This is an excerpt from an interview done right as
the film was being released.
Here's the full text (http://www.cinematical.com/2006/12/25/interview-children-ofmen-director-alfonso-cuaron/)
Cinematical:
I want to talk about the visual design of the film. I've heard that
other people were pushing to give the fill a more futuristic look and
that you fought against that.
AC: (Alfonso Cuaron)
Well, it was not pushing, really, it was just -- you say, I'm going
to do a film that is set in 2027, and you have an art department that
gets so excited because, finally, they get to execute concept designs
that they've been dreaming to do, for all these futuristic buildings
and cars. And gadgets -- they had a lot of gadgets. But the fact is
that we didn't want to do a science fiction film.
In this movie, I told them, you unfortunately have to leave your
imagination outside. It's kind of like, you know, when you go to a
writer's workshop and you have the creative workshop? This film was
not the creative workshop, it was the essay workshop. It's not about
imagining and being creative, it is about referencing reality. So --
the cinematographer, he said that not a single frame of this film can
go by making a comment about the state of things. So everything became
about reference -- and not reference about what is around, like, oh,
I'm walking around, and this is what I saw on the street, but about
how this has relevance in the context of the state of things, of the
reality that we are living today.
And most of those things we tried to make references coming from the
media, referencing that they had become a part of human consciousness,
and that maybe we don't fully remember, but when you see it you
recognize something that rings true because you have seen it in
reality -- even if you don't really remember it consciously. And so
the exercise was to transcend not only reality, but also to
cross-reference within the film to the spiritual themes of the film.
So I will give you an example: They exit the Russian apartments, and
the next shot you see is this woman wailing, holding the body of her
son in her arms. This was a reference to a real photograph of a woman
holding the body of her son in the Balkans, crying with the corpse of
her son. It's very obvious that when the photographer captured that
photograph, he was referencing La Pieta, the Michelangelo sculpture of
Mary holding the corpse of Jesus. So: We have a reference to something
that really happened, in the Balkans, which is itself a reference to
the Michelangelo sculpture. At the same time, we use the sculpture of
David early on, which is also by Michelangelo, and we have of course
the whole reference to the Nativity. And so everything was referencing
and cross-referencing, as much as we could.
Discussion Topic: Cuaron, in the film, was making obvious political references to current events. How do you think setting the film in the near future and his deliberate use of "toned" down futuristic design (i.e. technology not much more advanced then our own) affected or emphasized the political themes of the film?
64 comments:
Cuaron said himself in the interview that he did not want a science fiction film. I believe he stayed away from that type of film because he wanted to make sure "Children of Men" had a stronger impact, one that made people stop and think.
By setting the movie in the not too distant future and keeping technology at a basic level we can envision being used in that time, Cuaron immediately hits home with many of his viewers. The movie all of a sudden has a stark image of something that could very possibly happen.
Cuaron made sure to let the art department on the film know that “Children of Men” isn’t meant to be about a “what if” future. Instead he strives to keep the streets of London as real as possible, to give people a point of reference when watching the movie, a point of recognition. It is much easier for a movie to have a powerful effect on its audience by keeping it within the realm of reality than setting it in a futuristic, make believe world.
By creating a "toned down" version of the future the cinemetagrpher draws the viewer into a world of harsh realities, thus relating to events such as the War in Iraq along with the Immigration crisis. The minimal improvement in technology seems more credible towards the audience and helps allure them into believeing that something so harsh could indeed become a reality, especially in otdays society where death and destruction has become a way of life.
"Children of Men" alludes to and resonates with the destruction and symbolism of the attacks that took place on September 11th, 2001. The film makes a case against the anti-immigrant sentiment. Refugees are rounded up and put into cages and camps, and even shot, which lead to symbolic images of The Holocaust. However, the sign hanging above the concentration camps has "Homeland Security" inscribed on it. Alfonso Cuaron targets and confronts the methods used by security officials after September 11th, 2001. Americans and world travelers are losing their rights and privileges due to the increasing threats of terrorism. Cuaron shows the chaos and terror that will erupt if people continue to live their lives in fear. Although the film takes place in 2027, Cuaron did not use futuristic technology. The reason there is no advanced technology in the film is the world is ready to collapse at any given moment. As long as people live their lives in fear, there is no hope of new technological advances. Cuaron broadcasted an important message in his film by showing how people fail to appreciate the miracle of life until they lose it.
