Dystopian genre analysis

1. Genre Analysis – Sci-Fi – Dystopia
Dystopian Science Fiction can be most easily described as the opposite of Utopia. It is set in
imperfect societies in the near-future. Dystopian Science Fiction often includes Utopian
elements like deep social control. These measures of control within future societies are
taken to the extreme within stories of Dystopian Science Fiction. Often Dystopian stories
look closely at who has the control and how the people of this society are oppressed by it
often leading to a rebellion. In many cases the control focuses on a political issues of the
time.
Often the dystopian story follows one character/sometimes a group (the protagonist) of the
narrative. The protagonist questions the oppression on the people and the political and
societal views of the time. Often use of costume separates these characters from the
protagonists and the antagonists. For example in THE HUNGER GAMES, a teenage dystopian
movie there is ‘the capital’ (the government) live, they oppress the rest of the people in ‘the
districts’ this segregation between the people with the control and the people without is
shown through
costume.
In these images
the people of
‘the districts’
wear
dull/colourless/
simple clothing.
Resembling clothing of a simpler society. Their hair is natural and neatly presented. This
immediately contrasts with the costume for people of the capital. The use of colour
enhances all their features and they look futuristic with their abstract makeup and hair. This
is clear demonstration of indicating to the audience the separation of their futuristic society.
Another feature of the
dystopian genre, like in
THE HUNGER GAMES, is
the use of violence.
Although not all films will,
the theme of rebellion
often involves conflicts
resulting in violence
between the protagonist
and antagonist. The violence may reoccur throughout the development of the plot as the
protagonists try and fail to banish the control resulting in a complex and exciting plot that
may lead to an intense battle between the distinct sides. This overall idea of a futuristic

2. society may be designed to resemble views of today’s society and develop on these ideas
standing as almost a prediction of a futuristic reality provoking not only fear but questioning
of today’s political/societal issues in the minds of the audience.
The first film of the genre Science Fiction was the influential German film
METROPLIS:
- ‘In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and
the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with
a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a saviour to
mediate their differences.’ – IMDB
- The plot greatly resembles that of a dystopian future composed of
opposing views/issues in which a protagonist wishes to break the
barriers of their separation.
List of famous dystopian directors:
 AndrewNiccol
 Terry Gilliam
 StevenSpielberg
 Micheal Bay
 RidleyScott
 The Wachowski Brothers
List of famous dystopian actors:
 Keanu Reeves
 Harrison Ford
 Sigourney Weaver
 Arnold Schwarzenegger