If you thought Andrew Niccol's Gattaca (starring Ethan Hawke and Jude Law) was farfetched, think again. A future society in which social classes are determined by genetic desirability is just one of the disturbing scenarios presented in writer-director Noel Schwerin's excellent, PBS-aired exploration of the social, legal, and political ramifications of cutting-edge biotechnologies. "Are we creating a world that we don't want to inhabit?" That's the underlying question concerning such present-day realities as patent applications for genetically-engineered life forms (including a human/chimpanzee hybrid); babies with five "parents" (sperm donor, egg donor, surrogate mother, and intended parents) and none of them recognized by law; corporations conducting secret genetic tests on employees; drugs that offer short-term benefits and long-term complications; and much more. The ethical dilemmas surrounding these emergent technologies do not lend themselves to simple solutions, and the issues involved--particularly those of reproductive rights in a time when same-sex marriage is a hot-button political issue--are vital to any discussion of our biotechnological future. Bloodlines suggests that we are heading toward a significant restructuring of long-held social traditions, alerting us to the fact that yesterday's (or even hours old) science fiction is fast becoming provocative present-day reality. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (J. Shannon)
Bloodlines: Technology Hits Home
(2003) 57 min. VHS: $29.95: individuals; $129.95: high school & public libraries; $249.95: colleges & universities. Backbone Media. PPR. Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 6
Bloodlines: Technology Hits Home
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