Cuaron used historical references from the media to emphasize the messages in the film. By setting the film in the near future, it showed what could possibly happen to our society. It is "real" to us because of the reduced futuristic technology, and also has many similarities to the present day. By using elements that we recognize and react to, he creates a greater emotional response from the audience.
I think that Cuaron used toned down technology not only to keep us focus rather than awed by the new machines, but also to highlight the political instability intended to be showed. For example, they showed an ugly and beaten down bus with electronic messages (commercials) on it. I think he might be saying that while we're trying so desperately to advance, we should also repair the damages of the past. I believe that the war going on on the screen referred to the war in Iraq, to show the atrocities going on there! And finally,one thing that struck me was the infertility issue. I don't read the bible much, but I never heard of infertility as a consequence of the world's end. What was that referecing to? It also shows one thing that politicians don't have control over, and that government at this point is loosing control.
Raina Edouard
I believe when he set the film in the near future rather then distant he really tried to attach as much emotion as possible. The world we live in today is not much different than in the movie in some places, who knows I think we all know that very well could be us in 2027. I think that is why the movie did such a good job at portraying what may happen if we don't realize what we have before us and really start to appreciate it. Some of the most frightening ideas are the ones that may and very well could happen to us in our frame of time, it really wouldn't do the movie justice to have flying cars because it would fall more under the "out of sight, out of mind" factor so to speak. I think involving emotions makes the political factors that much more evident and important.
This film successfully avoided the possibility of being perceived as a science fiction film. As most of us may have noticed, natural lighting was used throughout the entire film. The only lighting used were from the fires in the streets at the refugee camps. This gave the story such a realistic feel of the near future. And several references to today's political issues had been subtly mentioned.
Not one scene in the film had been glamorized by any means, and even seemed as though the near future was a bit dreery and filthy. Perhaps Cuaron was emphasizing the whole global warming issue when the sky was always gray and polluted. The terrorist issue was another that was portrayed in the film. And in no case throughout the film were the characters dependant on the new technology.
Vanessa Basa:
This film successfully avoided the possibility of being perceived as a science fiction film. As most of us may have noticed, natural lighting was used throughout the entire film. The only lighting used were from the fires in the streets at the refugee camps. This gave the story such a realistic feel of the near future. And several references to today's political issues had been subtly mentioned.
Not one scene in the film had been glamorized by any means, and even seemed as though the near future was a bit dreery and filthy. Perhaps Cuaron was emphasizing the whole global warming issue when the sky was always gray and polluted. The terrorist issue was another that was portrayed in the film. And in no case throughout the film were the characters dependant on the new technology.
Cuaron said that he was attempting to create a realistic film the referenced and cross-referenced the state of living today; not to create a science-fiction film. I think by doing this he did emphasize the political themes in the film. He made relevent references to past incidences such as The Holocaust and the attack of September 11 (i.e: the immigrants). His "toned" down use of technology makes a statement to viewers that the reality of the future could possibly be death and destruction and that life cannot be improved by technology.
Cuaron said that he was attempting to create a realistic film that referenced and cross-referenced the state of living today; not a science-fiction film. I think by doing this, he did empasize the political themes in the film. He make relevant references to bad times in our society, such as The Holocaust and the terrorist attacks of September 11 (i.e: the immigrants.) By doing so, this gave viewers a chance to think about how future life may not be better just based on technology; that death and destruction can easily be a way of life. The "toned" down technology impacts viewers more emotionally by gaining the belief of reality.
When Cuaron decided to use a "toned" down futuristic design, he wanted to create a stronger connection between the audience and the film by further emphasizing that THAT future is not as far or as unreal as some of us may think, thus creating a more personal and deeper impact. This toned down concept also gives a more realistic, and current appeal to the political issues touched in the film such as a war and the immigration problems that currently affect our society right now.
I believe that Cuaron set the film in the near future and kept the technology toned down so that the viewer would not be distracted from the political message. In other words, Cuaron's purpose was not to entertain but to impact. Whether this works or not is a matter of personal opinion, and I'm inclined to disagree with Mr. Cuaron's method. I have always thought that one of the best ways to impact is to entertain and in some instances, the film is so heavy and dark that it (and consequently its message) are off-putting - whether they should be or not.
I think the use of art and political imagery was subliminal and clever, involving the viewer emotionally and creating a sympathy within him for the message without him necessarily realizing it.
