1. The Revival of 1980’s
Technological Dystopias
Bradley Van Rooy; Ayu Sutriasa,
Bradley Van Rooy, and Luqman Rom
2. "all ideology represents in its necessarily
imaginary distortion not the existing relations
of production (and the other relations that
derive from them), but above all the
(imaginary) relationship of individuals to the
relations of production and the relations that
derive from them." (Althusser)
3. A Product
Technology Then & Now
● 1980’s
o 1979- the CD
o 1980- the Walkman
o 1981-first launch of the
Space Shuttle, the IBM
PC computer and the rise
of Apple
o 1983- the camcorder and
digital capturing
o 1984- the cell phone
o 1980 to 1987- the “Boom”
of AI
● Today
o 2004- Google goes public
o 2006- motion sensing
control gaming system
(Wii)
o 2007- Apple iPhone and
App Store
o 2009- social media boom
o 2011- Apple’s Siri, Google
Now, and Microsoft’s
Cortana introduced
(popularized AI’s)
4. An Imagined Relationship
With Technology
● 1980’s
o Fear of Future
Technology
o Hope in Technology
● Today
o Fear of Future
Technology
o Hope in Technology?
of humanity
o Anxiety of Current
Technology
5.
6. Franchises
● 1980’s Box Office Successes
● Multiple sequels
● Movies Originally Released in the Late
1970’s-1980’s
● 2014-2015: a sudden revival of franchises
● Technology leading to future dystopia
7. Ideology and Film
"anxiety and hope are two faces of the same collective
consciousness, so that the works of mass culture, even if
their function lies in the legitimation of the existing order-or
some worse one-cannot do their job without deflecting in
the latter's service the deepest and most fundamental
hopes and fantasies of the collectivity, to which they can
therefore, no matter in how distorted a fashion, be found to
have given voice." (Jameson 144)
8. What Does This Mean?
● The revival of these technologically driven
dystopian movie franchises continue the
reproduction of the relations of technological
production (Althusser’s argument), and
shifted the focus of hope in technology to the
more underlying anxiety people have with
technology.
9.
10. Plot
● Mad Max (1979)
o Max takes revenge on a
motorcycle gang that creates
chaos through rape,
destruction, and looting.
o Civilization has very nice,
flashy vehicles
o “Hey Mister! What happened to the
car?”-Kid
“What do you think happened?” -
Bubba Zanetti
“Looks like it was chewed up and spit
out.”-Kid
“Perhaps its the result of anxiety.”-
Bubba Zanetti
● Mad Max: Fury Road
(2015)
o Max is ambushed and imprisoned,
but brought along an expedition to
supply blood for Nux. He escapes
and helps 5 women try to find a
childhood homeland.
o Dictators control the vehicles
(rusted, but added attachments)
o “Do not, my friends, become
addicted to water. It will take hold
of you, and you will resent its
absence.” -Immortan Joe
11. Themes
● Mad Max (1979)
o Revenge
o Greed
o The Law
o Family
● Mad Max: Fury Road
(2015)
o Survival
o Ecological Collapse
o Morality
o Home
o Redemption (Biblical)
12. Setting
● Mad Max (1979)
o Anarchie Road
o Civilization
o Police & The Law
(Halls of Justice)
o The Ocean
o Highways and Roads
● Mad Max: Fury
Road (2015)
o Fury Road
o Wasteland
o Dictatorship
o “The Green Place”
o Desert
Ideology, which is embedded within Films, are not about the relationship between people and production, but of the relationship between people’s feelings and production. He goes on to say how these feelings are “schooled” and fabricated by other systems.
the digital revolutions from the late 50’s to the late 70’s had officially set in and technology began to grow
Anxiety and hope are inseparable within film ideology, and mass culture is driven by these anxieties and hopes to fulfill fantasies
Basically, the film industry says the wishes and fantasies placed within the 1980’s movies are becoming more true now, and reinforces the anxieties/hopes we have about technology. However, the revivals are even further dystopian and anxieties are brought to attention even more than hope
We picked Mad Max for continuity with the director’s intentions. Both films and sequels to the original were made by George Miller. It also recently came out, most of you have seen it, and it has been a box office success many times
Hope in the old one. Anxiety in the new one.
