Skip now if you are expecting another Katz Bashing.
Ok, without debating the point of what qualifies as a 'Geek Film', I think there is a quickly evolving genre of sci-tech films that are often mistakenly being grouped in the Geek/Nerd/Hacker bucket.
There is nothing new about the sci-tech genre of films, it has always existed but the context of the sci-tech has evolved. For the mass media, computers and programming are the modern equivalents of alchemy or building ion-based propellants for space ships - they are thrilling, exciting, and sometimes frightening subjects because most people do not understand the truth of the subject. The image of an all-powerful computer system or hacker that reads your email, crashes the NSA's software infrastructure, and then redirects all of your savings into a Swiss bank account is popular because of the 'mystery' that surrounds the sci-tech itself. This is not new, mass media has been doing this for hundreds of years - the thrill is in the unknown.
Why is "Pi" considered a 'Geek Film'? How many people in an average movie going audience could explain (or have even heard about) the Golden Spiral theory? Nothing that mysterious, but it's a mystery to most, so it carries the aura of excitement.
My opinion of a captivating sci-tech film is a recent indie called 'Cube'. It's sort of a Hitchcock-ian sci-fi thriller that exudes the threat of technology rather than slamming it down your throat (read: there are no "let's hack the mainframe" lines in this film). It's on tape. Go rent it.
Slashdot Mirror
Skip now if you are expecting another Katz Bashing.
Ok, without debating the point of what qualifies as a 'Geek Film', I think there is a quickly evolving genre of sci-tech films that are often mistakenly being grouped in the Geek/Nerd/Hacker bucket.
There is nothing new about the sci-tech genre of films, it has always existed but the context of the sci-tech has evolved. For the mass media, computers and programming are the modern equivalents of alchemy or building ion-based propellants for space ships - they are thrilling, exciting, and sometimes frightening subjects because most people do not understand the truth of the subject. The image of an all-powerful computer system or hacker that reads your email, crashes the NSA's software infrastructure, and then redirects all of your savings into a Swiss bank account is popular because of the 'mystery' that surrounds the sci-tech itself. This is not new, mass media has been doing this for hundreds of years - the thrill is in the unknown.
Why is "Pi" considered a 'Geek Film'? How many people in an average movie going audience could explain (or have even heard about) the Golden Spiral theory? Nothing that mysterious, but it's a mystery to most, so it carries the aura of excitement.
My opinion of a captivating sci-tech film is a recent indie called 'Cube'. It's sort of a Hitchcock-ian sci-fi thriller that exudes the threat of technology rather than slamming it down your throat (read: there are no "let's hack the mainframe" lines in this film). It's on tape. Go rent it.
-b