I believe that it was a wise decision to steer away from a futuristic looking film. The realistic time and setting allowed the viewer to focus more on the political themes rather than on all the gadgets and unrealistic environments that a science fiction movie would have shown. I believe Cuaron chose to place his film in the future so that we could see what might possibly happen if we continue down a path of corrupt politics. If the film was given a futuristic feel then the war and terror in the film would not have been fluidly linked to the political themes Cuaron wanted to portray.
I Think by Cuaron keeping the futuristic design toned downed in this movie it helped emphasized what was more important...you weren't so much concentrating on the futurustic things like new technology, but you were concentrated on what was real..the war. By Cuaron toning down the futrsitic design it help you see reality what the world might really look like in 20 years...not some fantasy world that everyone wants it to be like!
Cuaron tried to bring the political message of his film “Children of Eden” as close to home as possible. One way he does this is by using current architectural looks and abandoning the stereotypical space elements that often flood sci-fi flicks. By doing this, the audience can relate to the world in which the characters live. The time period is also based in the not so distant future as opposed to centuries away. By using a time frame of about 20 years in the future, one can easily connect their current world to the future world. With such a setting emplace audience members can easily begin comparing the politics in the movie to the politics that surround them in real life.
Kim Davis:
Cuaron's decision to avoid having a futuristic look in "Children of Men" greatly emphasizes the political themes. The absence of glitzy, new technology gives the setting of film an overall bland and dreary feeling. It allows viewers to focus more on the political themes and makes it easier for them to imagine themselves living in such a world. Also, it brings out the fact that society will fall to pieces with a corrupt political world despite what day and age it is.
I think portraying the film in the near future was an outstanding move on Cuaron's part. Many futuristic movies have a tendancy to have a "far-fetched" appeal to them, but Cuaron was able to keep that from happening. Setting the movie in the near, not "far-fetched" future made the movie highly believable. It hit close to home and made people realize, "could this be us in just two decades?" Certain scenes, such as the ones portraying American armed forces occupying run-down foreign nations, struck hard with an image that the world today is all too familiar with. Other political crises in the world today, such as imigration problems and famine/disease, also popped up in the film. Images like these, to me, screamed a warning that if we aren't careful, this will be us!
Being set in the future and having the plot revolve around the fact that humans were now infertile all point to science fiction. However Cuaron may have taken the fact that most science fiction movies based 20 years from the time they were made were not accurate in what technology was available in that time. With the use of less gizmos and such the audience was able to view a realistic London set in the not too distant future. With that being said the focus was then put onto the government of London because the "immigration problem" is not only evident in the U.S. but throughout the world as well. The use of being set twenty years in the future would most likely have been done to show the next step after the war on terrorism. Cuaron may have used this to show that the people of the future have not learned from the holocaust, the red scare or even our own terrorist problem.
Alfonso Cuaron’s film, Children of Men, intentionally set the film in the near future, year 2027, to affect the audience in a more personal way. I feel that having a film closer to our reality really puts into effect the film’s personality on human lives and behaviors. When films are based in the future, in most cases, they entertain our imagination. Cuaron seemed to be shooting for the audiences’ emotional appeal over an imagination plea; he does a good job at this by referencing today’s reality in tomorrow’s lives. By showing our close future as a gray boring existence with little to no technological advances I feel the director got more out of the audience’s emotion. With a halt on technology and an explosion on terrorism, the effects of purifying a country let the beginnings of political references poor out of the cracks of the world; this made it much easier for Alfonso Cuaron to amuse the political disaster we could face in our daily lives.
-David W. Aniello
By not having a more futuristic look Cuaron was able to make the film feel more like a possible future. It felt more like a future that we could be headed to. A government falling apart and no longer trusted by its people is something we are starting to see today. With a more futuristic feel it wouldn't have been the same.
By making the movie look only a little bit more futuristic, then we are today people can relate more to the message that is trying to be portrayed. "Children of Men" portrayed the ostracizing of an outside group. This has been seen through out history many times; in Germany, Cambodia, all over Africa, and even the United States. When humans are faced with a problem we lock it up or try to get rid of it instead of working through it to solve it. I believe that the director is showing us that we are not learning from our mistakes and that history is doomed to keep repeating itself if we do not change.
The opening scene with the bombing struck a nerve especially with what’s going on in today’s society with terrorist bombings all over the Middle East and even the rare ones in Europe. Governments all over the world try to solve their problems with force which normally doesn't work out and leads to resentment and frustration. Violence is the only outcome when force is used. The director shows this again which is what is happening in Iraq right now. The more force that we use the more force that is used against us.
