By Nathan Simms
Following the recent trend of Science-Fiction remakes, last weekend saw the release of Ghost in the Shell (Sanders, 2017), a live-action remake of the 1995 anime film of the same name. The original Ghost in the Shell (Shirow 1995) is a slow-paced, philosophical piece that asks questions about how humanity changes as technology is put into our bodies. The protagonist in both films, Major, is a “human” whose entire body is robotic, save for her brain, and her personal struggle for identity. 2017’s version is a technological marvel that captures a neon-lit future, emulating the feel and visual style of the anime, but ultimately falls short of capturing the tone of of the original.
In the 1995 anime, the cybernetic future of humanity is a juxtaposition of decaying slums and bright neon inner city. Taking inspiration from Blade Runner (Scott, 1982) and William Gibson’s 1984 book Neuromancer, the city of 2017’s Ghost in the Shell is vibrant and almost otherworldly. The world of Ghost is captivating with its towering skyscrapers and twirling, holographic advertisements towering about the cityscape. Here, the remake matches its source material almost perfectly. In fact, the live-action purposefully and exactly emulates the most memorable shots from the original but in a manner that is supposed to appear “real.”
In the 1995 anime, the cybernetic future of humanity is a juxtaposition of decaying slums and bright neon inner city. Taking inspiration from Blade Runner (Scott, 1982) and William Gibson’s 1984 book Neuromancer, the city of 2017’s Ghost in the Shell is vibrant and almost otherworldly. The world of Ghost is captivating with its towering skyscrapers and twirling, holographic advertisements towering about the cityscape. Here, the remake matches its source material almost perfectly. In fact, the live-action purposefully and exactly emulates the most memorable shots from the original but in a manner that is supposed to appear “real.”
Major, played by Scarlett Johansson, stands above the neon futuristic city of Ghost in the Shell (Sanders 2017).
However, the film falls short of the original as it interacts with the protagonist. In the anime, Major’s questions about her own humanity lead to a multitude of contemplative moments leaving viewers lost in thought. The remake, however, drops these slow montages in favor of thrilling actions sequences and plot twists, presumably to appeal to an American audience. When the anime initiates, it drops the viewer directly into the action and never reveals any of Major’s origin. The viewer has to determine what the Ghost in the shell actually means and they are left guessing where the story began. To contrast, one of the opening lines of dialogue in the remake directly defines Ghost as a human soul and then goes on to show Major’s origin story, negating any sense of uncertainty.
While the American, live-action remake of Ghost is a marvel to behold with its twirling cityscape, it fails in delivering the same sense of philosophical brooding that is found in the original. And while Scarlett Johansson delivered a spectacular performance, albeit controversial amongst accusations of whitewashing, Sanders’ film leaves us wondering why live-action remakes of animated masterpieces are necessary, beyond a studio’s desire for revenue.
While the American, live-action remake of Ghost is a marvel to behold with its twirling cityscape, it fails in delivering the same sense of philosophical brooding that is found in the original. And while Scarlett Johansson delivered a spectacular performance, albeit controversial amongst accusations of whitewashing, Sanders’ film leaves us wondering why live-action remakes of animated masterpieces are necessary, beyond a studio’s desire for revenue.
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