Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Instructor: Andrew Owen, Ph.D., Lebanon Valley College
“Not an easy thing, to meet your maker…” At the center of Blade Runner (1982) are the Nexus-Six replicants—the zenith of humanity’s Promethean impetus to create life. They are creations superior to their creators, machines designed to perform the tasks that their designers cannot, programmed with a four-year lifespan, ensuring the totality of their subservience. They are meant to advance humanity’s cause, to conquer in its name, but not to share in its glory.
Join us for this seminar exploring Ridley Scott’s science-fiction masterpiece. We will examine the portrayal of the robot in cinema, an anthropomorphic fiction that embodies humanity’s struggle to remain dominant over the machines it creates, allowing us to reflect upon our propensity as a species to subjugate, to enslave, and to enforce economic subordination onto others. We will also discuss how Scott’s film goes beyond these areas, challenging us to confront the purpose of our existence, asking us to explore what it is to be human, and, in a rainswept nightmare of urban decay, daring to provide us with answers.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please email BMFI Programs and Education Coordinator Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$25 for members, $35 for non-members
Schedule