First Person Not Shooter
September 6, 2018 8:07 AM Subscribe
Arcadia is a low budget short film that was broadcast on the 5th January 1990 on the UK's Channel 4. Music by Hans Zimmer. Slightly nsfw. (slyt, 240p, low quality conversion of a VHS recording of an analogue TV broadcast, with french subtitles).
Oh wow that was remarkably well done.
posted by robotmachine at 8:26 AM on September 6, 2018
posted by robotmachine at 8:26 AM on September 6, 2018
Perhaps relatively low-budget, but that had more effects than most half-hours of Doctor Who (which had only just been cancelled at the time).
I love how it's not just a throwaway joke, it really makes you consider a backstory to explain the ultraviolence (all too realistic in this day and age) and a campaign to teach young people another path, a more traditional British stiff-upper-lip sort of reaction. There was a lot of controversy about violence on TV and video games on both sides of the Atlantic at the time. Mary Whitehouse was past her prime by this point, but it's a bit funny how the film uses the portrayal of ultraviolence to critique violence in the media.
Certainly more interesting than anything that was on TV in the US in 1990!
posted by rikschell at 10:03 AM on September 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I love how it's not just a throwaway joke, it really makes you consider a backstory to explain the ultraviolence (all too realistic in this day and age) and a campaign to teach young people another path, a more traditional British stiff-upper-lip sort of reaction. There was a lot of controversy about violence on TV and video games on both sides of the Atlantic at the time. Mary Whitehouse was past her prime by this point, but it's a bit funny how the film uses the portrayal of ultraviolence to critique violence in the media.
Certainly more interesting than anything that was on TV in the US in 1990!
posted by rikschell at 10:03 AM on September 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best pre-make of Ready Player One ever.
posted by erikred at 2:22 PM on September 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by erikred at 2:22 PM on September 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I remember seeing this when it was broadcast in 1990. I'm not sure that it was ever shown again. The image of someone struggling through a violent landscape to play a video game about being peaceful stuck with me. I found it again the other day and just had to post it here.
I think its aged well. I can remember when I saw it at the time, a photo-realistic video game didn't seem feasible, like it was an obvious cheap trick by the filmmaker. Also the moments where he puts imaginary money into the collecting tin, or hands over imaginary keys didn't ring true - what sort of video game would be able to respond to gestures and speech like that? Whereas nowadays, thats all just straightforward.
The director was Paul Bamborough, who it turns out has done a ton of notable work with digital film and music making technology. He was co-creator of the Solid State Logic mixing desks in the late 70s and 80s (contributing the Studio Computer components), then went on to found Lightworks, one of the first digital editing systems, and in its time very widely used. And then he then went on to co-found Codex Digital, whose technology is now used to records and process the material for about 60% of box-office releases.
posted by memebake at 2:31 PM on September 10, 2018
I think its aged well. I can remember when I saw it at the time, a photo-realistic video game didn't seem feasible, like it was an obvious cheap trick by the filmmaker. Also the moments where he puts imaginary money into the collecting tin, or hands over imaginary keys didn't ring true - what sort of video game would be able to respond to gestures and speech like that? Whereas nowadays, thats all just straightforward.
The director was Paul Bamborough, who it turns out has done a ton of notable work with digital film and music making technology. He was co-creator of the Solid State Logic mixing desks in the late 70s and 80s (contributing the Studio Computer components), then went on to found Lightworks, one of the first digital editing systems, and in its time very widely used. And then he then went on to co-found Codex Digital, whose technology is now used to records and process the material for about 60% of box-office releases.
posted by memebake at 2:31 PM on September 10, 2018
This seems like the logical conclusion of "Pro-2nd Amendment 100 years from now."
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 6:46 PM on September 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 6:46 PM on September 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
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Good stuff, this.
posted by deadaluspark at 8:22 AM on September 6, 2018