Analysis of characterisation and representation of Scientists in Sci Fi films

1. CHARACTERISATION
AND REPRESENATION IN
SCI FI FILMS 2
SCIENTISTS
THE GOOD, THE BAD THE MAD AND THE ‘OTHER’

2. USE ONE OF YOUR CASE
STUDIES TO INVESTIGATE THIS
ARCHETYPE OF SCIENCE
FICTION
Why is the scientist nearly always male?
Describe his appearance in detail. What can you say about his
nationality, age and race?

3. What settings do you see him in?
How would you describe the character’s personality/the
actor’s performance?

4. How is he shown to be different from/similar to the other
characters in the film?
What has he created/done with technology and why?
What do you think his role in the narrative is?

5. What ideas/themes in the film is he connected with?
What notions(ideas) about morality are explored?
Does he discuss the reasons for his actions and the rights
and wrongs of them?

6. What is his attitude to society? Does he reject its values- if so, on what
grounds?
What relationships does he have? Are they valued by him?
How would you describe a stereotypical scientist? How appropriate is
such a description to this scientist? How therefore would you say
Scientists are being represented in this text and in Sci Fi generally?
Extension- has the representation of the Scientist in Sci Fi films
changed over time? Do your own research to answer this question by
referring to examples.