Alive in Joburg
Encyclopedia
"Alive in Joburg" is a 2005
science fiction
short film directed by Neill Blomkamp
, produced by Simon Hansen
and Sharlto Copley
in Canada
, and released by Spy Films. It runs approximately six minutes long and was filmed in Johannesburg
, South Africa
with soundtrack featuring composer sound designer Drazen Bosnjak's "Harmonic Code". The film explores themes of apartheid and is noted for its visual effects as well as its documentary
-style imagery. Blomkamp's 2009
feature film
District 9
, starring Copley, expands themes and elements from this short film.
refugees, whose large spaceships (estimated to be nearly one kilometer in length) can be seen hovering above the city. When the visitors arrived, the human population was enamored with, among other aspects, the aliens' advanced "bio-suits", and supposedly welcomed them with open arms. However, later, the aliens began moving into other areas of the city, committing crimes in order to survive, and frequently clashing with the police. Playing as a documentary, the film continues, complete with interviews and footage taken from handheld cameras, highlighting the growing tension between the civilian population and the visitors, especially once the ships began to steal electricity and other resources from the city.
According to individuals "interviewed" in the film, the aliens were captive labor (slaves or indentured servants), forced to live in "conditions that were not good" and had escaped to Earth. Because the film takes place in 1990, while apartheid was still in effect in South Africa
, the aliens were forced to live amongst the already-oppressed black
population, causing conflict with them as well as the non-white and white
population.
All of the interview statements which do not explicitly mention extraterrestrials were taken from authentic interviews with many South Africans who had been asked their opinions of Zimbabwean refugees.
One scene early in the film, shown as television news footage, shows an alien wearing one of their mecha
-suits fending off an attack by two police officers by throwing large vehicles towards them. Whether or not they themselves have a telekinetic ability or whether it is done through the use of the suit is never explained, although the alien is shown to touch a place on its suit's arm as it levitates and then throws the vehicles.
adaptation entitled District 9
directed by Neill Blomkamp with executive production by Peter Jackson
, and featuring Sharlto Copley
and Jason Cope
, who also were involved in Alive in Joburg. District 9 was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture
.
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short film directed by Neill Blomkamp
Neill Blomkamp
Neill Blomkamp is an Afrikaner-Canadian film and advertisement writer and director. Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held, cinéma vérité technique, blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated effects. He is best known as the co-writer and director of critically acclaimed...
, produced by Simon Hansen
Simon Hansen
Simon Hansen is a South African born film maker who is considered by some to be leading South Africa's revolution in their local film industry. Hansen has been working in the Film and entertainment industry since 1992 and is a world class innovator...
and Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and released by Spy Films. It runs approximately six minutes long and was filmed in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with soundtrack featuring composer sound designer Drazen Bosnjak's "Harmonic Code". The film explores themes of apartheid and is noted for its visual effects as well as its documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
-style imagery. Blomkamp's 2009
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
, starring Copley, expands themes and elements from this short film.
Plot and themes
In 1990, Johannesburg is home to a number of extraterrestrialExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
refugees, whose large spaceships (estimated to be nearly one kilometer in length) can be seen hovering above the city. When the visitors arrived, the human population was enamored with, among other aspects, the aliens' advanced "bio-suits", and supposedly welcomed them with open arms. However, later, the aliens began moving into other areas of the city, committing crimes in order to survive, and frequently clashing with the police. Playing as a documentary, the film continues, complete with interviews and footage taken from handheld cameras, highlighting the growing tension between the civilian population and the visitors, especially once the ships began to steal electricity and other resources from the city.
According to individuals "interviewed" in the film, the aliens were captive labor (slaves or indentured servants), forced to live in "conditions that were not good" and had escaped to Earth. Because the film takes place in 1990, while apartheid was still in effect in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the aliens were forced to live amongst the already-oppressed black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
population, causing conflict with them as well as the non-white and white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
population.
All of the interview statements which do not explicitly mention extraterrestrials were taken from authentic interviews with many South Africans who had been asked their opinions of Zimbabwean refugees.
The Aliens
The alien species in "Alive in Joburg" are never named, speak in an undefined language, and are frequently referred to simply as "them" or "the aliens". One citizen referred to them as "the poleepkwa". In their biosuits, they resembled bipedal, humanoid robots. Outside of their suits, their most obvious non-human features are a lack of hair and ears, and protruding tentacles where a human's mouth would be. In the film, the area where one would expect eyes to be is pixelated, though in a later scene an alien with unpixelated eyes is briefly shown.One scene early in the film, shown as television news footage, shows an alien wearing one of their mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
-suits fending off an attack by two police officers by throwing large vehicles towards them. Whether or not they themselves have a telekinetic ability or whether it is done through the use of the suit is never explained, although the alien is shown to touch a place on its suit's arm as it levitates and then throws the vehicles.
Adaptation
On August 14, 2009, Sony Pictures released a feature filmFeature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
adaptation entitled District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
directed by Neill Blomkamp with executive production by Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
, and featuring Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley
Sharlto Copley is a South African producer, actor, and director who has produced and co-directed short films which have appeared at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as commercials and music videos...
and Jason Cope
Jason Cope
Jason Cope is a South African actor best known for his work in Neill Blomkamp's District 9. In the film Cope plays a variety of different characters including the alien Christopher Johnson and the character Grey Bradnam, one of the narrators of the film...
, who also were involved in Alive in Joburg. District 9 was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only...
.
External links
- Watch This Movie Online on Free Movies Cinema
- Official Website at Spy Films Productions