Final

Nawrocki
15 May 2009

Tron vs. The Matrix: Humans beware!

The human race’s very right to exist is threatened in the films: Tron (Lisberger, 1982, USA) and The Matrix (1999, Wachowski). While both movies could be viewed as simply the classic battle between good and evil, a more in depth look will reveal a critique of man’s war with his technological creations. Throughout history, we have seen time and again man attempt to undo the repercussions caused by his technology. The best example of this would the death and destruction that has come from the evolution of machines of war. Both movies use this idea as a primer for their respective movie plots. Both stories involve humans and the machines they’ve created battling for survival, the roles of who rules who lies in the balance. As spectators we are not only visually entertained but get the unique ability to watch (and not be destroyed along with everything else) as humans and machines battle for superiority with the fate of the world at stake.
There are some strong similarities between the Master Control Program (in Tron) and the artificially intelligent machines(in The Matrix). Both present humans as inferior to the machine creations and it is the machines who feel the humans should now serve that which they created. The “programs,” in the movie Tron, (which are controlled by humans and can be interpreted as extensions of humanity) are now enslaved to the machines, and must serve as gladiatorial entertainment. Humans are used as a source of energy/food in The Matrix and are kept in a form of suspended animation to keep them under control. .
In both films the human is clearly defined as the hero. Especially in The Matrix as Neo is labeled with the grand title of “the one.” The character Tron takes the lead role as the hero in the movie titled after his name, however Flynn along with other humans, also perform many heroic deeds such as risking their lives for the other characters.
The machine (alien other) challenges humans by not only attacking their right to live, but by threatening complete control/slavery on them. One could make the argument that because the machines and MCP have surpassed the humans as the most intelligent/powerful beings on the planet they have every right to be the highest on the food chain. Nobody ever asked Darwin what if some species evolved to a point beyond that of human beings. Perhaps he would argue that the machines in both movies have every right to exist, to dominate all those under them. Those who are best fit to control the “lesser” species earn the right to rule the planet.
That is what is so interesting about movies such as these; we get to play out the fantastic scenario of the human race being taken over by artificially intelligent machines without having to go through the terrors of enslavement and death. As I mentioned earlier, we are not only treated to a visually entertaining spectacle of science fiction lore, but also faced with unique philosophical questions about man’s right to rule the planet and evolution itself.
This line of thinking parallels the anxiety over man’s ability to reproduce that is addressed later in the essay. Once faced with extinction, all that man has created in our history is threatened with annihilation. There is no longer a next generation of human’s that will inherit all we have created. The survival of the species now takes the highest importance. All else takes a back seat, because of this we would see an unity amongst all the people on the planet. This theme has been used in many science fiction films besides the two mentioned in this essay. The films Independence Day (Emmerich, 1996, USA) and the Star Trek (Roddenbery) movies depict the human race as putting aside their petty differences and coming together to face greater evils.
As far as the historical context of these films is concerned, this point is difficult for me to argue because I’ve found no documentation that Tron was written as a “message for the times.” It very well could have been designed simply as a new interpretation of the hero “coming of age” in an entirely new way. So it would be just pure conjecture for me to state that Tron is speaking to society’s dependence on machines or is some type of warning to future generations. However with that being said I think the movie could easily fulfill that message. It appears to be a message of warning to make sure we remain in control of that which we create. To not become too dependant on technology appears to be safe, sound advice for anyone open to the message. It would be best to look at technology as just another tool to help humans be more efficient and effective at whatever task is at hand. But the pursuit of faster, more intelligent machines could easily lead us down this path of dependence.
The Matrix, on the other hand has been thoroughly examined by nearly every critic and armchair philosopher as containing many messages about such topics as Buddhism, Christianity and the nature of man’s dependence on machines.
Neither movie would be as successful were it not based (somewhat) on the technology of the time: Tron’s plot bases itself in the motif and style of the golden age of video games. The Matrix bases itself in virtual technology and the internet.


