I do not have time.
Anyway, it probably goes without saying that I have several questions left over after watching the film, here goes.
Something called a “ghost” is mentioned multiple times throughout the film (a major theme really) but I am unclear as to what one is. My best guess is that it is one’s persona within the net, an avatar of sorts. This concept is muddled, however, by adding the idea of a soul, something that is also mentioned and quantifiable apparently. (characters discuss whether a cyborg has a soul in a way that seems to be decidable by logical procession… although they do not seem to reach a conclusion.) Is this the same thing as a ghost –something that all cyber-constructs seem to possess-- and is the net also an afterlife of sorts? Or is there a distinction between a soul and a ghost. I feel like it is worth noting that it is not debated whether or not non-augmented humans have a soul, although it seems implied that they do not have ghosts.
Next, don’ t cyborgs know their own strength?
Great time to try and be a human Motoko, that's going to leave a mark.
And finally, as an open question, any thoughts on the puppet master’s arguments for machines as life forms? I personally don’t even know where to start with this one, but I think it might be worth coming back to for the paper. His (its) arguments about DNA being a memory-machine seem pretty sound to me.
Anyway, a few other thoughts,
Motoko seemed incredibly similar to the character of Molly from W. Gibson’s Neuromancer and Napier also definitely hints at this. Her unblinking eyes are basically an equivalent to Molly’s surgically attached lenses that cover her eyes. It seems to me that when creating any kick-ass female assassin characters in cyberpunk settings, Gibson definitely deserves a nod. Pair that up with P.K. Dicks “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and I think you’ve got the better part of the inspiration for this film nailed down. (Pris’ s existential crisis + Molly’s deadliness – sex = Motoko, imo).
Sorry cowboy, looks like the future belongs to the girls.
Something that really stood out to me in this film was the scene showing cuts of the city from the perspective of the canals.
somewhere around here...
I was stuck by the bobbing of the boats on the water, creating the illusion of breathing bodies, alongside the images of the mannequins in the storefronts. I feel like there’s a huge message here, especially if we think of ships in their rather classical metaphorical status, as vessels made to contain and protect souls. There are places we just cannot go without ships. In a sense, the vessels (the shell) is the true life form in such a harsh technological time, and the human within it is merely a puppet to be posed or disposed of.
