Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, is a novella that examines the horrors of Western colonialism. The story is narrated by Marlow, who recounts his journey as a riverboat captain for a Belgian trading company in the Congo. Marlow's journey takes him deep into the African jungle, where he encounters the enigmatic and brutal ivory trader Kurtz. The novella delves into themes of power dynamics, morality, and the psychological impact of colonialism on both the colonizers and the colonized. It is a landmark of modern fiction, known for its narrative and symbolic power, as well as its acute psychological penetration[2][3][5].
Annihilation is the first volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. The story follows the twelfth expedition into Area X, a coastal region that has been cut off from the rest of the world for decades. The team consists of four women: a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Their mission is to map the terrain, record observations, and avoid contamination by Area X. As they delve deeper, they encounter strange and unexplainable phenomena, including hybrid vegetation and creatures, and uncover secrets about the previous expeditions and the true nature of Area X. The novel explores themes of control, mystery, and the transformative power of the unknown environment[2][3][5].
The last time acclaimed writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Civil War, Annihilation) appeared on Script Apart, he told Al about his desire to quit directing temporarily and focus on writing – you know, like in the early days of his career. Well, it doesn’t get much more like those early days than returning to the blood-soaked quarantined Britain he imagined two decades ago, with a director who he shared an incredibly fruitful partnership with around the turn of the century.
28 Years Later, which hit cinemas on Friday, sees Alex team up once more with Danny Boyle – the filmmaker with whom he made The Beach and Sunshine, as well as a 2002 zombie horror that redefined the genre. This sequel, however, is no retread of the film that sent a shiver through Britain’s spine. It’s a deeply contemplative meditation on Britain, death and how history is remembered and misremembered. The film stars Alfie Williams as Spike, a boy living in a protected tidal island community off the coast of Northumberland, who leads his mother, played by Jodie Comer, on a dangerous quest onto the mainland in search of a doctor to cure a mysterious ailment. What follows is not what many fans expected, in all the best ways.
What you’re about to hear is a spoiler-filled conversation delving deep into the influence of Brexit on the film. We dissect that ending and its allusions to a disgraced figure from British pop culture history. Also explored: the origins of the Alpha zombies, the inspiration behind Ralph Fiennes’ Kelson character, and Alex’s original draft of a 28 Years Later movie, which saw Chinese special forces infiltrate Britain in search of the lab where the rage virus began. Enjoy the episode and stay away from those infected, people.
Support for this episode comes from Final Draft.
Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. This episode was recorded and mixed by Daniel Gregory.
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Script Apart with Al Horner 