Both movies appear to look slightly ahead of the times in which they were written and how they depict humanity. Tron illustrates the age of the video arcade and The Matrix explores the infancy of artificial intelligence. When considering these timelines, it could be assumed that the films realistically warn the viewers of man’s dependence on the machines he’s created to make life “easier” as both technologies attempt or succeed at taking over their “masters.”
It should be noted that while humans are portrayed as the hero, not all the technology is evil. The character of “The Oracle” in The Matrix serves as a guide for the characters and supports the human resistance even though she is a program inside the matrix. Tron features an “elder program” that guides and protects the characters of Tron and Yuri from those that wish to capture them. Both movies contain machines that help the heroes in their attempts to thwart the plans of taking over or destroying the human race. Perhaps this is to show that not all of man’s creations should be considered “evil” but the manner in which they are used that determines their fate.
ers of “Cornelius and Zira who befriend (the humans) and enable (them) to escape the wrath of the leader…Dr. Zaius” (Cornea 181) This is exactly the same situation in Tron and The Matrix where the humans are assisted by a small group of machines who rebel against their counterparts.
Another parallel found in both films is anxiety over man’s ability to reproduce. The Matrix exemplifies this more easily with the fields of men and women being harvested by the machines for food. The following screen capture literally illustrates how the machines have turned the tables on mankind in The Matrix. Reproduction is no longer a biological process, but a mechanical one where the machines now harvest humans as a source of energy.




This is very similar to the “technophobia” section we read about in week four of this semester. Not unlike the character of Deckard in Bladerunner (1982) there is a clear distinction between human and machine reproduction in all three movies. Humans (and all of the “good guys” in both movies) show positive emotions such as love and kindness while the machines only illustrate negative ones like hatred and anger. It is this distinction that illustrates how even though the machines may be intellectually superior to their human creators, they are still emotionally inferior.
Tron expressed this idea differently as “programs”, which are extensions of “humanity” are used for entertainment in gladiatorial games and resemble the humans who designed them. They have all the same feelings and attitudes of those that they were designed to serve. Take for instance the relationship between the characters of Tron and Yuri, which parallels the love of their programmers in the “real world.”




This screen capture most accurately represents the fact that because they are on the side of good they are able to experience one of the most positive emotions of all, that of love. We never see “Agent Smith” or the Master Control Program fall in love. That is because they are the bad guys in their corresponding movies and are emotionally inferior to their human creators.
One of human beings main goals in life is to reproduce. When this ability is manipulated or taken away, some may argue that part of our humanity is also taken away.
Perhaps since Flynn is the one who originally created the program that evolved into what is known as the Master Control Program it could be viewed as a form of “self-reproduction.” Since Flynn himself created the program you could say that there is a “part” of him in his creation.
This argument could be extended to all of man’s creations. People could argue that technology has benefited mankind; however the advancement of weapons has hurt or killed millions of people. There could be some argument that from a psychological perspective that is why Flynn is so driven to destroy the machine, because it represents the evil in himself.
Reproduction takes on a much different appearance as it relates to the relationship of the character of Trinity and Neo in The Matrix. Amongst all the machines and special effects gunfire, a very realistic “human” love grows between the two characters. In fact, at the end of the movie the sounds of the machines attacking the ship along with immanent death, the background explosions quiet as she professes her love for Neo.



It is this human love of theirs that can also be viewed as victory over the artificially intelligent machines. As mentioned earlier, the machines are still inferior to the humans emotionally and may never be able to experience the full range of human emotions, thereby preventing them from truly being “alive.”
Perhaps it is through these examples of Flynn taking on the MCP in Tron and Trinity and Neo falling in love in the face of certain death in The Matrix that the humans are able to challenge the machines they stand up against. They are using that which the machines will never have, passion, be it romantic or just plain old determination to win the day.
It is through these fictional stories that we are not only entertained, allowing us to forget the “real world” and live our some fantasy, but also able to look at the world in a new way. Technologically speaking, both movies were representative of the times of which they were written, and therefore offer some social commentary on man’s infatuation/dependence on technology. They also serve as a critique of the forces of reproduction and how it can be perceived by human beings. Through these movies we are able to explore philosophical questions without risking death and/or enslavement.


Works Cited
Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema, Between Fantasy and Reality. New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2007.
Dyer, Richard. Modern Classics. London, England, 1999.

The movie poster above illustrates this idea of the program communicating with his creator. This act of autonomous communication implies of level of thinking beyond that of a program executing its purpose. The key piece that has separated humans as the dominate species on the planet has been our intelligence and ability to be self-aware. Now when the idea of thinking machines (who exceed us intelligence) and are self-aware, are introduced into the equation our uniqueness is imposed upon. This takes an underappreciated sci-fi movie and transforms it into a philosophical/social commentary on the human condition, which would not be possible without the use of special effects.
Tron takes our imagination to a new level by giving a glimpse of what “cyberspace” looks like. Programs are no longer just bits of code written to carry out tasks. They live and die, love and hate much like their human creators do. In fact, one of the main villains in the movie, the Master Control Program is obsessed with the idea of total control. Not just of the “cyberverse” but control over the universe the humans live in as well. By showing us this first person view of what the programs go through (light-cycle races, gladiatorial combat, prison as well as the full range of “human emotions) there is an entire background of thought that is implied and never directly mentioned to the audience. Without the use of CGI to illustrate cyberspace, the arguments of sentience and superiority fall short.



