ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

(Beings Of Intelligence)

From day to day, human beings are becoming more intelligent. They are competing with each other to create more modern and advance things. They create things that can help human being. Beings with intelligence are not a problem; in fact we really need this kind of people in order to make our life become easier in this modern era.

As we can see nowadays, there are a lot of machines that can replace human’s duty such as washing machine, rice cooker, microwave, computer, escalator, elevator and many more. But we as normal human being, we have to keep in mind that not all human being’s duty can be replaced. As we can see in A.I film, with human’s intelligence, they can create a mecha or a robot that look really like a normal human being to replace a children place in a family. The mecha which is not only look like a normal human being but they also have been created with feeling and emotion and they need love from the parents just like other normal children.

We can say that human’s intelligence can really create everything they want, even a new human being. Even though this film is showing about future’s scenario, but it is not possible to be real. We think that one day perhaps in the future, human can really creates human.

We need to keep in our mind that we need to have a border in everything we do. These beings of intelligence also need to have a border in their thinking. When they are busy creating those modern things, they have to realize that they are not God. God creates the beings of intelligence to let these people improve the quality of live not only among them, but also to the universal. But God does not create them to be another God. We like the way how the director Steven Spielberg thinks and see about the future. Our world perhaps will be in chaotic just because human beings are too anxious use their intelligence to compete with their own God.

This film can make us realize that we don’t have to be an anti-modern life because we are already live a modern era. But while these beings of intelligence are busy cramping their brain in order to pleasure every one, they should always set the limit or border in their mind so that they will not create a ruin future.

A.I vs. SUPER TOYS LAST ALL SUMMER LONG

There are not so many differences between A.I and the short story that has been written by Brian Aldiss. The names of the characters are all the same including the mecha boy’s name. But these two interesting stories have stated different ideas why mecha boys have been created. As we can see in A.I, they create mecha because the total of human population has been drastic reduction since the global warning has led to ecological disasters in all over the world. So creating mecha is one of mankind’s efforts to maintain civilization. On the other hand, in STLASL, overpopulation is the reason for the mecha’s creation. People in that era have to control children’s birth and every childbirth required government permission.

Besides that, in A.I, the Swinton has already had a son named Martin who has been placed in suspend animation because he is suffering with a kind of disease. This is quite different in STLASL where the Swington does not have any children and they have waited for almost 4 years to get their own children through parenthood lottery.

Another one differences that can be found is the name of the company which creates David. We can see that Cybertronics Company is the company which creates David in A.I but in the short story, the company’s name is Synthank Company. The ending of the story also is quite different. The short story ends with a sad ending while in the film, it ends with happy but not so interesting ending since the director has included the ‘aliens’ part. We think the alien part should not be included because it just spoiled this interesting film.

Although there are several differences between these 2 stories, but it still hold the same plot where an android child programmed with the ability to love struggles to express his feelings to his mother. It also have the same theme where it emphasize on the beings of intelligence.

*** THE END ***

A SPACE ODYSSEY (2001)

(God creation)

This film is a bit slow moving and overtly long. The film is quite complicated to understand because it happened in beyond our expectation. Most of the story (film) set in space. We didn't really like it, right after we saw it, but we learn something interesting as we never have a chance to go in space to watch directly of anything up there. Therefore, this fantastic movie, brought us to see something amazing that we believe it is god creation.

And now,we know that any god creation can't be questionable. As the god wanted something to be, it will be. Yet The almighty of god can't be argued. We as humanbeing are a part of his amazing creation. It is the same case in this story, when the power of "monolith"(the mysterious thing buried on the moon), is the amazing thing by god creation.At the beginning of this story, it revealed about a group of apes which given the knowledge to use a bone as both tool and a weapon. They believe, it happened due to the power of monolith. In our opinion, the "monolith" is only the cause to the apes to be developed and jumping in one step. We believe that, the god cannot change a human fate, without he or she attempted to.

"Monolith" also has a power to send radio signal to Jupiter. That was the mission should be investigated by the astronauts in this story directed by Kubrick. At the end of the story shows that the power of monolith would switch present time to future version. Is that logical? It is something out of our horizon. If it would happen, it is so called "god creation".Anything will happen by god wish.

Moreover, this film deals with thematic elements of human evolution, technology,artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life, and is notable for its scientific realism.It is possible to say, the "intelligence" is a credit and a gift by god. If anyone is able to step further in creating technology and devices,that creativity and knowledge will be considered as god gifted.

THE SENTINEL VS. A SPACE ODYSSEY(2001)

The story "the sentinel" is being expanded into the film "A space Odyssey (2001)".When we took a look and read this story for the first time, we really gave up with the story. It was so hard to imagine what was hapening and what the settings look like. However, when our lecturer gave us a chance to watch the film, the setting in space had been shown to us more clearly.

