Talking Technophobia in Film

In this class we will investigate popular, pivotal movies and discuss their fears, warnings, and possible solutions to this ever-increasing cultural technophobia. Discussion topics will include: "the mad scientist and you," "ghosts in the machines," "alfunctioning machinations,"risks and rewards," and "the power of human ingenuity."

Throughout these classes, we will discuss Modern Times, Frankenstein, The Fly, Godzilla, War of the Worlds , 2001: A Space Odessy, Moonraker, Blade Runner, Star Wars, The Matrix , and Wall-E.

Our first class will cover the 1993 blockbuster film, Jurassic Park, and touch upon its many conflicts with technology, the ethics of genetic engineering, themes including "chaos vs. control" and our cultural obsession with dinosaurs.