The scene above shows how the “MCP” is portrayed in the movie through the use of computer generated imaging. He is essentially a giant face that resembles a human being. It is this use of special effect that perpetuates the idea of man vs. machine throughout the movie. If the main villain were portrayed through the use of some other type of effect (such as robotics or puppetry) that message of man’s uniqueness being imposed upon would become lost on the audience. It is the use of the CGI that drives the message home. The audience would not believe the MCP is possible and the argument loses believability.
The special effects appear to take on a type of “character” of their own in the movie. In fact, the movie would not be effective, not even possible before this technology was created. Without the effects, the movie would fail in its message to the audience.
Imagine the movie Tron created in the 1950’s, with the cinema technology of the time. The movie would not be able to carry the same message of the 1980 sci-fi classic. Simply put, the effects help propel the movie forward and without them, the movie would not succeed in convincing the audience of the level of “humanity” reached by these machine counterparts.
While the idea of being “human” is usually separated from artificial intelligence in the idea that we are capable of such unique emotions such as passion and love, Tron breaches that gap in the idea that the hero (who is a computer program) is involved in a romantic relationship. Since that last chasm that separated us from our machine creations has been breached, it is interesting to think that there is virtually nothing that separates us from an artificially intelligent machine.


The scene above illustrates this range of emotions experienced by the programs. Without the special effects in this scene such as the lighting of the costumes and the black-lighting in the background this scene simply appears to be two lovers. But with the special effects inserted, it now translates into the evolution of computer programs as sentient beings loving like their human creators do.
Below is another example of how emotions are amplified in the movie. Below we see one of the villains of the movie; however without the same use of neon and black-lights in the background, it would appear to only be a man who is angry. Instead, we have a sinister computer program determined to destroy Tron and Flynn. Typically only humans would be able to express emotions such as these, but the special effects transcend that logic and convince the audience that computer programs have achieved not only sentience, but are emotional equals to their creators.


It is the gap between the “human’s” world and a world shared with machines that moves from the reality we live in to the hyper-reality we learned about in week 11. Our reality becomes corrupted and this new reality (one we must consider not just in the movie but in our everyday lives) takes over. (Mellencamp)
So instead of technology showing us how different we are from our machine creations, the movie Tron is an excellent example of how the differences are almost unperceivable. Any argument that one could create to distinguish humans from machines can be countered. Humans are nothing more than advanced, biological machines themselves with systems designed for specialized tasks; this is no different than a computer program. It is these philosophical questions that are generated by movies such as Tron and potentially, answered.


Works Cited
Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema, Between Fantasy and Reality. New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2007.
Dyer, Richard. Modern Classics. London, England, 1999.

How the movie Tron “affects” us in a special way.

Dave Nawrocki
Film 201
22 April 2009
How the movie Tron “affects” us in a special way.
Tron (Lisberger, 1982, USA) is the story of a computer programmer, Flynn, who gets transported inside cyberspace by an evil super-computer. The 1982 sci-fi classic that was one of the first movies to use special effects so dramatically to establish a believable scenario for the audience. By using special effects so effectively it transcended the concept of intelligence and sentience. It specifically emphasized the use of special effects to focus on the relationships between not only man and machine, but between machines themselves, by portraying them as sentient beings.

The movie poster above illustrates this idea of the program communicating with his creator. This act of autonomous communication implies of level of thinking beyond that of a program executing its purpose. The key piece that has separated humans as the dominate species on the planet has been our intelligence and ability to be self-aware. Now when the idea of thinking machines (who exceed us intelligence) and are self-aware, are introduced into the equation our uniqueness is imposed upon. This takes an underappreciated sci-fi movie and transforms it into a philosophical/social commentary on the human condition, which would not be possible without the use of special effects.
Tron takes our imagination to a new level by giving a glimpse of what “cyberspace” looks like. Programs are no longer just bits of code written to carry out tasks. They live and die, love and hate much like their human creators do. In fact, one of the main villains in the movie, the Master Control Program is obsessed with the idea of total control. Not just of the “cyberverse” but control over the universe the humans live in as well. By showing us this first person view of what the programs go through (light-cycle races, gladiatorial combat, prison as well as the full range of “human emotions) there is an entire background of thought that is implied and never directly mentioned to the audience. Without the use of CGI to illustrate cyberspace, the arguments of sentience and superiority fall short.