There is no much differences about the short story and the film.This story which is written by Arthur C. Clarke reveals about the discovery of an artifact on Earth's moon left behind million years ago by ancient aliens.The narrator believe the mysterious aliens who left this structure on the moon may have used mechanisms belonging "to a technology that lies beyond our horizons".Probably, that structure is sent by god for human usage.

However, it is quite unbelievable and it something so called "a myth" to the existence of "aliens".We don't so much believe on the "aliens". However, in religion aspects, the god creation which is called "devil" is always exist.However, in the film there is no description about the "aliens".

*** THE END ***

APOCALYPSE NOW

(colonialism)

Frankly say, when we watched this movie (apocalypse now) for the first time, we really fascinated by the film making. It is full of ‘horror’ and ‘evil’, yet the cinematography to be showed looked real and fantastic. Most of the film shooting is set in Vietnam. We really like the place because the environment is not much different with our place in Malaysia.Especially the environment in the river and the jungle which almost the same with Malaysia.

A part of this film, viewers can see about the evil and cruel of American military in treating the natives (Viatnamese). Did you ever think the colonialism is good? We don’t think so. Eventhough at the beginning, the objective of imperialism or colonialism is to make changes and to civilize that particular country, (e.g Africa and Vietnam), but at the end of the day, the American troops breached the objectives. Instead of helping innocent civilians, American troops kill them. That is what really happened in reality. The American military have been in a strange land, however they act as if they own it, staking out territory and firing without provocation.It probably happened due to the greedy manner of humanbeings,cruel,want to grab and dominate the power, as well as to conquer that country.

For instance, in apocolypse now, the film characterizes Willard's mission to kill one of its highest-ranking military officials named Kurtz. At the same time American military have been at Vietnam to colonize the country and broaden their imperialism. However, it's not clear why killing Kurtz is a priority, when American troops and Vietnamese civilians are dying. We are not really agree and protest the idea of 'colonialism'. Even we never experince the war, but we can imagine the suffering and the difficulty of the natives to be colonized.It's really suffer,live with fear and afraid to be murdered.The natives become strangers in their own land.

What we can say, American troops should not do that to the Viatnamese, as well as to other people that they want to colonize. They should not treat the natives like that. Probbaly, the American think that they are great and power! They can conquer any country they like. They can force anyone under their rules and administration.Do you at the same boat with us?We really hate this kind of people. Greedy and cruel!

HEART OF DARKNESS VS. APOCALYPSE NOW

There has a little bit differences about the film with the novel.The first one is about "narrator". In the novel, the story is being told by the narrotor, together with other listener such as an accountant,a manager and Marlow. The story was about Marlow. However, in the film, it is clearly shows that the story is told by the main character of this story. The story is about himself.The main character's name in the novel is Marlow, but in the film is characterized by Captain Willard.

Other than that, the novel has two separate settings. One, the frame narrative, is the setting for the telling of the tale on a cruising yawl (sailing vessel) or yacht on the Thames River near London, England. The second setting is that of the actual tale. In it, the protagonist travels to Brussels, the capital city of Belgium and home to the ivory company. Then to the Belgium Congo in Africa, with its dark, snaking, and mysterious river (in contrast to the tranquil Thames), and then back to Brussels.

In our opinion, both the film ‘apocalypse now’ and the novel ‘heart of darkness’ revealed about Western (United State of America) colonialism in general. It seems like in the novel the message is that colonialism is a horrifying evil. In the movie, the message seems to be that the evil of the war is terrible, and ought to be destroyed, but the evil can not be simply personified, and the entire system
ought to actively destroy too.

*** THE END ***

SNOW WHITE AND SYDNEY WHITE

(They lived happily ever after)

It is possible to say, fairy tales and love story usually end at this point with the simple phrase, “They lived happily ever after.”This may be because fairy tales regard marriage as a climax to the story after the romance of courtship. But we think that “wedding” is not as a plane of arrival but the place where the adventure begin.

Indeed, we can see the divorce rate in our culture is higher from time to time. What happened to “live happily ever after”? Why is it so hard to maintain the hopes and dreams that surround a beautiful wedding with all its promises of love and loyalty, sacrifice and services? Therefore, we can jump into conclusion, fairy tales and love story is just to make readers and viewers dream in their fantasy world. We personally like to read stories or watch movie that end happily ever after.

