YA Author
Catherine Queen
Tag Archives: Sci-fi
Future Female
Girls, geisha, cyborgs: sexy robot women in Blade Runner and beyond
I love Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. It's the kind of movie you could never be ashamed at listing in your top five – it's a film buffs' film, the kind of iconic picture that comes along rarely and then lingers in the canon, setting the bar for pretty much everything that comes next. Style (the 40s-meets-80s neo-noir), music (Vangelis' sweeping electronica), detail (the columns Scott demanded be turned upside down to show the design, much to the annoyance of the set dressers); Blade Runner is at once derivative and original, to brilliant effect. That, and it's a thrilling story that raises a host of questions about the nature of human (and not human) existence.
But Blade Runner is also a problematic fave. The lazy use of Asian culture to create a hostile and unfamiliar 'LA' atmosphere is one thing. Then you have the women. Blade Runner, like many sci-fi movies (like many movies full stop) has a serious issue with its representation of females. I say females, because there are no significant human women in this story. Let that sink in. One of the most iconic movies ever made has no human women in the narrative. Where females appear, their roles are highly sexualised and suggest that the female future is both limited and bleak.
Blade Runner is not alone in this, and not the greatest offender. In fact, the original movie, read in a feminist light, offers much food for thought, despite its ultimate inability to truly challenge the oppressive capitalist patriarchy it establishes. But its influence is undeniable, and begs the question: why is our culture so unimaginative when it comes to the future female?
Tags: critique, feminism, film, robots, Sci-fi, science fiction
Violent Delights ~ Thoughts on Westworld
Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything. – Donald Trump
In this era of endless reboots, remakes and re-imaginings, Westworld is hardly remarkable. A new version of the 1973 Michael Crichton movie (itself endlessly parodied), the series has been given the high-gloss HBO treatment, with a stellar cast and big budget. Its production has been beset by delays; its concept rehashes not only the original movie, but also a host of tropes harvested from across the science fiction genre. And yet, it may turn out to be the season's most relevant drama.
Tags: review, Sci-fi, science fiction, television, Westworld
BSG Rewatch: 1.3-1.5
A rioting prison-ship led by a convicted terrorist. A rogue missile in the hangar bay. A dust-bound planet with a toxic atmosphere. Not to mention their own demons. As BSG Season 1 hits its stride, there's a hell of a lot more for our heroes to worry about than just killer robots. In three excellent episodes, Bastille Day and the two-parter, Act of Contrition and You Can't Go Home Again, the show maintains the thrilling mix of tight plotting and character work that made its opening installments so engaging.
Tags: Battlestar Galactica, BSG, review, rewatch, robots, Sci-fi, science fiction, television
BSG Rewatch: Mini + 1.1-2
It was 2007 and I'd just started my summer job at Christ Church in Oxford, doing admin for a summer school for mature students (mainly Americans aged over 60). It was to become a regular gig, and it was a really great job to have because it included a lot of free food, a nice place to stay over the summer and quite a bit of free time. The guests were usually interesting to chat to and I have a lot of great anecdotes from that time.
Anyway, the first weekend I arrived and moved into my amazing suite of two rooms, which I later discovered was once lived in by Lewis Caroll! I had a laptop and a Wheelock's Latin textbook to work through, but disastrously no internet connection. I soon realised I was going to need some way to amuse myself in the long stretches of downtime. The next day I popped into HMV and browsed their DVD stand, eventually picking up Season 1 of Battlestar Galactica, which wasn't too expensive for the amount of episodes included. I'd seen some of the original version when it was 0n BBC2 and something about this remake really caught my eye. Maybe it was the promise of a fresh reimagining of a show that had seemed fairly campy and silly; maybe it was the picture of Six punching Athena in the face that let me know there'd be some badass ladies. I don't remember what really sold me on it, but anyway, I bought it.
A few weeks later I had inhaled almost all three existing seasons. I fell in love with the mythology, the politics, the grey morality and the amazing female characters (hiiiiiiii Starbuck!) It became one of my all time favourite TV shows, and I was able to follow Season 4 in real time. I also introduced my friends to the show and we used to watch the DVDs together after finishing our essays and tute work, usually around midnight, so I got to experience it a second time. Then *that* finale happened, and I was so sad about it I didn't want to rewatch the show at all. Until this year…
So, join my lovely friend Jodie and me as we dive into a rewatch of BSG! Our reactions are grouped into four categories: Starbuck (the most impt, of course!); Mythology; Music; and the rather bloated Miscellaneous. Spoilers abound!
Tags: Battlestar Galactica, BSG, review, rewatch, Sci-fi, television
What I Read in 2018
I <3 NY
Paint: an evolving relationship with makeup
I'm absolutely destroyed by 'When They See Us'. Heartbroken beyond belief. The saddest story, but the young talent… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 10 hours ago
RT @thejessicadore: Today's card. It's frustrating to work hard for something + then realize it's not what you want, but it is also an oppo… 17 hours ago
RT @dave_p_marshall: An honour to meet our future Prime Minister @BorisJohnson https://t.co/z0GWuiasIn 1 day ago
@jordanaferial Peaked at age 9 tbh 1 day ago
My creative writing from 1995...'my special vermin sense'...! https://t.co/pwSj06xHq4 1 day ago