The scene above shows how the “MCP” is portrayed in the movie through the use of computer generated imaging. He is essentially a giant face that resembles a human being. It is this use of special effect that perpetuates the idea of man vs. machine throughout the movie. If the main villain were portrayed through the use of some other type of effect (such as robotics or puppetry) that message of man’s uniqueness being imposed upon would become lost on the audience. It is the use of the CGI that drives the message home. The audience would not believe the MCP is possible and the argument loses believability.
The special effects appear to take on a type of “character” of their own in the movie. In fact, the movie would not be effective, not even possible before this technology was created. Without the effects, the movie would fail in its message to the audience.
Imagine the movie Tron created in the 1950’s, with the cinema technology of the time. The movie would not be able to carry the same message of the 1980 sci-fi classic. Simply put, the effects help propel the movie forward and without them, the movie would not succeed in convincing the audience of the level of “humanity” reached by these machine counterparts.
While the idea of being “human” is usually separated from artificial intelligence in the idea that we are capable of such unique emotions such as passion and love, Tron breaches that gap in the idea that the hero (who is a computer program) is involved in a romantic relationship. Since that last chasm that separated us from our machine creations has been breached, it is interesting to think that there is virtually nothing that separates us from an artificially intelligent machine.

The scene above illustrates this range of emotions experienced by the programs. Without the special effects in this scene such as the lighting of the costumes and the black-lighting in the background this scene simply appears to be two lovers. But with the special effects inserted, it now translates into the evolution of computer programs as sentient beings loving like their human creators do.
Below is another example of how emotions are amplified in the movie. Below we see one of the villains of the movie; however without the same use of neon and black-lights in the background, it would appear to only be a man who is angry. Instead, we have a sinister computer program determined to destroy Tron and Flynn. Typically only humans would be able to express emotions such as these, but the special effects transcend that logic and convince the audience that computer programs have achieved not only sentience, but are emotional equals to their creators.

It is the gap between the “human’s” world and a world shared with machines that moves from the reality we live in to the hyper-reality we learned about in week 11. Our reality becomes corrupted and this new reality (one we must consider not just in the movie but in our everyday lives) takes over. (Mellencamp)
So instead of technology showing us how different we are from our machine creations, the movie Tron is an excellent example of how the differences are almost unperceivable. Any argument that one could create to distinguish humans from machines can be countered. Humans are nothing more than advanced, biological machines themselves with systems designed for specialized tasks; this is no different than a computer program. It is these philosophical questions that are generated by movies such as Tron and potentially, answered.


Works Cited
Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema, Between Fantasy and Reality. New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2007.
Dyer, Richard. Modern Classics. London, England, 1999.

Midterm

Tron vs. The Matrix: Humans beware!

