CGAA-Unit 1 Anatomy Project Essay

The Aspects Of Human Transformation and Hybridization.

Anastasis-Ntinopoulos

Introduction:
This essay wants to explore the aspects of metamorphosis and hybridization. Also wants to examine the human psychology in the transformation stages of human to a hybrid. Case studies for investigation will be Davids Cronenbergs The Fly (1986) which examines the slow transformation and the degradation of the human body and Vincenzo Natalis Splice(2009) which also shows the slow stages of transformation and the emotional psych of the creature that is being transformed. Additional movies: The Fly (1958) Kurt Neumman, Spiderman (2002) Sam Raimi, The Company Of Wolves (1984) Neil Jordan, The American Werewolf in London (1981) John Landis, and resources will be used for the completion of this essay. Hybridization: The act or process of mating organisms of different varieties or species to create a hybrid. (http://www.biology-online.org/ , 2010) Metamorphosis: Any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc. (http://dictionary.reference.com/ , 2010)

Main Essay:

A fly... got into the... transmitter pod with me that first time, when I was alone. The computer... got confused there werent supposed to be two separate genetic patterns and it decided to... uhh... splice us together. It mated us, me and the fly. We hadnt even been properly introduced. (The Fly, 1986). Davids Cronenbergs Fly shows the human changing gradually to a fly and dealing with certain issues about life.

Figure 1: The scientist gradually transforms from a human to a fly.

His transformation isnt painful but its still intense. By transforming gradually to a fly his feelings and certain things about life and women come out while being transformed. The transformation kind of push his feelings and emotions to go out. The film was widely interpreted as an expression of the fear of degenerative diseases, especially Aids. (The horror film: An Introduction by Rick Worland, 2007). During his transformation his psychology changes in a weird and unexplained way. He is changing and his whole self and personality changes. He is transformed from a quiet and typical person to a mad creature. He is in a state that nothing can scare him and do anything he wants. The transformation boost his emotions and makes him tough. There are no limits, he has supernatural strength and agility, and extreme sexual desires. The whole transformation have changed his ego. The film explores the hubris that comes with physical perfection (Todd KushiIgemachi, 2011). Without a clear mind we can see Seth the scientist who transforms passing from stages that he loses his control and eventually in the end merging with the animal he has been spliced. His psych has been disturbed from the whole process of transformation. The transformation affect his personality and make him a completely different person. As much he has changed some things still remain the same. Some emotions and feelings have not changed. He is starting to have animal instincts and feelings about life and birth. His animal instincts develop as soon he transforms. In all kind of transformations we can see that animal instincts are developed and cannot be reversed. We can see this by his actions in the movie. He is not letting the journalist that she has been with to abort his child, he tries to prevent her. He feels that this children is a part of himself while he is completely transformed into a fly. Basic instincts and animal instincts cannot be prevented in any state. "The Fly also deals with questions of humanity, life, and more.

(Matt Paprocki, 2009). Also with his transformation and actions want to show and express certain thoughts and worries about the society . Basic instinct refers to: An inborn pattern of activity or tendency to action common to a given biological species. (http://dictionary.reference.com , 2011) In addition, in the first Fly of Kurts Neumann, The Fly (1958) Kurt Neumman, we can observe that as long as the scientist is transformed at once he still cares for his wife and has human emotions for her. He is not disturbed as Seth is in the second fly. He shows his feelings after the transformation to his wife by writing in a board Love you. He might have changed into a fly but emotions and feelings like love stay and cannot be disappeared. In this transformation the scientist is transformed into a fly at once in comparison to the second one of Cronenbergs where he is transforming gradual in stages.

Figure 2: The scientist transformed to a fly at once. In Spider-Man (2002) directed by Sam Raimi we can see how Peter Parker is transforming and getting the spiders abilities. Being a hybrid without any outward appearance changes. His transformation only have the abilities of a spider. Its kind of an interesting transformation and we dont see usually in movies this type of transformations. Only his abilities have been developed as this of a spider.

Figure 3: Peter Parker discovering his spider abilities.

In The Company Of Wolves (1984) directed by Neil Jordan we can see instant and painful transformation into wolfs. The director want to show by their transformation that they are kind of cursed with it and thats why it is so painful. The whole movie is about symbolism which is succeeded by the transformations and with the whole movies scenario.