I think by using toned down futuristic design you could really concentrate on the political points that Cuaron was trying to make. I think he did a great job at creating a realistic film. A film that makes us think if we don't change the way we are this might just be a future reality.
The setting of the film gives Alfonso Cuarón artistic license to manipulate the environment to meet the goal of his political statement. The film’s setting more directly shows a realistic timeline for us the viewers to believe that humanity has gone to war with itself over the infertility of mankind and has one last chance of survival, a young girl named Kee. The technology in the film is a believable evolution of our own which is another way to give us a sense of security it the situation.
In today’s society many technological advances come from the government through the military or partnerships with private companies, and then are adapted for public use. In this movie I believe Cuaron used the lack of evolution in the field of technology to highlight how the government simply did not bother releasing these advances to the public, as one would predict would happen in the condition of society today. By looking at this, I believe that this control and desire to suppress any form of technological advancement emphasizes and define the political theme of absolute control in this crippled society.
"Children of Men" wasn't created as one of those futuristic films that was supposed to dazzle you with visual effects. By doing so the film kept away from something that you could only imagine and was presented in a very concieveable matter. This more realistic feel allows the audience to think and therefor the film has a greater impact on those who watch it.
In order to make the political undertones meaningful, Cuaron set "Children of Men" in the future, and stayed away from using new gadgets and technology. Actually using a world very similar to today's world because by using new technology the film would be a science fiction film and the political references would go unnoticed. The use of the "toned down technology" emphasized the political tones because the audience is no longer awed by new technology and can now focus on the political themes.
When you think of a film set in 2027 you most likely thing a science-fiction movie filled with outrageous technological advances. But in Children of Men, Cuaron made it evident that that was not the case. By applying the "toned" down futuristic aspects as a viewer you get a true sense of what the world could really be like in 2027. In my opinion, the lack of technological advances makes the movie seem more real and does an excellent job at addressing specific political issues that are present now and that could still be present in the near future.
Cuaron's use of setting in the near future and "toned" down futuristic design helped emphasize the political themes by giving the audience a sense of connection with that world. The events of war and immigration problems in "Children of Men" referenced to today's war in Iraq and the struggle with immigration. Cuaron's use of setting and toned down futuristic design gives the audience belief that this could be their future result based on current events. Cuaron accomplished his goal of creating a movie through reference rather than it being a science fiction film.
By using the "toned" down futuristic design in the film, the viewers are drawn closer to the reality rather than the advanced technology that we all dream about having in the future. Cuaron relates the movie with the current political events such as the war in Iraq and immigration issues. It helps put our minds into believing that this film might be our near future because we are easily related to the technology used in the film rather than any science fiction advanced technology.
By creating a more "toned down" version of the futuristic society, Cuaron was able to give a glimpse into something that could actually happen in our near future. With the time setting being not so far off and the technology not much more advanced than our own, we can related more to the movie. Also, with many major countries today fuedding with one another which causes great economic problems within those countries, we could very well see the world turning against itself and creating the world that Cuaron was depicting in "Children of Men."
When I think of futuristic movies, the first movie I think of is The Fifth Element. If anyone has ever seen that movie, you'll know that the Fifth Element displays the future as a constant party where cars can fly and buildings float and we become friends with aliens from other planets. By creating a future that was much like our present, Cuaron allowed the political themes stand out more. If this film had the flying cars and friendly aliens, the audience would be distracted by the razzle dazzle of it all and completely miss the seriousness of the movie. So in my opinion, Cuaron made the right choice by toning down the cinematography. Cuaron allows the audience to make more of connection with the movie because of the similarities between our present and his future. His future can one day become ours.
The toned down technology in this disturbing view of the future was used to show that the mass became more concerned with not having babies and being unable to reproduce that all other comforts went to the wind. It emphasized how the masses may not always be right and how the person in power must at times make a decision for them rather whether or not the people agree. And instead of trying to better themselves with new technology they could have made, the people in this world blamed their problems on immigration. That way they could worry about something else rather than the situation of no more children.
By setting the film in the near future, Cuaron increases the relevance of the movie to today's world. Because it is not far from todays time, and very much like today's world, the movie has a greater impact on its viewers. It allows viewers to envision living in a world like the one in "children of Men." Cuaron is able to better relate to his viewers by setting the film near the present. It allows him to make references to current political issues, such as discriminating against immigrants and the war in the Middle East. The film has a greater effect by being unfuturistic because viewers become more scared about this idea becoming a reality. The audience walks away with a powerful message and the desire to never have a world like the one in "children of men." We need to change our present before we end up with such a terrible future.
