Unnatural Selection (multifandom vid)
| Vid | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Unnatural Selection |
| Creator: | Charmax |
| Date: | March 2009 |
| Format: | digital vid |
| Length: | 3:36 minutes |
| Music: | Pussycats Gone To Heaven (Pixies vs Pussycat Dolls) - DJ Lobsterdust |
| Genre: | multifandom, apocavid |
| Fandom: | Battlestar Galactica (2003), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles |
| Footage: | Battlestar Galactica, Terminator: Sarah Connor, Terminator movies |
| URL: | at the vidder's website (offline as of 2014), on LJ |
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Unnatural Selection is a vid that depicts parallels between the evolution of Battlestar Galactica's Cylons and the Terminator franchise's Terminators (both robotic, artificial lifeforms) and their eventual desires.
From the Vidder
Vidder's Summary: That body was made to look like a person. We were made in God's image.
Vidder's Notes: Images of apocalypse and violence that some may find disturbing.
The inspiration for the vid came from the fact that this year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of "The Origin of Species" and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. I've always been struck by the similarities between T:SCC and BSG and I tried to show some of that here. As humanity teeters on the edge of extinction they slide down the evolutionary tree of life whilst the machines evolve into better beings.[1]
Recs and Commentary
- "The vid feels so different from charmax's usual vids, yet it still has her fingerprints in the motion and movements. It starts, as all vids should, with the robot apocalypse. [...] There's a sense of question and statement within the titles. I can't decide if the humans are the ones questioning, if the Cylon are questioning, if the Terminators are questioning, or if they're all the statement. It's a wonderful feeling to be confused and unknowing. It's a very meta vid on many levels, mainly the Darwin inclusion for me. It's about robot apocalypses, human nature, Darwin, religion, and so much more."(kiki_miserychic)[2]
- "[...] while I'm usually kind of uncomfortable with multi-fandom videos (I often feel like the connection between the fandoms is "I wanted them both in this vid!" rather than something organic) there is just...nothing like that here. The two shows fit together flawlessly in one epic clusterfrak of robot apocalypses, evolution, death and God. The vid's arguments on evolution, that it is not the strongest but the most adaptable who will survive and that the machines are changing far more quickly than us, violently expressed and beautifully edited, are just stunning." (beccatoria)[3]
- "My love for robots is well-documented. At this point, I don't think I need to tell you that sometimes I'm rooting for the robots. But, um. The robots in this vid don't need any humans in their cheering squad; they're doing just fine by themselves. [...] The basic message is very clear to anyone who grew up on hard science fiction: we're going to build the next stage. And then it's going to destroy us. [...] I love this vid so much, which is a strange thing to say about something that's equal parts dead humans, robotic overlords, and various apocalypses. [...] But it's gorgeous and so brilliantly edited and it does in three minutes what it took science fiction a childhood to do for me. Watch. Learn. And fear the future." (thefourthvine)[4]
References
- ^ Vid announcement post on Livejournal, 3 March 2009. (Accessed 7 April 2011)
- ^ Unnatural Selection by charmax, commentary by kiki_miserychic, 30 July 2009. (Accessed 7 April 2011); WebCite
- ^ Vid Rec: Unnatural Selection (BSG/TSCC) by beccatoria, 4 March 2009. (Accessed 7 April 2011)
- ^ The One That Would Give Charles Darwin Nightmares. (No, Really. He Was a Very Sensitive Man.) from 190: I'm Going to Vidding Land recs post by thefourthvine, 5 March 2009. (Accessed 7 April 2011)