Figure 4: The painful transformation .

In the American Werewolf in London (1981) directed by John Landis, the transformation is kind of a curse and is really painful. While David is transformed into a werewolf he loses control of himself and kill other people. Curse transformations can be found in Greek mythology.

Figure 5: Transformation in the American Werewolf in London (1981)

Zeus transformed Lycaon into werewolf as a punishment for killing his children, in some versions of the myth. (Wikipedia,2011). This transform happens when there is a full moon and the person that is being transformed cannot control his self. There arent any emotions or any connection with the real world while he is transformed. If the change is involuntary, its cause may be a curse or spell, a wizard's or magician's or fairy's help, a deity's will, a temporal change such as a full moon or nightfall, love, or death. The transformation may or may not be purposeful. (Wikipedia, 2011) The human feelings and the process of transformation can be observed by Vincenzo Natali, Splice (2009). The hybrid that has been made in the lab transforms gradually in stages. During its transformation it shows plenty of emotions and feelings that we can take in mind and examine about transformation and hybridization. It examines the questions of being created and being a hybrid without any idea of the real world and the things that are happening in reality. We

see a creature spliced with human DNA living in a lab with two scientists. The hybrid that is developed in Splice develops emotions for Its close humans , the scientists but its still remains a hybrid. It develops feelings about her mother and sexual desires for her father. Anger can be shown in some scenes where the hybrid is abused by the scientist.. The transformation passes from stages. In the last stage the hybrid loses his mind and uses only its basic instincts. In the last stage of transformation the hybrid submits to her basic instincts and attacks everyone. What the movie wants to say us and show us is that hybrids are still animals and they cannot stop their basic instincts and feelings for humans.

Figure 6: Hybrid creature created in the Splice (2009) movie.

Conclusion:
Every transformation is different and it has its own characteristics. Some transformation can be from curses , some can be from experiments. It depends on the storyline. Each character that goes under transformation and hybridization is a unique situation. The character that undergoes the transformation pass from several stages and his whole ego changes . From what I have concluded is that In Davids Cronenbergs Fly the character goes through a transformation that is changing him. In comparison to The Kurts Neumman Fly the character is transformed but it still manages to remain as he was before the transformation of the fly. Transformation changes its character behavior and it makes basic instincts and basic animal feelings come out. By the transformation achieved several messages can be passed to the audience, each message individual as each transformation.

Illustration List:
Figure 1: The scientist gradually transforms to a fly. The Fly (1986) Davids Cronenberg http://noeltanti.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/616px-brundlestages.jpg?w=300&h=292 Accessed 20.10.2011 Figure 2: Scientist from Neummans fly transformed at once. The Fly Kurt (1958) Kurt Neumman http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0MwlhbwKk/TdbG7YGrv5I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/uIS3a6mJji4/s1600/TheFly1958.jpg Accessed 20.10.2011 Figure 3:Peter Parker discovering his spider abilities. Spiderman (2002) Sam Raimi http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/78494863.jpg/ Accessed 20.10.2011 Figure 4: The painful transformation in the movie Company of Wolves. The Company Of Wolves (1984) Neil Jordan http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_P7mYEXfJ1lc/TLCpeg2ZwSI/AAAAAAAAAPI/GLMbaffvQyk/s1600/co mpany+of+wolves+transform.jpg Accessed 20.10.2011 Figure 5: Transformation in The American Werewolf in London. The American Werewolf In London (1981) John Landis http://www.mannythemovieguy.com/images/american_werewolf_in_london_remake.jpg Accessed 20.10.2011 Figure 6: Hybrid creature created in the Splice (2009) movie. Splice(2009) Vincenzo Natali http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RO0VN8CvKkg/TBG6KP9laiI/AAAAAAAAAYc/Ti4pxaq59BM/s1600/m ovie.jpg Accessed 20.10.2011

Bibliography:
The horror film: An Introduction by Rick Worland page 275 Accessed 20.10.2011 Film Review by Todd KushiIgemachi, The Fly 1986 http://www.tkatthemovies.com/posts/the-fly-david-cronenberg-1986/ Accessed 20.10.2011 Wikipedia 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapeshifting Accessed 20.10.2011