GATTACA

BACKGROUND

‘film noir’Came to prominence in the 1940’sInvolved a criminal investigation or a male

becoming embroiled in a murder engineered by dangerous, sensual and dangerous women

Black and white, grimy, shadowy urban locations

Subdued lighting which masks a criminal world of corruption and dubious morality

‘film noir’The UnderclassMen who roam the streets are lined up in a

shadowy, squalid compound and bodily scanned for their identity

‘film noir’The mystery and thrillerRomance which is indicated as early as

the opening scene

Science fiction genre

As a science fiction genre it breaks its boundaries at times

It has something to say about the context and concerns that preoccupied the Western World at the time they were released

Science Fiction

Hypothesise on future worlds in which humans are no longer in control of what they have created

Contemporary views are displaced onto the future

Science fiction is as much about the present as about the future

Science Fiction deals with

The unknownThe impact of forces outside the human

realm; far fetched world that are unlikely to exist

Science Fiction deals with

The marvellousThe marvellous makes awe at its

inventions in the service of perceived human needs

Science Fiction deals with

The fantasticThe fantastic deals with the possibility of

changes to society and culture wrought by technology, with its simultaneous promise and menace

UtopiasDystopiasPost –apocalyptic worlds

Science Fiction deals with

The uncannyThe uncanny deals with the technological

alteration of the self, exploring our unconscious, repressed fears

Science Fiction deals with

Cautionary talesMany science fiction films are cautionary

tales, warning us of the possible consequences of unfettered, immediate science and progress

Science fiction often argues an ethical position that makes you think about what kind of worlds you want to live in

GATTACA is no exception

William Gaylin: I not only think we will tamper with human nature, I think mother nature wants us to

Recent developments in medical science and the ways computer technology has defined our world. Eg., medical imaging, key hole surgery, hair and saliva samples

The capacity to manipulate DNA; cloning not always with benign results

‘In vitro’ birth selecting a sperm and donor cell with ‘desirable’ genetic traits

2002; The Raelian sect is testimony to unfettered experimentation

GATTACAGATTACA takes its name from the DNA

blue print for all lifeThe spiral of deoxyribose nucleic acid is

encoded with all the genetic information for that living thing.

The spiral is made up of interlocking chemicals; guanine, adrenine, thymine and cystosine.

GATTACA

Scientist give these chemicals letter symbols to identify the written code

P and S for the phosphate and sugar rim G, T, C and A for the nitrogen blocks It is the nitrogen elements which vary, and therefore

define genetic make up Since the P and S blocks are constant, only the

nitrogens are written down, using the letters G, A, T, and C. A sequence might be: GGAATTAACCAA.

Hence the name of the society based on genetic perfection: GATTACA

DNA is a scientific and social issue in our society

How the concept of human can be defined?

What does individual identity mean?What personal values might be admired

most in a society where eugenics (scientifically – controlled population breeding program) was practiced?

GATTACA

This film is clearly expressing concern about what will happen is scientific tools are used without social or ethical constraints

Opening quote: Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked? Ecclesiastes

Humans are discovering a God-like power to alter the world but may not have the moral understanding to see where such tinkering might take us

Central Message

• There is no gene for the human spirit

• In spite of genetic engineering there is still room for human error

• What measures has the world of GATTACA in place for those who are second best?

STRUCTURE AND SETTINGIN GATTACA

How does the structure, setting and cultural context work in the film to develop its themes and

ideas?

Structure

• GATTACA has a character driven plot, with a lengthy flash back accompanied by voice-over narration. Huge time jumps are involved and vital information about Vincent are given in a speedy way. Events then rush together in a few days before the Titan mission launch

• Note the confessional voice I am not Jerome Morrow

Structure: sub-plots

Two major intersecting narrative structures: MURDER / THRILLER FRIENDSHIP / ROMANCE

MURDER/THRILLERVincent’s deception and quest to travel into space

MURDER/THRILLERMurder investigation;

Rivalry between Vincent and Anton

FRIENDSHIPJerome and Vincent

ROMANCEVincent and Irene

Structure: motifs

Motifs are recurrent visuals and sound clues which have a thematic meaning

Vincent cleans himself, shaves, sloughs off rough skin

Repeated shots of urine and blood samples Hair scenes These all underline the body as the identifier

or betrayer in this society Water scenes: moments of struggle and triumph

and struggle over nature represented at a subliminal level by the sea

Structure: Niccol’s doubles characters

Doubles

Vincent and Eugene Vincent and AntonDetective Hugo and

Investigator Irene and Doctor Lamar

Structure

Why has Niccol employed this structural device?

