantics believed in imagination, religion, emotion and nature as a force of awe. They believed that misuse of these four beliefs could end in destruction. In the novel Frankenstein it is obvious that Mary Shelly was influenced by these views. She describes the surrounding landscapes with great detail and sets it up as a place of healing. An opposing movement came through parallel to the Romantic period, the Enlightenment era. This era focused heavily on the ideas and advances of science and education. People began experimenting and fiddling with new ideas about humans and how they were created. The theme in the text of Nature vs. Creation shows that Shelley did not believe in these practises. Blade runner also uses the idea of Nature vs. Creation. It was released in 1982, and the re-released in 1992 based off a novel called Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep' Composed in 1969. The film was written during a time of war, global warming, advances in science and man-made disasters that framed the vision of the future world for Scott. In the film the 2019 setting of LA is dark and damp, which give us a feeling that this is caused by pollution, it is also apocalyptic with the presence of fire spouting out of buildings. The Vietnam War also contributed to the context of the film. The streets of LA and the businesses within seem to be populated by people of Asian ethnicity. This was due to the fear of American’s believing that in the future the dominant society would be Asian. The advances in science during this time were also a major part of this film, the idea of cloning and the beginning of IVF paved the way to the idea of the Replicants.