A Zizekian Study Of Subjectivity In Film Blade Runner

This thesis analyses and interprets the classical science fiction film Blade Runner from the perspective of Zizek’s subjectivity theory.Through Zizek’s tracing and weaving the concept of subjectivity from Descartes’ radical doubt to metaphysical subject and finally death drive in Lacanian psychoanalysis,it will argue that the principle concern of this film is the issue of subjectivity and replicants fit perfectly with the multi-faceted conception of Zizekian subject.Subsequently,by analyzing from the genre of BR,namely noir and cyberpunk,it will point out the world delineated in the film is a claustrophobic and paranoid one,as well as a postmodern multicultural world.The denizens of this world lead a machine-like and unreflecting life,exemplified by Sebastian.The emergence of the obscene father Dr.Tyrell embodies the decline of the big Other in contemporary society.By associating subjectivity with death drive,the seemingly ruthless behavior of replicants could achieve a whole new positive meaning.This is also the ultimate significance of subjecivity as a weapon to antagonize the repressing symbolic order.So BR could be interpreted as a criticism on the ignorant people of late-capitalist society who are immersed in their pathetic enjoyment-oriented mode of life.An optimistic insight could also be seen from this film that any attempt to control people’s consciousness is doomed to fail.However,the most precise Zizekian interpretation of this film is that BR is a fantasy in which people’s unconscious wish is fulfilled.And they could continue to live in ideology without the need to do anything drastic in real life.Therefore,a Zizekian re-interpretation of BR from subjectivity becomes meaningful to redeem our world from an apocalyptic future presaged in the film.