eXistenZ

For our first lecture back we watched a film called eXistenZ, directed by David Cronenberg. The film surrounds world of video games and how the reality of life is being altered by these games and that the characters within the film feel more real while in the games than in their real lives. We were asked to examine the film and write a short statement on the films Narrative, Interactivity and Convergence.



Narrative:
The narrative of the film is quite different to any film I have seen before, it is quite all over the place and disjointed and at some stages leaves the viewer quite confused of what is reality and what is the game world, I believe Cronenberg did this to relate to the world that we live many in today and how with advances in technology many people fell more at home or safe when surround by gadgets which the have become to rely on. Throughout the film the characters go on a journey within the game to save the game from people who wish to destroy it. Surrealism plays a big part within the film, this i believe is due to its narrative and its sense of unpredictability. The film ends with you learning that what you think to be the real world and the game word are in fact both the game world, again I think this relates to the world and how people are dependent on technology.

Interactivity:
I think when talking about interactivity and relating it to the film, Cronenberg tries to show that how the characters become engrossed within the game because they are enjoying it, yet throughout they make it aware by talking to each other that they no it is a game and not real life, this is similar to how the gaming world is expanding and more and more people are beginning to play video games, which like eXistenZ they know isn't real but the enjoyment overcomes them and they almost become zombies in a sense. Where the film takes it to a next level is when what the viewer believes to be the real world is in fact the game world, this takes a direct link again to advancing technology.

Convergence:
The convergence within the film is the game world and real world coming together, Cronenberg cleverly links these to by creating the idea that the characters and living out two lives one in the game world which is clearly fictional, and their lives in the real world where nothing is strange to them and it could quite easily be their real lives, by linking these two lives again Cronenberg is making a direct connotation to how technology has advanced and how it is part of peoples lives.