Presenters
Abstract
Black hole films and television—and we include time warps and wormholes in this study—often connect to the ideas of Heaven and Hell. The concept of hell (either “hellish-ness” or hell itself) is found inside the black hole in several of these films—Disney’s The Black Hole and Event Horizon, to name but two. The concept of hell and the philosophical foundations that relate to hell and dis-order also connect to Solaris, Sphere, multiple Doctor Who episodes, and most recently, High Life. Conversely, the concepts of spirituality or heaven, and their relationship with science, are also touched upon in many of these films, including Interstellar and Contact. In examining this sub-genre of films, we investigate the fascinating philosophical connections that tie these films together. Why do black hole films bring out “the devil inside?” What role does heaven and spirituality play in this sub-genre of films? How do the philosophical underpinnings of these films connect to the outside-the-text experiences of contemporary audiences? Using philosophical approaches that relate to the study of Heaven and Hell and an overall structuralist approach, we draw the connections between the films and the possible redemptive possibilities they provide.