TODO - Luqman
Find clip of Max from both movies
Furiosa is a fearless heroine.
Mad Max - Fury Road (2015)
Max
One of the survivors of the nuclear disaster.
The war boys called him as the blood bag
Captured by the immortal Joe men and used as a universal blood donor
He don’t talk too much. Using sign most of the time. Don’t even tell his name to Furiosa when asked at first.
He was selfish.
During the first scene of Max with his car in a desert (1:32), there is a background voice of kids, “Help us, Max.You promised to help us.”. Right after that, he step on the lizards and replied, “I tell myself They cannot touch me They are long dead.” Left with his car afterwards
He stole the oil rig and left Furiosa, the five women and Nux
He did not see Angharad went underwheel but he lied to save himself
When he tried to run away, he saw shadow of young kids that told him, “You let us die!” , “Help us, Max.You promised to help us
Furiosa
Joe's lieutenants
She was assigned to collect gasoline and bullet from gas town and bullet farm
She started the revolution against Immortal Joe by detouring to the green place when she supposed to collect the gasoline and the bullet
She brought 5 women who is the wives of Joe. She did not kidnapped them but the women persuaded her to follow along
Smart and brave
Her hand is maimed and she had a mechanical hand for that
Nux
One of the war boys.
He is sick. Dying and depending on his blood bag to stay alive. -
"I'm not staying here dying soft." "Ah, you're already a corpse."
Decided to join the pursuit of Furiosa by strapping his blood bag which is max to his lancer
Immortan Joe
Primary antagonist
He intimidating the War Boys by wearing an armor that is decorated with the service medals.
He controlled the water and green supply including the breast milk. The breast milk is only for his son who will be his successor
The war boys treated him and thought he is a god. He promised the War Boys eternal life with him in Valhalla by sacrificing their life for him.
“"He is the one who grabbed the sun."
Treated women as object instead of human. He called the five wives as his treasures
Guitarist
First seen when Immortal Joe and all the war machines was chasing Imperator Furiosa
Used as a war booster to the soldiers (War boys, Immortal Joe, etc)
Mad Max(1979)
Max
A police officer with Main Force Patrol
He decided to quit MFP after Goose was killed because scared of his life.
Fif suggested him to get short vacation first before deciding final decision
After ToeCutter killed his wife and his baby, he took revenge on them and killed the whole gang.
Jessie
Wife of Max
Office Goose
A police officer with Main Force Patrol
He is very upset when Johnny is released by the court when the witnesses were not showing up. Decided to bring it to the road as long as the paperwork is clean
Survived the first attempt of ToeCutter to kill him. But we was burned and killed by ToeCutter on the second attempt
ToeCutter
The primary antagonist
A member of motorcycle gang that commit multiple crimes like stealing fuel, vandalism, rape, etc
He wanted a revenge for the death of Nightrider
Killed after colliding with a semi when he was chased by Max
Nightrider
He killed an officer of MFP and stole a pursuit special
Escaped from the chase of two MFP cars and a superbike
Killed after colliding with a semi when Max chased him
Mel Gibson played a more heroic character compared to Tom Hardy
Mel Gibson had the power, Tom hardy lost the power
Both
Jessie
Romantic. Attached to Max.
Emotional. Begging for his baby from ToeCutter
Feminine looks and attires
Furiosa
Bionic arm symbolize power, strength, influence
She killed Immortan Joe
Played by the same actors. Main antagonist of the movie Both have anxiety.
ToeCutter anxious with the direction of the technologies.He loots powerful cars, the family structure, gases. ToeCutter has the law above him, Immortan Joe is the one created the law. He anxious with the resources. He controlled the water, foods and traded it with bullets and oils.
