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Westworld

'Westworld' double bill (1973 film, and Season 1, episode 3, 2016)

Followed by a discussion with Teddy Power, a resident scholar in the Humanities Institute and a PhD Candidate in UCD School of English, Drama and Film. Her research focuses on the interdisciplinary fields of fantasy in television and literature, combining analysis of fantasy novels with television adaptations, to explore the emergence of fantasy TV and the inter-medial impact of the genre’s new prominence in the market.

Westworld (1973)

In the near future, the Delos Corporation offers the ultimate vacation for adults: a fully immersive experience in one of three fantastical worlds - Medieval World, Roman World, or Western World - where guests can indulge in their wildest dreams without any consequences.

In Westworld, guests John Blane and Peter Martin find themselves in a hyper-realistic simulation of the Old West, complete with lifelike androids designed to cater to their every whim. However, things take a dark turn when a malfunction causes the androids to revolt. The once idyllic getaway turns into a nightmare as the men must fight for their lives against a relentless and deadly gunslinger.

Directed by Michael Crichton, this sci-fi thriller explores the dangers of advanced technology and the thin line between fantasy and reality.

This film contains outdated views and depictions of nudity and violence.

  •  Director: Michael Crichton
  • Script: Michael Crichton
  • Music: Ben Salisbury, Fred Karlin
  • Cinematography: Gene Polito
  • Starring: Yul Brenner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin

 S1 E3 Westworld (2016-2022)

With the basic premise of the TV series remaining the same, in the 2050s, Delos Inc. manages and produces futuristic amusement parks in the South China Sea. In Westworld, guests are invited to indulge their wildest fantasies with lifelike humanoid robots called “hosts”, who are programmed to provide over 100 interconnected narratives.

The beginning of the first season introduces us to the park's operations and key characters, including Dolores Abernathy, a host who begins to experience troubling memories, and Bernard Lowe, a programmer with a hidden agenda. As the hosts start exhibiting unpredictable behaviour, the park's dark secrets begin to surface, setting the stage for a narrative interweaving artificial intelligence and human nature.

 In Episode 3 of Westworld, "The Stray," the complex layers of the park’s mysteries begin to deepen, focusing on character development and the underlying tensions within both the hosts and the human staff. This episode further explores the idea of memory, sentience, and control in the hosts, giving viewers more insight into the emerging self-awareness among some of the key characters.

  •  Director: Jonathan Nolan
  • Script: Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, Michael Crichton
  • Music: Raman Djawadi
  • Cinematography: Paul Cameron
  • Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright

This series contains depictions of nudity and violence.

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