The Day The Earth Stood Still Seminar Reflection

In this seminar, I found that one topic really stuck out to me. When we were on the topic of the way people reacted when they saw the alien in The Day the Earth Stood Still, we got onto the topic of how people ran away when the ship arrived, but returned as soon as military people surrounded it. The thing that got me was when Erik said, "people feel they need the military to approach the situation." This started getting me to the idea that even though people seem so strongly against militant forces, they still cling to them for protection.

Thursday 5/21/09

• Compare The Thing with The Day the Earth Stood Still. Based on the text and the categories we discussed in class, which one is more conservative and the other more liberal/progressive? Why? Are they critical of the same things or different things? Support your answer from scenes in the movie and/or ideas from the text.

In my opinion, I think that The Thing was much more conservative than The Day the Earth Stood Still. In our last seminar, we talked about how The Thing supported military by making them be the big heroes, which is my reasoning for thinking it is conservative. The reason I think that The Day the Earth Stood Still is Liberal is because the movie made military seem weak, and criticized a lot of ideals about the U.S. government.

The Thing Seminar Reflection

One of the things that really stuck out to me was the conversation about what the movie was trying to imply. Even though things seemed to get a bit off topic, I was quite proud that I was able to say something in order to get us on the right track. When I came up with the theory that the movie was making fun of neither the military nor the scientists, but the relationship between the two, I was very delighted to see that a few people, like Stephanie, nodded in agreement.

The Discussion really made me think about movies being made today. I began to wander if todays movies have a way of relating to today’s events, such as the war in Iraq. Some movies, like the new Star Trek one, catch my eye with stories that seem almost like what we have today.

Another thing that pops into my mind, possibly a question left unanswered, was if that these movies were actually made with implications, or if they were made solely for entertainment. I question whether or not these films are being made somewhat overdramatic by exaggerating some theoretical implications.

Tuesday 5/19/09

• Is your interpretation of the movie closer to something that Biskind would say or Jancovich? In other words, is The Thing more about the need to meet the alien (Soviet) Other with violence, or is it more about social tensions or contradictions in American society?

I think my interpretation is closer to Biskind's. I say this because in that time, everyone was paranoid and fearful of communists. This being so, I doubt very many movie makers would have made something that stressed change within America, under the fear of being accused of being an accomplice of communist spies.
However in my opinion, I think that these movies weren't intended for political interpretation at all. I believe that they were simply movies that were made for entertainment, just like how movies are made today.

Fat Man Seminar Review

One thing that really struck me during seminar was how Brandon related the Nuclear War with comic book characters. It was interesting to me because it demonstrated a type of coping mechanism for the Cold War, portraying radiation as a “superpower” rather than a disaster. I had merely one question of mine that was answered, which was about the title page and what the picture on it meant. However one question that still lingers, and wasn’t quite answered, was about how fallout shelters would save lives, and whether or not the world would really end up like a Nazis paradise in post Nuclear War.

Dr. Strangelove Short Review

The movie Dr. Strangelove showed very interesting example of nuclear war, not to mention the relation of the text we have read. In the movie, it showed some of Herman Kahn’s point of view when the general wished to go ahead and attack the Soviet Union. This is related because Herman Kahn wanted to get the war over with. The reason why I think it may be different is because the general wanted to be the first to strike, whereas Herman Kahn wanted them to strike, and the U.S. to counter with greater force.

• I would definitely like to know more about the fallout shelters, their purposes, and how they were built.

Wendsday 5/6/09

• I think that the president approached the situation in a completely reasonable, and right, way. In my opinion, Mr. Groeteschele's suggestion would cause certain death amongst thousands. Starting a war would not leave America any better off, than if America had bombed one city. The question there is whether it's more worth it to save the few, or the many.

• I would like to know the scientific outcome of a nuclear war. I would like to see the amount of damge calculated, and the odds of humanity rebulding a functional society afterwards.