‘REALITY WORLDS’ COLLIDE: FILM AND VIDEOGAMES AS PEDAGOGICAL TOOLS FOR THE CLASSICS

Abstract

Since the early eighties, the personal computer has come to form an integral part of most aspects of our existence. In Hollywood this is no different. Indeed, the influence of the computer is so powerful that it is rare for an action-adventure film to be able to call itself a 'blockbuster' unless it is released with some sort of videogame tie-in following closely in its wake, as the case of James Cameron's Avatar (2010) suggests. It is the relationship between film and videogame and their combined strengths as a teaching tool that are the concerns of this article. The analysis therefore centres on two examples of film and videogame tie-in: Clash of the Titans and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The lightning thief, both 2010 releases. The investigation" targets this film / videogame complex through the use of a new concept, the 'reality world', to be defined in the course of the article that better allows an assessment of the relevance and utility of films and their videogame tie-ins as pedagogical tools for the teaching and study of the discipline of Classics. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Akroterion is the property of Akroterion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)