I think that by setting the film in the near future, rather than the distant future, greatly emphasized the politcal themes in the film. By avoiding futuristc technology and infrastructure, Cuaron made the viewer identify with the reality of the film and the actual possibily the events that occured. The reality and references to real past events and issues makes the viewer see the film more as a reality, and therefore forms a more emotional attatchment to the events in the film.
I think that Cuaron tries to make the viewers perceive reality at the same reality level that we are living at right now, even though the film takes place in 2027. It also takes many issues and characteristics of today and our known past into the movie by the way he puts together the scene design. I think that he “toned” down the futuristic design by putting into play a lot of current political events instead of focusing on futuristic technology issues. It almost seems like he portrays the same problems society is facing right now but in a much older sense. Like if the current problems go old and finally collapsed into what we see in the movie as our planet in a self destruction mode. As he says in the interview, he takes “snapshots” of crucial moments from our history, and makes them part of the future world as issues that never mature and still are part of daily life.
The setting in "Children of Men" emphasized the political themes of the film for many reasons.
This movie presented a very believable look at what our future may hold with topics of political conspiracy and doom of mankind, as we know it. As Cuaron states in his interview it was a "reference to reality" and I think that it why it touches or inspires people as much as it does.
The colors used in the film are of dark and dreariness that give you the feel of poverty and a war stricken land. Britain shows the immigration debate that we encounter in today’s society to higher extremes with walls and cages, which again give a believable and conscious perspective on our future.
The technology in the film was not enhanced as drastically as we might have expected by this point in the year 2027, in my opinion, because the economic depression ad war kind of downplays any new technological advancements and they may come to a halt because of societies downfall.
It was chilling to see how all too real this film portrayed what "might be" and was greatly depicted in my opinion.
Cuaron is able to better relate to his audience by setting the film near present day in an unfuturistic world. Viewers are more impacted because they can imagine living in a world like the one in "Children of men," because it is so similar to our world. The setting chosen by Cuaron allows him to make references to the current day problems such as immigration and the crisis in the Middle East. The setting allows references to be easily understandable. Viewers can understand the movie better and take away a stronger message from the movie because they can envision the world becoming like the one in "children of men." Viewers get more emotional and more attached to the movie through the references and setting because it is very much like today's world. It is scary to think of this happening in the future, let alone in the near future.
Cuaron used a "toned down" version of the future so that it would make the audience feel like it was more of a reality and not so distant from happening. If he would of used more of a futuristic design like other films have done, than people would not have looked at it as seriously and with the same view. With a more futuristic feel to it, it could have been just as an entertaining film but that is not what Cuaron was looking for. He was looking for a reaction with the audience that had a strong impact and made them think about what could really happen in the near future. Cuaron also said straight-forward that he did not want to make a science-fiction film.
Cuaron's use of "toned" down technology was due to the fact that he wanted to shy away from the stereotypical sci-fi flicks. He came right out and said this in the interview. Without the futuristic gadgets that are usually present in movies set years into the future, it allowed the audience a way to identify and relate with the film. In doing so, Cuaron was able to parallel many of the problems in "Children of Men" that plague our world today. In particular, problems of immigration and war. This brings about a harsh reality of what things could actually be like in twenty years if the world continues to stay its course of chaos and war. Cuaron was striving to make people see that our actions do not go with out consequence. This begs the question: will our world's consequences be as severe as those in "Children of Men"?
The toned down future helped us understand how inevitable the future is and how close it could be. He used technology that is not much more advanced than we are at right now. It also shows how inevolved we are. Also he had scenes that made no sense such as the two minute shoe tying scene. Also he didn't do a good job giving the plot. It was very hard to understand what was going on.
I found the movie quite thought provoking and relevant to present day issues. The cinematographer was excellent in the executions of subtle and dominant allusions.
By toning down the futuristic themeing, the cinematographer gained a much more acceptable and realistic future for the audience to believe.