Them human race’s very right to exist is threaten in both feature films: Tron and The Matrix. While it could be viewed as simply the classic battle between good and evil, a more in depth look will reveal a critique of man’s war with his own creations. Throughout history, we have seen time and again man attempt to undo what he has done with his technological creations. The best example of this would the death that has come from the evolution of his various killing machines, primarily nuclear weapons. Both movies use this idea as a primer for their respective movie plots. Both stories involve humans and the machines they’ve created battling for survival, the roles of who rules who lies in the balance.
There are some strong similarities between the Master Control Program and the artificially intelligent machines. Both view humans as being lesser beings than the machine creations who should now serve that which they created. The “programs,” in the movie Tron, (which are controlled by humans and can be interpreted as extensions of humanity) are now enslaved to the machines, as gladiatorial entertainment and humans are used as a source of energy/food in The Matrix.
In both films the human is defined as the hero. Especially in The Matrix as Neo is labeled with the grand title of “the one.” The character Tron takes the lead role as the hero in the movie titled after his name, however Flynn, a human programmer, also performs many heroic deeds such as risking his life for the other characters.
The machine (alien other) challenges humans by not only attacking their right to live, but by threatening complete control/slavery on them. One could make the argument that because the machines and MCP have surpassed the humans as the most intelligent/powerful beings on the planet they have every right to be the highest on the food chain. Nobody ever asked Darwin what if some species evolved to a point beyond that of human beings. Perhaps he would argue that the machines in both movies have every right to exist, to dominate all those under them. The idea of the machines taking over and dominating us is not much different than humans using pigs and cows for food. Those who are best fit to control the “lesser” species rule the planet. But that is a topic for another paper.
As far as the historical context is concerned as it relates to these films this point is difficult for me to argue because I’ve found no documentation that Tron was written as a “message for the times.” So it would be just pure conjecture for me to state that Tron is speaking to society’s future dependence on machines or is some type of warning to future generations. However with that being said I think the movie could easily fulfill that message quite easily. It appears to be a message of warning to make sure we remain in control of that which we create. To not let it become too “self-aware” so that we do not become slaves to the creation.
The Matrix, on the other hand has been thoroughly examined by nearly every critic and armchair philosopher as containing many messages about such topics as Buddhism, Christianity and the nature of man’s dependency on machines.
Neither movie would be as successful if it were not based (somewhat) on the technology of the time. Tron’s plot bases itself in video games and The Matrix with its base in virtual technology and the internet.
Both movies appear to look slightly forward of the time they were written and depict. Tron illustrates the golden age of the video arcade and The Matrix the infancy of the creation of artificial intelligence. When considering these timelines, it could be assumed that the films realistically warn the viewers of man’s dependency on the machines he’s created to make life “easier” as both technologies attempt or succeed at taking over their “masters.”
It should be noted that while humans are portrayed as the hero, not all the technology is evil. Both movies contain machines that help the heroes in their attempts to thwart the plans of taking over or destroying the human race. Perhaps this is to show that not all of man’s creations should be considered “evil” but it’s how they are used that determines their fate.
We learned about the “alien other” in week six of this semester’s readings when we dove into the topic of race as it relates to the sci-fi genre. Cornea uses the film Planet of the Apes to explain how the characters of “Cornelius and Zira who befriend (the humans) and enable (them) to escape the wrath of the leader…Dr. Zaius” (Cornea 181) This is exactly the same situation in Tron and The Matrix where the humans are assisted by a small group of machines who rebel against their counterparts.
Another parallel found in both films is anxiety over man’s ability to reproduce. The Matrix exemplifies this more easily with the fields of men and women being harvested by the machines for food. The following literally illustrates how the machines have turned the tables on mankind in The Matrix. Reproduction is no longer a biological process, but a mechanical one where the machines now harvest humans as a source of energy.

This is very similar to the “technophobia” section we read about in week four of this semester. Not unlike the character of Deckard in Bladerunner there is a clear distinction between human and machine reproduction in all three movies. Tron expressed this idea differently as “programs”, which are extensions of “humanity” are used for entertainment in gladiatorial games and are not all that different from the humans who design them. They have all the same feelings and attitudes of those that they serve. Take for instance the relationship between the characters of Tron and Yuri, which parallels the love of their programmers in the “real world.”

One of human beings main goals in life is to reproduce. When this ability is manipulated or taken away, some may argue that part of our humanity is also taken away. Perhaps since Flynn is the one who originally created the program that evolved into what is known as the Master Control Program it could be viewed as a form of “self-reproduction.” Since Flynn himself created the program you could say that there is a part” of him in his creation.

This argument could be extended to all of man’s creations. Take the idea of technology and weaponry. People could argue that technology has benefited mankind; however the advancement of more and more weapons has hurt or killed millions of people. There could be some argument that from a psychological perspective that is why Flynn is so driven to destroy the machine, because it represents himself.
Reproduction takes on a much different appearance as it relates to the relationship of the character of Trinity and Neo in The Matrix. Amongst all the machines and special effects gunfire, a very realistic “human” love grows between the two characters. In fact, at the end of the movie the sounds of the machines attacking the ship along with immanent death, the background explosions quiet as she professes her love for Neo.

It is this human love of theirs that can also be viewed as victory over the artificially intelligent machines.
Perhaps it is through these examples of Flynn taking on the MCP and Trinity and Neo falling in love in the face of certain death that the humans are able to challenge the machines they stand up against. They are using that which the machines will never have, passion, be it romantic or just plain old determination.


Works Cited
Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema, Between Fantasy and Reality. New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2007.
Dyer, Richard. Modern Classics. London, England, 1999.

Dave Nawrocki

Film 301

18 February 18, 2009

Tron both reflects and is impacted by the video game generation

The early eighties was an interesting time in the United States, the cold war was nearing the end and America was still considered the foremost superpower in the world. Technology was developing at a phenomenal rate and this “success” was also reflected in the movie-scene of the era, pac-man and space invaders were a hit at the arcade. These technologies allowed for new types of films to be produced and also gave writers new avenues to pursue never before thought of plot ideas. One such movie that took the science fiction genre to a new level was Steven Lisberger’s cult classic Tron.

