EPISODE · Jun 26, 2026 · 54 MIN
CHALLENGING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HUMAN: Post-humanism in literature and film
from BRAINLAND
In this episode we explore how post-humanist ideas and perspectives, discussed in the earlier episode with Christine Daigle (season 2, episode 7), are reflected in literature and film. Fresh from teaching a course on post-humanist literature and film, Russ Kilbourn chooses three novels and five films, the former including Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' (also discussed in detail at the end of season 2 episode 39), 'Split Tooth' by Inuit musician and writer Tanya Tagak and 'Lament for Julia by Susan Taubes. After defining 'posthumanism' Russ draws out the common threads from those narratives before moving on to his film picks including Villeneuve's 'Arrival', 'Ex machina' and 'Annihilation' by Alex Garland, Frammartino's extraordinary Italian film "Le quattro volte' and experimental film 'Upstream colour by Shaun Caruth. Our wide ranging discussion is difficult to capture in a couple of sentences. Take a listen!And if uou'd like more film chat, this is our Italian cinema podcastCapolavoro!: https://shows.acast.com/capolavoro-masterworks-of-italian-cinemaParticipants:Russell J Kilbourn is Professor in the Dept of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. http://rjakilbourn.com/Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatristhttp://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Novels discussed:Frankenstein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein'Frankenstein disassembled': Brainland episode on Mary Shelley and her novel: https://shows.acast.com/brainland/episodes/deassembling-frankenstein-the-remarkable-life-of-mary-shelleSplit Tooth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_ToothLament for Julia: https://www.the-tls.com/literature-by-region/north-american-literature/lament-for-julia-the-philosophical-pathos-of-susan-taubes-elliot-r-wolfson-book-review-jess-cottonFilms discussed: Le quattro volte https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646975/?ref_=fn_i_1Annihilation https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_AnnihilationEx machina https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_ex%20machinaUpstream colour https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084989/Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen BrownBrainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukInstagram: #brainlandcollectiveSketch by KB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What this episode covers
In this episode we explore how post-humanist ideas and perspectives, discussed in the earlier episode with Christine Daigle (season 2, episode 7), are reflected in literature and film. Fresh from teaching a course on post-humanist literature and film, Russ Kilbourn chooses three novels and five films, the former including Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' (also discussed in detail at the end of season 2 episode 39), 'Split Tooth' by Inuit musician and writer Tanya Tagak and 'Lament for Julia by Susan Taubes. After defining 'posthumanism' Russ draws out the common threads from those narratives before moving on to his film picks including Villeneuve's 'Arrival', 'Ex machina' and 'Annihilation' by Alex Garland, Frammartino's extraordinary Italian film "Le quattro volte' and experimental film 'Upstream colour by Shaun Caruth. Our wide ranging discussion is difficult to capture in a couple of sentences. Take a listen!And if uou'd like more film chat, this is our Italian cinema podcastCapolavoro!: https://shows.acast.com/capolavoro-masterworks-of-italian-cinemaParticipants:Russell J Kilbourn is Professor in the Dept of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. http://rjakilbourn.com/Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatristhttp://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Novels discussed:Frankenstein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein'Frankenstein disassembled': Brainland episode on Mary Shelley and her novel: https://shows.acast.com/brainland/episodes/deassembling-frankenstein-the-remarkable-life-of-mary-shelleSplit Tooth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_ToothLament for Julia: https://www.the-tls.com/literature-by-region/north-american-literature/lament-for-julia-the-philosophical-pathos-of-susan-taubes-elliot-r-wolfson-book-review-jess-cottonFilms discussed: Le quattro volte https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646975/?ref_=fn_i_1Annihilation https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_AnnihilationEx machina https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_ex%20machinaUpstream colour https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084989/Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen BrownBrainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukInstagram: #brainlandcollectiveSketch by KB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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CHALLENGING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HUMAN: Post-humanism in literature and film
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