TRON 1982
Steven Lisberger
TRON Legacy 2010
Joseph Kosinski
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Jean Baudrillard - a famous philosopher - in his books uses the phrase "fanstasma". It is a combination of words "fantasy" and "dogma" and describes subconciuos meanings which appear in all generations throughout the history of humankind. Sometimes they change in time, sometimes they remain the same for centuries and motivate us, usually without our knowledge. Fantasma is a dogma for our mind which we secretly want to brake.
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One of the dogmas of our existece is that we can't live life on trial. We have only one copy of our entity. And it somehow seems not to be very fair, as we can test everything else before we learn how to use it properly or before we buy it. Here we are left with no sample tests. Our choices are irreversible. It is frustrating and risky. That is why people have always been trying to create a different world, an alternative universe for ourselves which we can go into if the hard copy of our life appears full of bugs.
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Men have always been moving on a border of two or more worlds. But somehow we know it is wrong to give up life in this reality for a life in a different one without superior force's permission (God's, destiny's, fortune's) and escape. Fantasma in this case is a wishful thought that we on our own can get away to a new dimension, somehow quit being ourselves, but not die and turn into a new, better entity. When technology appeared, people started fantasizing about turning complitely into a machine or a system - a new form of perfect, controlled existence. And they have been afraid of machines becoming self-aware, turning against them.
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I guess I enjoy science fiction movies and comics because they always move in the area of those subconcious meanings.
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"TRON" - a famous science fiction movie from 1982 - tells a story of a genius programmer and arcade games geek - Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) - who brakes into a large system - the Master Control Program (=MCP). It turns out the MCP gained independence and became a self-aware unit which aims at taking control of world's military defense systems.
"TRON" - a famous science fiction movie from 1982 - tells a story of a genius programmer and arcade games geek - Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) - who brakes into a large system - the Master Control Program (=MCP). It turns out the MCP gained independence and became a self-aware unit which aims at taking control of world's military defense systems.
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Kevin's ex-girlfriend Laura with a team of scientists creates a special molecular laser which, pointed at any objects, captures it, makes it dissappear and restores it in the cyberspace. Later the laser makes the object go back from the virtual space to our world again. The MCP becomes very powerful, turns the laser on itself and traps Kevin in the digital universe - The Grid.
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In The Grid Kevin realises the computer world is a space full of mountains, casms, vehicles and buildings where programs live their lives. Programs are not just lines of code - they all have a human form, wear funny futuristic clothes and helmets with fluorescent circuits. Every Program, in order to perform its' task, has got to fight like a warrior, climb hills, jump out of windows and risk life. Programs look like those who wrote them - The Users. Kevin wants to reach the brain of Master Control Program and shut it down. On his way he meets TRON - a program written by his friend. Surprisingly or not TRON has got a face and body of his human author.
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"TRON" is a story based on a fantasma of digital world of machines being alive. It is a mysterious dream about the inside of a computer system, which at that time was something people didn't have much idea about. There is a sense of enchantment with the new technology and fear of it. In the Medieval times people wrote stories about monsters and cyclopes living in distant lands or sees, because they had to fill the unknown space with life. The forms of life they created in their myths represented their fear, but at the same time fascination with the unknown and the extent of their imagination. Here people had to fill the unknown level of new technology with some life, too. "TRON" is in fact a very optimistic fantasy about this relatively barren land of programs and computers.
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2010 "TRON - Legacy" is the continuation of the original. Special effects are boosted a million times. The Grid is actually very much a Cyberpunk world. Vehicles and gadgets are upgraded, but they keep the spirit and idea of their originals. Music written by Daft Punk has got somewhat Kraftwerk's feeling. The movie is made both for the old TRON lovers and the young audience. Make ups and clothes are trully amazing and incredibly impressive. The Grid universe is solid. It is made in the 3D technology which increases the experience of adventure and being trapped in an alternative universe..
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Of course 1982 "TRON" was not deep psychological drama or an avantgarde picture. But its' screenplay was very innovative for that time. It was written when internet we now know didn't exist. And people had absolutely no clue the phenomenon of cyberspace would soon become a regular experience. They were enchanted with the idea of turning complitely into a digital signal and dissappearing from our world. In the movie there are a lot if 3D effects which at that time were probably incredibly innovative. Now they look very basic and naive, but at the same time a bit nostalgic. "TRON - Legacy" somehow grips the feeling of this nostalgia and memories, but in the spirit of now available technology and style. All representative elements from the first part are genuinly restored and upgraded, but with a bit of a retro geek touch. Even though there are compromises, there is a connection between the vintage past and modern presence in this sequel. And it is something to be appreciated.
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