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I'm curious why you like these so much as titles. Tastes differ, but in my opinion, "A Scanner Darkly" is the only standout winner here. Without knowing anythi
by noisefridge 1y ago
I'm curious why you like these so much as titles. Tastes differ, but in my opinion, "A Scanner Darkly" is the only standout winner here.
Without knowing anything of what the story was about, would "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" convey anything important to the reader? Even as a standalone metaphor it's confused: humans don't dream about sheep! There is an old trope of counting sheep to fall asleep, but that's not a dream.
In any case, we're now thinking about sheep, not a noir detective story set in a declining post-biosphere world.
- hx8 1y agoI think Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said is a great title. It sets up the narrative style and loads the gun for a incoming tragedy.
- parineum 1y agoIsn't the point of a title to get someone to read the book (and not be disappointed by it's contents)? I get you don't want to name a crime novel like a self help book but the title of the book is really just going to get me to pick it up off the shelf and read the back, not assume the narrative style and complete plot of the book. Book titles are click bait and always have been.
- coldtea 1y ago>Isn't the point of a title to get someone to read the book (and not be disappointed by it's contents)? For marketing departments maybe. For authors it's supposed to be a fitting name for their novel.
- parineum 1y agoAuthors want to sell books too. They'd, by and large, rather the title that sells more books as long as it's not totally off the mark.
- jzb 1y agoA title doesn’t have to do anything other than draw the reader’s attention to the work. “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” is, IMO a great title — and it does relate to the humanity of the androids. It’s a far superior title compared to “Blade Runner,” which is actually better than the book. Anyway, I’d say that the fact we’re still talking about his work nearly 50 years after his death suggests he might not have sucked at titles…
- TeaBrain 1y agoI agree that the book title is great, but I've never understood the fawning over the movie. The art design is great, but the movie script turned a contemplative story into a generic thriller with a unique aesthetic.
- mrkstu 1y agoHardly generic- it is somewhat generic after what has come since, as there has been so much cheap copying of the original.
- DonHopkins 1y agoYes, a definite instance of the "Seinfeld is Unfunny" Effect. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeinfeldIsUnfunny https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeinfeldIsUnfunn...
- TeaBrain 1y agoIn Blade Runner's case, the art design is superb. As I mentioned in my parent comment, that's not what I referred to as generic. The script though is what is generic and ham-fisted compared to the novel. It's also not a case of that meme, as I was comparing to the novel, and to earlier films which it is derivative of while taking just the skeleton of the plot from the novel.
- TeaBrain 1y agoThe art design, which is the most influential aspect of the movie, is superb, but compared to the novel, the movie's script is that of a generic thriller.
- benatkin 1y ago> There is an old trope of counting sheep to fall asleep, but that's not a dream. How about when people dream about what they were thinking about when they fell asleep? It happens.
- bawolff 1y agoIn the context of the story, i think "dream" should be taken as "yearn for" i.e. something you dream of having one day, not so much what you dream of at night.
- benatkin 1y agoThose meanings are connected. I think it was a reference to counting sheep but it describes yearning as far as connecting the title to the plot. Also, upon further reflection I don't really agree with what the other commenter said: "There is an old trope of counting sheep to fall asleep, but that's not a dream". If you try to and manage to think in a way that causes you to become less alert, it starts to be like daydreaming, so I think this sort of falling asleep thinking is under the umbrella of dreaming.
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- bawolff 1y ago> Even as a standalone metaphor it's confused: humans don't dream about sheep! Sure but its meaningful in the context of the story. The main character does literally dream of an electric sheep (in the book this is a metaphor being able to love, and by extension be human) I don't think title metaphors have to be standalone. Very few books are like that. Its like criticizing Hamlet because if you don't read the play you have no idea who hamlet is. > In any case, we're now thinking about sheep, not a noir detective story set in a declining post-biosphere world. That's the theme of the movie not the book.
- 1oooqooq 1y agomaybe because English is my third language, but i always loathed the scanner darkly title. so empty and try-hard.
- gopher_space 1y agoIt’s a reference to a biblical passage. 1 Corinthians 13:12, "For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then we shall see face to face". There wasn’t any clear glass back in Paul’s day. Looking through glass meant that your vision was obscured.
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