The movie adaptations for Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game comes out on Nov. 1 and Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire is Nov. 22.
Ender's Game was published in 1970s. The series is more military sci-fi than dystopic. I read it about 8 years ago in high school. I've also read Ender's Shadow, Speaker for the Dead, and half of Shadow of the Hegemon. There are more books for this universe, but I'm content with how much I read already. I recommend Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Speaker for the Dead is the drama and biological science part of the series. I don't remember military in it. I liked most of it, but maybe I didn't understand a dark moment at the end. I didn't think I'd read it again, but now I think I might. As a heads-up, Speaker for the Dead has Portuguese dialogue that isn't translated. Because I know some Spanish, I was able to understand some lines.
Any movie ad for Ender's Game gets me excited. I am most excited to see the training room on the screen! :D A key element of the story though is compassion. Here's the trailer:
This video states the similarities and differences between Ender's Game and The Hunger Games:
The trailer for Ender's Game left me with some goosebumps, but The Hunger Games' 2nd movie, Catching Fire, left me teary.
The first movie felt more like an introduction to the series so I expect more from Catching Fire for the social aspect of the world. The trailer covers it and also the question of how can a dystopic society have living idolized victors? : )
I thought Divergent was coming out next fall, but the release is March 2014. I'm still on the library's waitlist for the book, but now I know I can read Brave New World first.
For now, I'm interested in watching Guillermo Del Toro's movie Pacific Rim next month.
I'm hoping for a social/cultural aspect to the connected minds. Pacific Rim looks fun otherwise.
More and more TMNT printed tees are coming out probably because of Micheal Bay's TMNT film reboot.
However, On the UK website The Guardian, I read that the 2013 film pushed back to 2014 because of the fans' voiced disapproval of the mutant turtles portrayed as aliens. The Guardian believes the production may be dropped altogether.
An artist, Billy Allison, did a great depiction of the ninjas like Ridley Scott's Alien. I linked the tee's title to prints and device covers, but he has the design available as a tee too.
Here's two tees that take after the turtles' names: Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello.
Did you know that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a comic before a TV show? How about that all four wore red?
Artist Hillary White knew. Her design on the right is no longer available at RiptApparel, but you can still get a $15 print. It is a mash-up of one of Queen's album covers.
Even when dressed the same, Raphael stands out.
Original TV show in the 80s
There are more TMNT tees, but don't forget to celebrate National Pizza Month.
I have always wondered if banana toppings tasted good. Do you remember what other toppings these turtles tried?
I did not find a tee or print of this one,
but it is still worth sharing.
I'll now explain dystopia, one of my favorite types of sci-fi. But first, some definitions according to Merriam-Webster. Media examples will be shown as well.
UTOPIA:
An imaginary and indefinitely remote place
A place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions
An impractical scheme for social improvement
Some synonyms listed: Camelot, Eden, heaven, and never-never land.
An antinomy: hell
DYSTOPIA:
An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives
I like to think of dystopia as a failed attempt at or a false appearance of a utopia. The society is usually oppressed by rules meant for good and safety such as isolation. Theses rules can be lies for control or actually intended to help mankind. Either way, a part of humanity is oppressed or sacrificed. There's usually social or political commentary as well.Technology is usually a method of control while nature is distanced from society.
Dystopia interests me for the philosophy and psychology of what is essential for a humane society to exist. Also, I'm intrigued by a single factor affecting society in various aspects. Compare a social change in a dsytopia to a change in the past in time travel sci-fii. A single action can build up to a new lifestyle.
If you want more definitions or characteristics, I found this site on George Orwell, author of
Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm.
Now for some media examples.
Nineteen Eighty-Fourby George Orwell
1984 screen adaptation
Very political, which is understandable if you read Orwell's bio. There hardly is privacy when even your own child can accuse you as a threat. The story also has sociology and psychology with brainwashing and fitting in. Even language is covered with changed definitions such as War = Peace, words eliminated to prevent rebellious thoughts, and history is changed to support present announcements.
It's not a fast read though; I've been reading it little by little to appreciate the author's depicted system. "Big brother is watching you."
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Translated from Russian.
In this one, society's schedule is measure from when you wake up to when you sleep. Calling in sick for work means you let you down society (irrational behavior). The collective over individual is a main focus. There's mathematical metaphors and descriptions of working with rhythm like in a mechanical ballet. Surgery on the brain is considered as a way of being rational.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Has been adapted to screen and on theater stage.
This dystopia deals more with literature being essential to humanity and society than politics or government.With fireproof houses, firemen are given a new duty. They investigate homes suspected to hold literature and burn the books. Fahrenheit 451 is actually one of my favorite novels. It has that one factor changing different aspects of society, including television, teens, and conversation.
At the SD Comic Con, Bradbury stated that he wrote the book in response to his books being pulled off the shelves of high school libraries. However, he also states on the pamphlet for the stage adaptation that the story is NOT all about censorship. So remember to look at literature as a part of society and soul.
Uglies series by Scott Westerfield
I have not read this series, but here is a dystopia geared towards female readers. Society is convinced that a modified face (surgery) is beauty while natural features are ugly and primitive. Surgery is typically done during puberty, but unknown to everyone is that a part of the brain is modified as well. The titles list class ranks, with uglies being the lowest rank when a person has not had surgery yet. The book Extras follows a different heroine.
Equilibrium
Emotions are seen as the cause for war so everyone has to sedate themselves. In addition, all forms of art (literature, fine art, music, etc) is shunned because they are stimulating and provoking. There is a squad trained in martial arts with guns, which leads to flashy fight scenes. Christian Bale's character accidentally misses a dose one day and experiences emotion.
No novels were adapted for this film but they must have been an influence or inspiration. I think in the Special Features, the director states he hadn't read Brave New World yet (neither have I).
I have not read The Hunger Games but it is on my list. Have you read this one?
Overall, there's a lot of brainwashing and brain surgery going on in these dystopias. I did not describe the main character in every example, but most of them have a rank with power or an occupation that contributes to controlling society. I suppose the struggle for control is another feature I like in a dystopia as well. The dilemma is safety and control or humanity and freedom in these societies.