Years before the idea of the internet was made popular or even public, the movie suggests the technology that can take matter and transfer it into a computer program. The main character “Flynn” gets trapped in a program (lured there by the Master Control Program) and is forced to compete in gladiatorial games.

How do we identify the movie Tron as a work of science fiction? There are many ways to answer that question. First is the very basis of the movie taking place inside a computer limits the movie to the “sci-fi” genre as it would not fit into a drama, western, comedy or any other type of film genre. Secondly, as probably the easiest identifier, is the use of special effects, specifically the use computer generated graphics and sound effects. There is virtually no way ideas such as “data-discs, light-cycles and space paranoids” could be used in another movie genre.

The screen capture above shows the interaction between two “programs” and their style of dress with electronic circuitry clearly displays a sci-fi “feel” that would be out of place in any other genre.

We learned in the first week’s reading that the sci-fi genre has a certain iconographic look to it (Greene) and this is truly fulfilled by the costumes the programs wear along with the ships they fly in and the vehicles they drive (as evidenced by the following screen capture from the end of the light-cycle battle.) Here is probably the most famous scene from the movie and, coincidently the most “video-game” like.

While the movie also has scenes that take place outside the computer world, there is more than enough sci-fi iconography to justify putting the film in the genre.

The movie was produced in the early eighties by the Disney Corporation (after being passed on by many other companies) and was given a generous budget of $17 million. Nominated for best costume design and best sound and went on to make $33 million in North America, making it a moderately successful film, especially amongst those who played video games. This is a considerable feat considering it was Steven Lisberger’s first major feature film. None of his other works received the fanfare that Tron did and add no information to the purposes of this essay.

The early eighties were a very successful time for the sci-fi genre with blockbusters like Blade Runner (1982), E.T. (1982) and Terminator (1984.) Unlike these other films, Tron took a leap with the special effects in the movie and used film techniques that had never been used on such a large budget film before. While many of them depicted the classic battle between good and evil, Tron did so with a unique twist that was only possible in the science fiction genre. Below is the movie poster for the motion picture.

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It shows the hero with his data-disc communicating with his programmer “Allen.” It also shows the female lead character and Tron’s love interest, Yori. Notice, again their costumes, trimmed in the same neon glow we see throughout the movie in the computer landscape.

Perhaps the reason the film was not immediately as successful as hoped as it was still early in the development of the video game system. (Cornea, 255) Very soon into the 1980’s the home video game system became exceptionally popular and a movie depicting warriors inside a computer would have reached a larger audience had it been released later in the 1980’s.

In conclusion, the movie Tron’s success, or at the time of its release lack thereof, is intertwined with the technological advance of the day. This coincides with other science fiction works of the time period. Had the movie been released much earlier, it may not have developed the cult following it has today. It’s also easy to say that the movie may have been more successful had the release been delayed slightly to better reach the upcoming video game generation.

Works Cited

Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema. New Brunswick New Jersey: Rutger’s University Press, 2007

Greene, Shelleen. American Science-Fiction Film. Institute of Public Affairs Review, 2009.

Tron. Steven Lisberger. 1982. Film. Disney Corporation. 2003. DVD Disney Home Video.

The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084827.) Searched on 17 February, 2009.

The science ficiton genre seperates itself from other genres (such as western or gangster) in the fact that people grew up seeing all these films and they take on certain "looks" that become the genre. You see a cowboy and know it's a western film, you see Al Capone and know it's a gangter film. Sci-fi films are not as easily "pigeon-holed." You may be able to know the film is in space but the plot and characters can be drastically different, and therefore it may not actually be a science fiction film. The props used such as costumes and weapons also lend to this idea.
In regards to how Hel is regarded in the fantastic context ( between the marvelous and uncanny.) This context is defined as falling outside of the rational or relastic, and this makes sense as making a evil robot "clone" of a woman for the specific purposes of manipulating your son certainly is not realistic by today's technological standards. The book states that "marvelous" deals with the supernatural and "uncanny" deals more with the unconscious mind, so neither of these deginitions would encapsalate the character of Hel/Maria. The fantastic seems to play on ideas that are based somewhat in reality (such as cyborgs and artificial intelligence, things that are in their infancy today.)