Despite apparent differences all are equally VALID as human beings

That in a society founded on genetic engineering, detection and classification become obsessive

Setting The main locations are all bare, functional spaces.

Smooth polished floors, bare walls, glass, vast airy interiors and provide an atmosphere of modernism and minimalism:

1. The Gattaca complex2. The navigation lab3. The space centre4. Jerome’s apartment5. Irene’s house6. The police centre

This encodes the idea of society based on principles of perfection

Eugene’s/Jerome’s apartment

The circular staircase evokes a number of connotations:

1. Its grand architectural feature suggests wealth

2. Allusion to Hitchcock films and thus to suspense

3. Shape of a double helix; the theme of genetics constantly in the background

4. Vincent’s ladder

Style

DystopicRetro look (backwards in time): Cold War

of the 1950’s, environment of concrete and chrome

Images of totalitarianism and allusions to Nazi Germany

Sterility: coldly scientific, large uncluttered spaces in contrast to Vincent’s family home

Mise en scene

Mise en scene, is the sum total of everything that can be seen through the camera lens at any given moment

Mise en scene

Example: when Vincent tears off his own image from the family photograph, Anton, who is in the background fills up the space previously occupied by Vincent. Vincent is effectively erased in this scene. In this case, the camera doesn’t move, but what is in the frame does change as Vincent is torn from the photograph

Soundtrack

Disjunction between the vision and the sound; hairs crash like trees. This disjunction points up a key theme of the film; the importance of body parts in a world dedicated to genetic perfection

Think too of the sound effects of the cars in the road crossing scene. The blurred vision matches the sound to capture Vincent’s myopia and present danger

Music

The orchestral music sets the tone of sombre reflectiveness, but as Vincent moves close to his goal there is a crescendo in the music

The piano solo carried out with six fingers

CHARACTERS IN

GATTACA

Jerome Morrow (Eugene) Jude Law

What makes you think that you can be meWe have to get drunk immediately!What’s Titan like at this time of the year?I’m going travelling, too

Vincent and Jerome

One man’s loss is another man’s gainJerome: Are you all right? Vincent: Yeah,

Do you want to go dancing?Listen, it’s not to late to back out. This is

the last day you are going to be you and I am going to be me

You should be going instead of me. Up there your legs wouldn’t matter

I am proud of you, Vincent

Vincent Freeman (Jerome Morrow) Ethan Hawke

Life expectancy 30 years For the genetically superior, success is easier to

attain but by no means guaranteed We now have discrimination down to a science My resume was in my cells I was never more certain of how far I was from

my goal when I was standing right beside it For someone who was never meant to stay on

earth, I’m having a hard time leaving it … maybe I’m going home

Vincent and Jerome

You can’t quit on me now – I’ve put too much into this

You still don’t understand, do you? When they look at you, they don’t see you any more, they see me

How are you, Jerome? … Not bad, Jerome I think she likes us I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you

my body. You lent me your dream

Anton Freeman (The investigator) Loren Green

Come on, you cowardI bet I could be an astronaut if I wanted

Vincent and Anton

You sure you want to do this? You know you’re gonna lose

Are we brothers?This is how I did it, Anton – I never saved

anything for the swim back

Irene- Uma Thurman and Vincent

If you pretend like you don’t care, don’t look up Vincent: see I’m not the only one who looks up

when there’s a launch Jerome, I had you sequenced If you are still interested, let me know Jerome, you don’t look well. Why don’t you go

home? You don’t know who he is, do you, Irene” You couldn’t see, could you? You crossed

anyway

Lamar (Xander Berkeley)

Have I ever told you about my son?Unfortunately, my son’s not as good as

they promised … but then, who knows what he could do

For future reference – right-handed men don’t hold it with their left, just one of those things

Geneticist (Blair Underwood)

This child is still you – simply the best of you

You could conceive a thousand times naturally and never get such a result

German (Tony Shalhoub)

Blood knows no nationality

Director Joseph (Gore Vidal)

It’s right that someone like you is taking us to Titan

It hasn’t stopped the planets turning, has it?

No one exceeds potential – if he did it would mean we didn’t accurately gauge his potential in the first place

There is not a violent bone in my body