The Real Minority Report

Phillip K. Dick’s 1956 short story, Minority Report, and the 2002 Steven Spielberg film of the same name have few commonalities (aside from the name) but do exemplify the preoccupation of cinema with the objectification of the human form as described in Laura Mulvey’s Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. While Dick’s science fiction story explores the concepts of destiny, fate, multiple futures, and free will, the film uses the basic concepts as a showcase for the latest special effects, product placements (the Lexus factory), and of course objectifying the human body.

The film made over $300 million at the box office. The short story was virtually unknown until the film came out. Why did the film do so well? To summarize Mulvey—SEX SELLS. Take for instance the precog, Agatha, from the film. She is lithe and has a nubile look. All the better for pleasurable looking; not too threatening to the female viewer, but appealing to the voyeuristic male tendency to objectify the female form. Throw in a couple having sex as the camera follows the “spiders” searching for Anderton (hmm, missed that in the story) and Tom Cruise for the guys to project their persona into, and what do you get? BOX OFFICE SMASH!

This is why I just do not like the movies. Excuse me, films. The film took a science fiction story with a great concept and an okay plot and regurgitated it into a couple hours of crap that would appeal to most moviegoers: mystery, suspense, action, love story, crime drama, a lost child, et cetera. Stories allow us to form mental images of scenes, persons, and things, based on our own imagination and the quality of the writing. Mulvey gives me a sense that I am not alone in my distaste for the objectification of the human body not just in film, but television and print as well.

Mulvey hits the mark with her essay. Dick’s short story is a descent read. Spielberg’s film is a waste. However, judging by the fact that the film sold a zillion copies on DVD, I guess my opinion is the real minority report.