Considering eXistenZ

Narrative

When considering David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ in terms of its narrative, I believe a key issue to be the player’s willingness to give up their free will in order to join the multiplayer gaming experience. The director clearly recognises the imitations contained within the balance of free will and the necessity for a narrative structure in order to create an accurate realism; however this realism must come at a price to the realism. In short the forced dialogue is used as a tool with which to progress the game, powering the narrative of the film.

Interactivity

Cronenberg creates interactivity with the audience is through the two main characters Allegra and Ted repeated references to recognising people within the plot on the games manifestation. This firstly provides the audience with a challenge, to workout for themselves why the characters would recognise what turns out to be other players within the game; secondly it urges the audience to carry on watching to either see if their guess is right or alternatively find out why the recognition occurs.  The whole idea of this interactivity is noted by Cronenberg through Allegra Geller, when Pikul asks what the purpose of the game is and Gellar responds, "You have to play the game to find out why you are playing the game." This statement is also true with regard to the audience of the film in that they must keep on watching to grasp the plot entirely; an urge which is continually forced by Cronenberg through the obscurity and pace of the plot.

Convergence

The collision of the two themes contained within the film, fantasy and reality was something I found particularly poignant. In a sense, both the audience and characters playing eXistenZ in the film have to allow themselves to obtain a willing suspension of disbelief. This is essential for the audience as it allows us to open our minds to the concept of eXistenZ rather than questioning its viability of the game in reality, in order to enjoy the film. As I mentioned earlier a similar willing suspension or free will allows the character to progress through the game successfully.

A further matter contained within this issue of fantasy vs. reality is the two layer of fantasy contained within the reality or all the characters playing the actual game at the seminar in real life. This second fantasy world had to be created by the director in order to give and thus justify the characters belief in the environment that the game play forces them into. Give this the seriousness with which they play the game, as if a question of life and death, is feasible to the audience.