Difference between revisions of "Gattaca"
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Revision as of 19:54, 9 December 2012
Gattaca is a science fiction film released in 1997. It is set in a fictional future where biometrics and genetic testing dictate the development of society. The film was written and directed by Wiki:Andrew_Niccol and features actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman[1]. The film's title is spelled using only G's, A's, T's and C's - in reference to the initial letters of the four DNA nitrogenous bases (guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine)[2].
Contents
Plot summary
Set in a future world, the movie follows a young man named Vincent Freeman, who is of inferior genetic make up. He was a naturally born baby, something rare in this world where genes are systematically manipulated to create more perfect humans. Following Vincent's birth, his parents decide to create another son with better genes. As he continues to grow up, Vincent faces discrimination for his genetic inferiority, most of which comes from his brother, friends, and others to whom he becomes close. Because of this discrimination, Vincent assumes the identity of a paralyzed, yet genetically elite man named Jerome Morrow. Vincent uses Jerome's blood, skin, and hair to deceive the Gattaca Corporation into giving him a job. As Jerome Morrow, Vincent is well on his way to traveling to space, his childhood dream. Soon before his mission to space, the mission director is murdered, delaying the mission until the death is investigated. Vincent must avoid compromising his true identity during the investigation to not miss his chance to go to space.
Cast[3]
The cast is listed from significant roles to less significant roles
| Name | Character | Name | Character | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ethan Hawke | Vincent Anton Freeman (Jerome Eugene Morrow) | 
|
Uma Thurman | Irene Cassini |
|
Jude Law | Jerome Eugene Morrow | 
|
Loren Dean | Anton Freeman |
|
Gore Vidal | Director Josef | 
|
Xander Berkeley | Dr. Lamar |
|
|
Jayne Brook | Marie Freeman |
|
Elias Koteas | Antonio Freeman |
|
|
Maya Rudolph | Delivery nurse |
|
Blair Underwood | Geneticist |
|
|
Ernest Borgnine | Caesar |
|
Mason Gamble | young Vincent Freeman |
|
|
Vincent Nielson | young Anton Freeman |
|
Chad Christ | teen Vincent Freeman |
|
|
William Lee Scott | teen Anton Freeman |
|
Tony Shalhoub | German |
|
|
Alan Arkin | Detective Hugo |
|
Dean Norris | Beat Cop |
|
|
Ken Marino | Sequencing technician |
|
Cynthia Martells | Cavendish |
Ethics of genetic profiling
One of the themes that Gattaca brings up is the idea of creating a perfect society. In the film, the achievement of genetic engineering is that parents can order a "perfect" baby. After Vincent was born, the doctors tested his blood and were able to analyze his DNA, projecting Vincent to live only 30.2 years [4]. As mentioned above, Vincent's parents decide to order a baby which will be genetically engineered. Society deems naturally born humans like Vincent inferior and assign them jobs such as janitors. On the contrary, prestigious jobs are given to genetically engineered humans such as Jerome. The film's depiction of society was criticized for its emphasis of creating a perfect race and a perfect society. In addition to genetic discrimination, Gattaca brings up other ethical implications such as the loss of human diversity and altered lifestyles due to genetic prophecies [5]
Eugenics
Eugenics is defined as "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population."[6] New developments in eugenics could lead to humans being able to tailor their children to fit their specified requirements, which some people call "designer babies." Parents would be able to compete with other couples to design the best babies who have the highest chances of succeeding. This may indicate that people would be interested in creating better opportunities for their children, instead of society as a whole. Another application of eugenics is to prevent children from acquiring certain diseases, or preventing them from acquiring certain traits, such as homosexuality.[7]
Dysgenics
Dysgenics is defined as "the study of factors producing the accumulation and perpetuation of defective or disadvantageous genes and traits in offspring of a particular population or species."[8] Dysgenics can allow people to breed for certain traits, such as being more intelligent or more fertile.
References
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca
- ↑ Gattaca. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ↑ Rees, Cynan. Plot Summary for Gattaca. IMDB. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ↑ Perriman, Symon. GATTACA: The Future of Genetic Engineering? Julie Reynolds's Homepage. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
- ↑ "Eugenics", Unified Medical Language System (Psychological Index Terms) National Library of Medicine, 26 Sep. 2010.
- ↑ Drexler, Peggy (2009-07-07). "When Gay Comes Home". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ↑ http://medical.merriam-webster.com/medical/dysgenics
