They Live !

You see Them on the street. You watch Them on TV.
You might even vote for one this fall.
You think they're people just like you.
You're wrong. Dead wrong.
THEY LIVE!


This short story, entitled "Eight O'Clock in the Morning," by Ray Nelson, was the inspiration for the brilliant 1988 John Carpenter cult classic They Live. This short story is quite different from the film however. (The violence toward the female character is not an element of the film, although there is quite a bit of violence in it). Also, as this story is quite short, there is more development of the plot in the film, with more detailing of the underground resistance movements and their infiltration and destruction plans. The most notable element that is present in both versions is the instructive signage, such as OBEY, CONSUME, WATCH TV, CONFORM, MARRY AND REPRODUCE, SLEEP, and NO THOUGHT. These images are hidden from view by normal advertisements, but appear when one wears special sunglasses that allow one to "wake up." Here is a shot from the film:


The special sunglasses also allow one to see the true nature of people, whether they are human or a horrible decaying zombie-like skeleton/alien creature, as many politicians and others turn out to be:



Here's a short clip showing how the glasses work in a supermarket.

If you are so inclined, here is a link to the entire film. Enjoy!

Blade Runner

This is the trailer for the original 1982 release of Blade Runner. The dystopic visual elements are very evident, as well as the noir influence. I think this trailer gives an effective overview of some of the main dystopic elements of the movie, specifically that of the Tyrell Corporation's capitalist-fueled malevolence and the complex problem created by their product, human replicants.

I would like to point out that it is (almost) always raining in Blade Runner's 2010 Los Angeles, an excellent example of an overbearing environmental element that is an important part of a well-developed dystopia. Resultantly, umbrellas are highly specialized in the Blade Runner world, complete with lighted center poles to illuminate the crushing bleakness.


Notice the gigantic video billboard of a geisha eating a meal-pill. These types of billboards are now very common, an interesting point to ponder in that it would have been cutting-edge technology at the time of the film's release.

Geisha video billboard, Los Angeles 2010, in Blade Runner, 1982.


Video billboard upon a floating vessel, Pudong, Shanghai, China, 2007.

One should also note the architecture of the Tyrell Corporation building, which is comparable stylistically with buildings in Metropolis as well as ziggurats. Although in Blade Runner this monolithic building type has been increased in size to seven hundred stories and updated with futuristic technology, it still retains and evokes the same imposing and controlling feel as its predecessors.
Tyrell Corporation, Los Angeles 2010, in Blade Runner, 1982.

Ziggurat at Ur, Iraq, 2005.


This film is based upon the 1968 Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Metropolis

Here I will post a few clips from Fritz Lang's 1926 silent masterpiece Metropolis. One of the best and most influential films ever made, also an excellent visual example of a dystopic society.

Metropolis Opening Scenes
Apologies for lack of english subtitles in this clip. Incredibly beautiful montage illustrating the movements of the machines in lower Metropolis, followed by the workers preparing for their shift.

Metropolis - Workers' Underground City
In this clip, a character has a vision in which Lang draws a parallel between the malfunctioning machine injuring workers with ritualistic human sacrifice to a monstrous idol. The end of the clip shows the upper part of the Metropolis, which is comparable stylistically to the illustrated cover of Zamyatin's We.

Dystopic Comics

Transmetropolitan is a comic book set in the future in a megalopolis with dystopic elements of style. Here are some images from the first issue to give you an idea of an artistic take on the idea of dystopia in comic book form:
This shows the protagonist prior to descending into the city; he lives alone high in the mountains. He appears radically different from how he will in the city - note the extremely overgrown hair, indicating a naturalistic lifestyle. Also notice the pristine quality of nature.


Road sign showing the proximity of the city. The wilderness is still in the frame, but the signage with pictures of credit cards accepted at the toll booth anticipates the drastic change in scenery that is about to occur.


Entering the city. Notice the overbearing signs and advertisements screaming out simplistic slogans to the populace, as well as the insidious pollution blocking out the sky.


Another view of the city - less pollution here, but high rise buildings create a sense of claustrophobia within the frame.

City life, with comments from the mind of the protagonist. Demonstrates the clash of cultures within the city.

Literary Dystopia

The etymology of the word dystopia originates from the Greek δυσ- or dys-, a prefix meaning bad or abnormal, and τόπος, or topos, meaning place. Following this, the simplest meaning of a dystopia is a "bad place." More specifically, a dystopia is a society that disintegrating under its own human weight. Dystopic fiction describes a world in a contemporary or futuristic setting with incredible problems, such as an overbearing state, pollution, disease, negative technology, and overall dehumanization. Authors, artists, and filmmakers frequently utilize the characterizing elements of a dystopia to comment upon the milieu in which they live.

The most well-known literary example of dystopic fiction would be Nineteen Eighty-Four, or 1984, written by George Orwell in 1949. However, this genre was being developed well before Orwell's novel was published. One of the earliest and most important examples is Yevgeny Zamyatin's We from 1921. Franz Kafka published two of his most well-known works shortly thereafter, The Trial in 1925 and The Castle in 1926.

British First Edition Cover.


Early cover depicting Oceania metropolis, featuring the omniscient Big Brother posters, and a notable Anti-Sex League sash on Julia in the foreground.

Contemporary cover designed by Shepard Fairey of Obey / Giant / Propaganda graphic design empire. He incorporates his own symbols into this cover, such as the Andre the Giant face in the stars at the corners. Same exact color scheme he always uses.