The audience is well aware of the present day political unbalance. Much strife and so many disasters have occurred in present day, that is makes the sight of the world in chaos all the more acceptable in the film. Although some technical advances are observed in the film, for the most part England looks dilapidated. The lack of technology further demonstrates the urgency and deflation of the economy. This is some thing that would occur during a period of chaos, similar to what the audience witnesses in the film. So by keeping the film toned down from a futuristic theme, the audience has an easier time accepting the fall of power from the government. Before I finish the blog… One question that has really been bothering me: What was the significance or metaphor of the floating pig outside of the mansion?
Cuaron's use of setting in the near future and "toned" down futuristic design emphazies the effects that our modern day society is taking place. In the movie the whole world is at war with one another, so one can guess that world war 3 has taken place. If you use the idea that WW3 has taken place it directly relates to WW2. Cuaron wanted to show something people could relate to such as the concentration camps of europe in the 40's. And the future is set on the past just with britian playing the new role of germany. Also the ideas of terrorism in the movie are brought out alot. The protaganists are called terrorists all though there intention was not to bring harm or terror to the society which is in contrast with america today. When ever something goes wrong or someone uprises they are automattically labeled with the title of a terrorist. Overall Children of men can be seen as our future taking place from our past
The setting of Children of men, in my opinion is one of an excellent movie. Cuaron places us in a surrounding that doesn't seem unrealistic, in actuality we can almost picture ourselves in the actors and actresses places, and not necessarily try to imagine where they but feel where they are. When you're watching the movie its almost as if you're watching a documentary of the past because some parts are so realistic. Its unfortunate that it can seem so, but the reality of the film is what makes it. I think the political points in the movie are used to show us that if we don't realize whats going on now, we may not ever. When it comes to the immigration aspect of the movie it says as though Cuaron is trying to raise a major political point to anyone that will listen!
It first took me a little bit of time to really truly realize that the setting of this movie was in 2027. I thought it was in the present times and that was a big thing for me because the fact that it seemed like it was present made it believable and made me interested in the movie, because I'm not big on futuristic movies where things seem imagined and made up by creators who want the world to be like that. To me the movie was very powerful and moving because it was not a futuristic film or even a true action film. There was no epic battle seen between good and evil. When people got shot there was no gushing of blood, it almost seemed like the whole movie was a real live documentary and I really enjoyed that aspect of the movie. As many of the other students said, it is easier to have an impact on people when you show them a movie that looks like everyday life and it makes people realize that this kind of thing could actually happen at any time and at any time the world could erupt into mass mayhem and a World War III type of situation. When I watch a movie like Star Wars or another futuristic film I end up saying to myself "oh that will never happen because we don't live in a society where there are spaceships everywhere and buildings that float" but after this movie I was really taken aback and realized that something like that can happen at any time on any day in any place.
Cuarons’ intentions were to “reference reality”; I think by toning down the “futuristic design” of the movie and creating a setting in the near future, he successfully achieved his goal. By making the setting of the movie in the near future, rather than hundreds of years in the future, the political references made during the film have the ability to create a greater impact on the audience, allowing them to relate to it as though it could happen to them in the present time. Toning down the special technological effects in the movie make it easier for the audience to grasp the theme of the film and understand the meaning in its entirety, rather than focusing on surrounding objects and extras.
Cuaron wanted a realistic political film. He said in his interview that he wanted to stray away from fancy gadgets and the typical idea of what people think the future will one day turn out to be. By not wasting time using futuristic design and creativity, Cuaron was able to focus mainly on political views. By referencing sences to a mother holding her sons dead body in the Balkans and the refugees held up in cages at the train station, which represents the jews being taken to camps during the Holocaust, Cuaron gives the film the idea that since some of these concepts have already occured in our past, they could happen again, and even worse, in our future.
I personally would have been very dissapointed if the movie did have a bunch of technology that was way beyond that of which we currently have. It would have taken away from the symballism that the world was coming to an end without children. Cuaron does a very good job in getting his audience to make a connection with the movie. 9/11, along with all the other terrorist acts, is the first thing that came to mind, and probably so because it is the largest most recent national tragedy that I (a 22 year old) can actually relate to. If Cuaron wouldn't have taken the standpoint of which he did the movie would have not been as believable seeing all these new fangled buildings and wicked nice, new technology. It really brought out the emphasis that without children this world that we live in would really be in ruins. He also symbalizes the war in Iraq, as well as the Holocaust, with prisoners being kept in concentration camps and/or being executed. We, as a human race, do not do well at all with change as dramastic as no more children and Cuaron does an excellent job portraying the mass of society that would believe/do everything that their gov't says as well as the groups that go underground to make things right, the way they should be.