Obviously, in the fairy tale story, “Snow white” as well as the modern retelling of the fairy tale, “Sydney White”, revealed the term of “live happily ever after” at the end. The story “Snow white” begins with Lilliana Hoffman is the birth mother of the young girl, Lilly, who is later known as “Snow White”. Lilliana Hoffman dies in a carriage accident. Her husband, Friederick Hoffman, is forced to perform a c-section to save his unborn daughter. A few years later, the girl (Liliy) is brought inside to meet her new stepmother, Lady Claudia, whom Lilly instantly dislikes. Liliy then grows into womanhood. Her stepmother always have wicked plan to get rid the “snow white”. At the end of the story Lilly manages to find Claudia’s weakness, destroying the evil mirror, and thus her stepmother. Lilly leaves the castle, alive, with Will and her father. They lived happily ever after.

On the other hand, “Sydney White” is a 2007 film that based on the story of “Snow White”. This modern story revealed about a beautiful collage freshman as she pledges her late mother mother’s once dignified sorority. But after discovering that today’s sisterhood is not what is used to be, Sydney finds her new home away from home with seven outcasts. With the help of her socially challenged new friends, Sydney will take on the reigning campus queen to attempt to transform the school’s misguided social hierarchy. At the end of the story, the film showed, Sydney lived happily together with her lover, her father and her friends.

So, what we can conclude is that, in the common story of fairy tales and love, we can always see that a good character (usually is the main character) is always win at the end of the story. On the other hand, an evil one usually defeated. That is the typical fairy tales alike. It always can be predicted. The story always end with happiness.

SNOW WHITE (LITERATURE)VS. SNOW WHITE (FILM)& SYDNEY WHITE

There is no much differences about the literature part of the story "Snow white" with the film part. The story "Snow white" is children fairy tale and it written by various authors which suggest almost with the same themes and plot sequences. The various written of the story "snow white" usually have the evil stepmother and her stepdaughter (snow white) that never get along. The stepmother always wanted to get rid her stepdaughter and taught some wicked plans in order to achieve her goal. However, as common fairy tales, it always ending with happily ever after.Therefore, the readers never feel give up with the ending.

*** THE END ***

O’ BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

(It’s not the destination but the journey)

There is a proverb saying like this “to know a person, go and travel with him/her”. We can see and know someone’s attitude if we go travel with him/her. Besides that, a journey in a certain travel also will open some one eyes and mind to be more matured and independent.
For instance in this movie, we can see there are many obstacles that Everett, Pete and Delmar have to go through along their journey as the escaped convicts. The obstacles actually make each of them more cooperate, help each other and know better between each of them. It is true that sometimes we don’t reach the destination that we’ve planned but through the journey that we go through, perhaps we will reach other destination which is far better that we’ve planned. We can see the blind man predicts the outcome of the trio’s adventure at the beginning of the story said these lines, which we think it is the most important lines in this story:

You seek a great fortune, you threewho are now in chains...And you will find a fortune - thoughit will not be the fortune you seek... ...But first, first you must travela long and difficult road - a roadfraught with peril, uh-huh, andpregnant with adventure. You shallsee things wonderful to tell. Youshall see a cow on the roof of acottonhouse, uh-huh, and oh, so manystartlements......I cannot say how long this roadshall be. But fear not the obstaclesin your path, for Fate has vouchsafedyour reward. And though the roadmay wind, and yea, your hearts growweary, still shall ye foller theway, even unto your salvation.

Actually, we can relate this journey with our life. Every one in this world has his/her own dreams and hope. Unfortunately, it is not easy to make sure these dreams come true. We have to work very hard and sometimes have to put some extra effort in order to reach our goals. This means, every one will face many kinds of obstacles along their journey of life. Not only obstacles, we also will meet many kinds of people, which some of them can help us to reach the goals, while some of them will only be the hindrance in our life. Every people around us are carrying his or her own role. So we have to be cautious all the time so that we won’t choose the wrong person to be at our side. All these bitter sweet in our life can be the eye opener for ourselves to make us be more rationale and have more mature ways of thinking. This doesn’t means that the destination that we’ve set up is not important. We should keep in mind that the destination is a fate that has been set up by God. Sometimes, the reality won’t be exactly like what we dream of, but the journey or the pursuit we pursue can make us face a new and perhaps the best destination in our life.
In conclusion, we can say that we were really enjoyed while watching this movie and it gives us a new inspiration and idea in order to improve our life.

We also hope that we will reach our best destination soon!

THE ODYSSEY VS. O' BROTHER WHERE ARE THOU?

