Hollywood Utopia

value(s) outside of the multitude of conflicting biological ‘needs’ of various flora
and fauna within the earth’s eco system. Inherent contradictions such as those
indicated here remain ever present in the texts considered and can become
magnified by attempts to foreground an all-encompassing meta-narrative for
human behaviour, or even representing and privileging an ecological utopian ideal.
More often, however, a dystopian environment is foregrounded, particularly in
many of the science fiction narratives to be discussed in this book.
The central tenet of ecology as affirmed by many of the major ecological critics
embodies ‘harmony with nature’ together with the recognition of ‘finite resources’.
Everything else in this view is therefore either peripheral to, or at best ancillary to,
these all-inclusive affirmations. But there is often little agreement through the
large rainbow of ‘green supporters’ on the specific means, especially the priorities
and timescales, for achieving these ends. Simply looking for hope, through an
artificial development of holistic systems, can be a recipe for disaster.
Consequently there is an inherent danger of endorsing the trend of using the
therapeutic romantic representation of nature to help audiences overcome the
distresses of modern living, which has become prevalent in Hollywood and
designed to appeal to audiences across class, race and ideology. In spite of such
dangers and while it is critically easier to dismiss aspects that conform to this broad
therapeutic premise, it remains crucial to clarify and tie down how films promote
broadly utopian values. Meanings continually shift and slide within Hollywood
cinema.
As a relatively modern phenomenon, however, ecology remains a totalising concept,
which is inclusive rather than exclusive. 12 This naturally causes severe problems in
trying to create and maintain strict guidelines and terms of reference. As Tim
Unwin postulates, ‘it would be difficult to find a set of issues which symbolise more
vividly the torment of a way of life gone astray, which captures more exactly the
transformative urge propelling political and economic works’ than those raised by
modern ecology (cited in Norton 1991: 188). Furthermore, as Andre Gorz warns in
Ecology as Politics, environmentalism is continually being ‘commandeered’ by the
dominant groups in western society for their own ends. The forces of capitalism
are very capable of adapting an ‘environmental conscience’ to meet the needs of the
dominant culture (Gorz 1987: 114B30). Such contradictions and ambiguities must
be faced up to.
Utopianism versus Ideology
Utopianism can be broadly defined as the desire for a better way of living expressed
in the description of a different kind of society that makes possible an alternative
way of life. Utopianism has a long and distinguished pedigree and has informed
thinkers from the Frankfurt School to Ernst Bloch and Fredric Jameson. 13 The
1 Hollywood Utopia 21