By not making the movie a complete science fiction flick, Cuaron allowed the viewers to see the whole message he was portraying in the film rather than be in awe at the technology and computer animated graphics that come with todays "futuristic" movies. By allowing the movie to hit home with current problems in the world (terrorist bombings, immigrant raids etc.) people can relate to the film and the movie hits deeper into the viewers heart. I think one of the main political messages Cuaron was trying to send to the viewers was that immigrants aren't bad for the country, and rather they enhance a country's culture. In contrast to other's views I don't believe he was specifically trying to relate the film to September 11, but just terrorism in general.
By Cuaron deciding against a more futuristic setting in "Children of Men" it makes the movie hit home with the viewer. The plot in and of itself is complex enough that a equally complex setting would have overpowered the movie. For instance if Theo was flying to dodge bullets while protecting the pregnant woman, it wouldn't of seemed as real as dodging bullets from the ground. It's hard enough to imagine 20 yrs. from now a world without babies. Atleast with the chosen setting it seems more likely to occur from a viewers standpoint. The setting was dark to reflect the mood of the people, there were cages keeping illegal immigrants hostage, and regular houses. Ultimately that's all the movie needed.
The setting of the film greatly emphasized the political themes. Cuaron's "toned" down futuristic design did not create any distractions that advanced technology would have created. Viewers were able to concentrate on the political themes in the movie such as immigration without having robots or flying cars around. The setting expresses how big of a problem illegal immigration has become which is currently a politcal concern for many people.
I believe that the "toned down" future was meant to be more of what the future may hold in reality. In the sense of political views, the film shows how the government controls everything and probably controled the further development of technology to insure its power is kept. The near picture of the near future is a representation of what our future will possibly look like. In connection with current events, the world still has countries like Iraq that are war torn countries, even some in Europe are still having issues. It really makes the film seem more "real" to us, as if we are approaching the same state of chaos ourselves. The film almost seems like it is set in the past, people fleeing war and death in their homeland could be a link to World War II. This shows that these events could possibly happen again in the future if certain measures are not taken to prevent them.
Alfonso Cuaron used a "toned down" version of the future in order to relate to the audience. In most films the future is portrayed with lots of high-tech gadgets and very advanced technology. Cuaron's future was very grim, and showed people a more realistic future that is not to far from where our society is at now. The film "Children of Men" had a much greater impact being that it was not a science fiction film being due to Cuaron telling his art department to make it similar to the present.
The way the characters in the film acted due to their horrifying environment was so believable. The idea that the human race was dieing off was very scary, but it is not too far from what could actually happen. Every emotion the characters showed also added to the believable future and this is what made "Children of Men" such an outstanding film.
I believe that Cuaron's decision in setting the movie in the near future, but without the high-tech gadgets, buildings, and cars greatly impacted the messages in the film. The fact that the movie is set in the near future (2027) makes the reality of it all really sink in. The absence of the futuristic things and physical characteristics of society help the viewer to relate to the movie much easier and, in turn, helps the viewer to realize that the situation in the film may be possible. Even in the scenes where the military is present, it is apparant that the people of this "futuristic society" have not advanced much in the field of weaponry. To parallel the concept of the unadvanced technology, government is also presented almost exactly as we see it today. A democracy still stands in the United States, and England is still ruled in the same way as it is today. The main difference that is incredibly important in understanding the political themes of the film is that all of the governments around the world are falling apart and crumbling. I believe that what Cuaron is saying is that change and progress are necessary for us to survive. The world is constantly shifting and changing around us, and Cuaron is trying to say that we need to adapt to these changes using technology.
Cuaron's use of "toned down" technology I think offered less distractions to the political themes he was trying to portray. When people usually think of the future they think of crazy gadgets and machines that make life essentially effortless. Of course it is the future and there will be material items out there that are more technologically advanced than those of today, but they play little importance in a world plagued by infertility.
Children of men is deeply impacting to audiences because of its grim realities which sets aside the cliche futuristic lifestyles we are used to seeing in sci-fi movies and captures a more straightforward
politically driven film. The lack of the "stereotypical future" led the audience to focus more on the meaning and thought of it all. The near future was a way to not only enclose the audience with the thought that this could happen to us but also captivating because these issues being dealt with in 2027 are the product of poor judegement and action by our top administrators in this age. For example the war on terror, spet. 11, and our immigration policies.
Great Movie!