There are not so many differences in this trivia with the the odyssey. The obvious difference that we can see is the main characters. In The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus is going back to his palace after he have finished in a war and has not see his wife for many years. But in this movie, the main character is an escaped convicts. But both of the story is showing a story about someone who is going home, and at the same time they have to face many obstacles. Other than that is Penny's character. Penny character is parallel with Penelope's character in The Odyssey. Both of them have same characteristic, for instance their husband leave them for a long time and many men want to get close with them. But there is still differences between Penny and Penelope's character. For instance, Penny in the film does not wait for her husband, in fact she has decided to get marry with Vernon T. Waldrip, the campaign manager. But Penelope is very loyal and faithful, waiting for her husband. The other characters in The Odyssey also have some parallel with the characters in the film. For instance, Big Dan Teague (which with an eye patch) is similar with The Cyclops. The Sirens which lure Odysseus in The Odyssey also exist in the film. They do the same thing in the film where The Sirens sing and hypnotize Everett Delmar and Pete. There are also other differences in terms of the plot of the story. For instance, the black man on the rail road (who was riding a handcar) is parallel with Nestor.

We can obviously see there are many parallel in The Odyssey and O' Brother, Where Art Thou?. The director, Joel Coen is so creative in order to create the parallel between the great and valuable Homer's Odyssey and his film which makes this comedy film is so enjoyable and interesting to watch.

***THE END***

SHE’S ALL THAT & MY FAIR LADY

(The sculptor falling in love with the sculpture)


We have watched SHE’S ALL THAT twice in a two different eras. Firstly, when we were teenagers (about 19 years old) and secondly, in TSL 570 class (considered as adult era). So, the first time we watched this movie, of course we were so happy when finally the heroin choose the hero as his couple. We didn’t even think about sculptor or sculpture. The most important is the happy ending. But now, we have a different kind of thinking, where we think as an adult, not a teenager anymore. Happy ending is not an important thing in a film, but the concept or plot of the story been more emphasized.
On the other hand, this is our first time watch MY FAIR LADY play. In our opinion, it is really an enjoyable and interesting play to be watched by all level of people. It not only emphasized about the beauty of a lady, but it also emphasized the important of education to every people. This means, this play is trying to show to the spectators that, not only beauty can make someone been appreciated, but education also can make other people respect us.

In SHE’S ALL THAT, the sculptor, Zack falls in love with his sculpture, Laney, after she has changed her from a weird, freak and simple girl to a beautiful, fashionable and amazing lady. The main point in this film is “You have to change someone in order to fall in love with her/him”. In our opinion, we do not really agree with the concept of this story. We can see how Zack really dislikes Laney at the beginning of the story and suddenly he can falls in love with her, just because Laney has changed her style. We don’t think so that Zack’s love is sincere and really come from the bottom of his heart. If we are given a chance to change the plot of this story, we would like to change the ending of the story. In our opinion, if Laney reject Zack (since she already knew that Zack had abetting with his friends), the story will be more interesting.
The same concept is shown in My Fair Lady, but there are a little bit differences especially in terms of the hero character. In this play, the hero (Prof Higgins) is still the sculptor, but he is so ego to say about his feeling. Yet, we can obviously see that the heroin (Eliza) falls in love with the hero first. Prof Higgins seems does not really look Eliza’s beauty rather than her academic achievement. But there is still a scene where beauty still becomes an important part in love relationship. We can see how Freddy not only trying so hard to get close with Eliza, in fact he willing to wait for her in front of her house. But all these happen only after Eliza has changed and become a beautiful and elegance lady and also mix with the high standard group of people.
To love and to be loved, people do not have to be a sculptor to create a new sculpture and than falls in love with it. Once the sculpture is broken, or suddenly damaged which will change its appearance, the sculptor won’t be sad because there will be no appreciation, but he will create a new sculpture! So, it is better to love some one by taking this phrase as a guide “I love you just the way you are…!”

PYGMALION VS. MY FAIR LADY & SHE’S ALL THAT

As we can obviously see, there are not so many differences between PYGMALION and MY FAIR LADY. The play actually is directly taken from the PYGMALION, the great and brilliant masterpiece by George Bernard Shrew. It has the same plot and themes. The only differences that can be seen are the ending of the story. In MY FAIR LADY, the ending shows to the spectators that Prof Higgins seems like accept Eliza, even though he does not say a word saying that he loves Eliza. But his action and his words in his song really shows that actually he likes Eliza and this make the spectators interpret the ending is a happy ending. On the other hand, the PYGMALION, the show ends with obviously shows that Prof Higgins does not choose Eliza as his wife.
SHE’S ALL THAT is some kind of modern MY FAIR LADY and PYGMALION, so it is not surprising that this film shows a lot of differences compared to the written material and also the play. But it still uses the same themes, even though it has been shown in a different way. But, this kind of disparity is being made in order to go well with the modern spectators.

*** THE END***

TSL570 Our Literature & media blog

hello...this is our first entry... c ya soon! :)

-kila n akma-


Submitted to:
Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan
TSL 570 Course Tutor, UiTM Perak