Science in the Mass Media

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Science in the Mass Media

• Lecture 9
• Science in Film and TV
• Thursday 19th March 2009

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• The cinematograph film today is one of the most
  widely used means for the amusement of the public
  at large. It is also undoubtedly an important
  factor in the education of all classes of the
  community, in the spread of national culture and
  in presenting national ideas and customs in the
  world.
• Its potentialities moreover in shaping the ideas
  of the very large numbers to whom it appeals are
  almost unlimited. The propaganda values of film
  cannot be overemphasised.
• 1936 Moyne Committee Report on the Cinematograph
  Films Act

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• A Fellow of an Oxford College no longer feels an
  embarrassed explanation to be necessary when he
  is leaving a cinema. A growing number of
  cultivated and unaffected people enjoy going to
  the pictures, and frequently not merely the
  performances of intellectual film societies, but
  also the local picture house.
• Commission on Educational and Cultural Films,
  The Film in National Life, 1932

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Metropolis (1927)
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Science fiction as popularisation

• Neither form much studied as a means of science
  communication
• Science fiction tends to be studied for what it
  says about society, not what it says about
  science
• Sci fi often ignored by studies of popularisation
  because it is fiction therefore does not equal
  science
• When it is noticed it is usually described in
  terms of its factual shortcomings
• Or that it promotes false ideas about
  science/promotes unorthodox science

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Science fiction - some definitions

• Robert Heinlein
• ... realistic speculation about possible future
  events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of
  the real world, past and present, and on a
  thorough understanding of the nature and
  significance of the scientific method.
• Arthur C. Clarke not prediction, but what if?
• Alvin Toffler (futurist) sci fi is
• a kind of sociology of the future a
  mind-stretching force for the creation of the
  habit of anticipation.
• Sam Moskowitz (editor) science fiction eases
  the willing suspense of disbelief
• H.G. Wells task of sci fi was to domesticate
  the impossible hypothesis

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Science in Film

• Edison Studios made silent Frankenstein film in
  1910
• James Whales Frankenstein, 1931
• Spent 250,000
• Made 12m
• Showed the commercial appeal of horror to mass
  audiences
• Example of film as a cultural amplifier
• Middle class audience of the novel replaced by
  mass audience
• Films need to speak in terms anyone/everyone can
  relate to

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The standard horror narrative

• Start with a nice ordinary situation
• Instability introduced
• Instability removed
• Stability restored
• (from an analysis of over 900 horror movies in
  UK screened between 1931 - 1984)
• Classic theme Scientist or scientific knowledge
  he has is cause of the instability

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Science in Film II

• Early twentieth century the mad german scientist
  very common
• In pre-war films the scientist was the cause of
  the instability, due to a moral failing, had
  abdicated his humanity
• Doctors only type of scientist who was still
  seen as moral
• Fed into debate about socialised medicine in US
• Post-war, the scientist seen outside of the lab,
  working for government
• Where was the place of the scientist after the
  war?

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The scientist as outsider

• Often depiction of scientist displayed social
  tensions over role in society at time
• Dresses differently, acts differently
• Different social norms
• Like any outsider figure
• Scapegoat for social ills
• Figure of fun
• Possibly saviour
• Main message - scientists are different

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Sci fi films as indicators of current concerns
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The 1950s

• Golden Age of Science Fiction
• Invasion narrative, or unwitting disaster
• Side effects of science
• E.g. The Fly (1958)
• New variation of the Frankenstein myth
• Radiation causes problems now
• Technology causes the disaster

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Science on TV

• One of the first science programmes
• Inventors Club, 1943
• Went out live
• Zoo Quest, 1954
• The Sky At Night, 1957
• Your Life in Their Hands, 1958
• Horizon, 1964
• Tomorrows World, 1965

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The 1960s onwards

• Since 1960s science less prominent as basis for
  horror in films
• More about supernatural threats
• Can often see the historical phases of technology
  reflected in these
• More science fiction films about different
  technologies in their own right

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The rise of the machinesfor better and worse?
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1990s and the birth of the internet
a new kind of Frankensteins Monster?
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The 1990s and the new genetics
Concerns over playing god?
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Jurassic Park and PUS

• Scientists were rather annoyed by Jurassic Park
• Said it was overdramatic, violent, made science
  look scary
• Science was inaccurate
• Sound familiar?
• Crichtons response Its only a movie!
• Its there to entertain, why should science be
  accurate, its science fiction.
• So should science on film be accurate?
• As a medium, is more mythic than mimetic
• Deals in stereotypes, cultural shorthands, not
  just about science, but about everything
• If you want the facts.go read the book?

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Science on TV today

• doing science
• Time Team, Rough Science
• Documentaries
• Biographies, strange phenomena, new technologies
  
• Nature wildife
• Fly-on-the-wall
• Pet Rescue, birdwatching
• Medical shows
• Watchdog Healthcheck, Body Spies, Trust Me I'm a
  Doctor
• Current affairs
• news, Question Time, Panorama, Blue Peter
• Dramas
• Forensic science in police shows
• CSI
• Sci fi
• X-Files, Stargate SG1, Star Trek
• Medical
• Holby City, Casualty, The Royal, ER

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Content analysis of science on TV

• Gopfert (Oct/Dec 1992 decreasing mins of
  airtime, incl. drama)
• nature (includes earth sciences, geography ...)
• medicine
• social sciences
• technology
• environment

• Hansen and Dickinson (April/May 1989 decreasing
  of items of science broadcasts, excl. drama)
• medicine
• social sciences
• technology
• environment
• life sciences

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Silverstones Narrative Frameworks

• Mythic Narrative
• Stories
• Feelings
• Metaphor
• Images
• Symbols
• Cultural resonances
• Dramatisation, entertainment, power, fantasy
• MASS MEDIA
• e.g. film, TV
• (epidiectic)

• Mimetic Narrative
• Content
• Truths
• Representations of fact
• Words
• Information
• Argument
• Literalness
• Clarity
• SPECIALISED
• COMMUNICATION
• e.g. science communication
• (forensic)