Cuaron wanted to have his audience see that what the future may have is not as distant and technologically advanced as possible. By setting Children of Men in an extrememly old city where so much history has passed, he allows the future to not take control of the movie. By keeping a realistic setting in a realistic time, he allows politics to manage to movie. Having America fall due to terrorism, having all people revert back to Great Britain, these ideas are not unbelievable with due to the problems facing the world today. The "toned down" setting allowed the political theme to create a tap into the mind and allow viewers to see that the world can change rapidly without all of the scientific themes to back up technology. This setting allows the film to feel more realistic and therefore truly stop the viewer directly in their tracks and think about politics in the current times. Krista Bono
In "Children of Men”, the viewer is able to understand clearly the cross-references that Cuaron is portraying, through the "toned" down futuristic design, and by setting the film in the near future.
By Cuaron dramatically toning down the future, and not allowing the film to fall into the science fiction realm , the viewer is able to connect emotionally with the events that are occurring in the film. For example, the characters are making this journey through a country that is basically in political warfare, and in complete chaos, and we are able to see that this could possibly be the case 20 years from now. But if Cuaron made the surroundings flashy, and high Tech., it would completely downplay the future that we could possibly be facing.
Secondly, by Cuaron making the film take place in 2027, it allows us to be drawn in more as a viewer, because the time period isn't so distant that we can't relate to it. All the issues that are going on in the film are basically the same issues that we are facing today, but just magnified more. So by placing the film in the future, the viewer is able to imagine how the conflicts could escalate to a more severe extreme and the final result could end up something similar to the film's.
In result Cuaron does a beautiful job of toning down the future in order to allow his viewers to relate, and have an emotional attachment to the political issues we could be facing in the near future.
Cuaron set the film in the near future to give a pragmatic sense of what is going to happen. Cuaron also used historical references to emphasize the message. Keeping the futuristic technology to a minimum also gave the film a realistic feel. By keeping the futuristic feel toned down Cuaron let the audience concentrate on the main idea of the story.
This movie can be seen in different perspectives. From a theological point of view it is obvious to see how human kind is doomed to its own apocalypsis. The fact that they do not really ever tell you why women are infertile or even why men are infertile keeps you expecting and in a way you try to pay more attention towards the middle of the movie because you really want to know why this problem is happening to all of human kind.
The music and dark, gloomy appearance of the movie makes you expect surprises and suspense and it sometimes gives it an appearance of a documentary. It looks like many of the scenes where shot with a mobile hand camara to capture that documentary-style shot.
Cuaron wanted to produce a "less futuristic looking film," even though it was set in the future. I believe he wanted to connect with the audience. For instance, if he were to use futuristic looking cars, gadgets,clothes, etc. then the audience would automatically feel unrelated to the movie. Therefore, Cuaron showed images that could very well happen in today's time, such as the woman holding her son's corpse in her arms. All in all Cuaron wanted to keep the movie's setting as real as possible, even though the art department thought differently.
I think Cuaron's deliberate use of "toned" down futuristic design actually helped to emphasize the political themes in this film. Cuaron is correct in saying that this in NOT a science fiction film, but rather a serious political movie trying to get an important point of view across. I think adding in strange surroundings and weird gadgets would distract the viewer from the deeper meaning of the film. Cuaron used just enough design to where the audience senses that it is not present day London, but not so much that we can no longer identify with the people and situations in this film. I think that Cuaron's choice in design helped him to get his point across perfectly.
I beleive Cuaron's aim for the film had nothing to do with advances in technology or advances in human science but it had more to deal with what the world had become when it was faced with this horrible plague. I call it a plague because if every woman was infertile there is no way society was going to going to live on. Technology was toned down because around the world everyone was succumbing to anarchy, all civility was thrown out the window. Refugees were put in cages and treated as animals, I dont think Cuaron was trying to show any advances in technology there.
By there technology level being somewhat close to the levels that we're at, it kinda gavse us a glimpse into what our FUTURE may look like if we were faced in those similar situations.
Setting the film in the near feature makes it realistic, believable, so that what it happening in the film could very well happen very soon in our own lives. The same political statements made in the film can thus be applied to today's world. In addition, we can relate some of the senseless killing in the film to our own world right now.
Cuaron uses historical references from the media to intensify the main points of the film. By setting the film in the near future, and depicting reduced futuristic technology,it is more realistic to the viewer because the "future" has many similarities to our world today. By using elements that we can relate to, he elicits a greater emotional response from the audience.
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