Well. Here we are. The final task™ an exploration of ‘the relationship between the viewer and the films’
Since I was a young child, fiction has been there for me. It’s been as much an anchor as it’s been a vehicle to an escapists paradise, and honestly, my favourite vehicles are either magically created wooden beauties, or personal space ships.
Fantasy and Sci-if are my absolute favourite anything. Give them a touch of of the eldritch, and I think I’d be hard pressed to give you a definitive answer. Eh, don’t give them a touch of the eldritch, and it’s difficult to pick the victor.
Sci-finand Fantasy films more often than not come from pre-existing works, like books, and comics. So they open themselves up to active spectatorship absolutely amazingly in that regard, because when the films don’t hold the answers you’re looking for the source materials come in clutch (the Lord of the Rings trilogy springs to mind. The amount of information missed out from the films from the books) and the other book for active spectatorship with these genres? The fact they don’t shy away from speculation, and they inspire many many people to delve, and dream. It gives you the opportunity to come together in groups, to discuss your favourites, and fall that much more in love with the two genres.
And when I say groups, I don’t mean a couple here or there, I mean hundreds and thousands. And these groups are collectively called ‘fandoms’ (there are many subsets to fandoms. The word ‘fandom’ is probably roughly equivalent in nomenclature to 'human’ and the subsets, being closer to things like 'english’ or 'kenyan’) a couple of fandoms I would personally include myself in would be the jaeger pilots (Pacific Rim) the fellowship of the ring (Lord of the Rings) a tribute (Hunger Games) whovian (Doctor Who/tv) reveuer (The Night Circus/book) Divergent (Divergent) And Potter head (Harry Potter [there are even subgroups within this fandom, to be honest. It’s wild])(nb. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Not even close) fandoms mean family, to be honest. Being part of fandom involves participation, and you can’t do it by yourself. You have to make connections with people. And through this huge love of something enough to put your time and effort into, by either interacting with others, or creating art or fan fiction or music, you form friendships. I love fantasy and sci-fi for the messages they incorporate, aswell. Normally one of courage and bravery, causing the overcoming of evil by the protagonist of the story. Which is always the proffered reading, of the pieces. But at the same time, there is so much going in the film, you don’t have to take the proffered readings and can look at the world from completely different angles and still come away with same story, but an entirely different way of seeing it. The stories leave themselves wide open to interpretation, and it gives me so many chances to study, and learn, and fall deeper in love with the works They’re always really amazingly hyped too. There are teasers that get pored over, and obsessed about. Full trailers that get picked apart, and discussed and enthused about, and then the release! Cinemas full of people are coming together to bathe in the sheer epic joy created by the films, and then? The worlds of possibilities are opened. Do I fall in love? Do I love jump headlong into an obsession? Do I go back and collect as much merchandise as I possibly can, cementing my love in a physical collection? Do I watch the film online hundreds of times before it comes out on DVD with all the amazing extras like directors commentary, and deleted scenes, and outtakes, and extended scenes. I never much felt I had a place to call home. Sure I have family, but I've always felt out of place. Sci-fi and Fantasy has always been my "Who cares if you're alone. You'll find your place." And honestly that's one of the biggest reasons I've been involved with the genres.
