Start of Essay

Introduction:
The UnCanny (Un-Home-Ly) was a concept elaborated on and developed by Sigmund Freud through which something can be familiar, but strange at the same time, giving us the feeling of it being very uncomfortably strange. Because the UnCanny is something familiar but strange we get a uncomfortable feeling which is caused by two contraditory ideas (The object + The Meaning) for example a life like doll is uncanny as we look at it as a real person/human, but on the other hand it does not move and has no life. Whereas a Zombie is uncanny as we know it has been living but has then died and been re-born as a Zombie. Thus creating a disturbed feeling, but we all look at Zombies as being 'un-real' and strange.

The UnCanny Valley shows how as things become more familiar and 'human' they then become more UnCanny.

*IMAGE HERE*http://www.dievorezimas.lt/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/valley2.jpg*IMAGE HERE*

As you can see from the above image an industrial robot isnt very UnCanny as it doesnt look very human, it may have just an arm to move an object but it isnt very human. On the other hand we go further up the line to a stuffed animal, we know this animal would be living and still could be living but is more towards the UnCanny than an industrial robot. Where as towards the near end we see a prosthetic hand, this is nearing perfection of the human likeness.

*IMAGE HERE*http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2229/2423857391_a00274b37c.jpg?v=0*IMAGE HERE*
The above is a Prosthetic Hand used in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

The film I am going to analyse and 'uncannise' is Wall-E. A very popular film for all ages. I myself have seen it about 5 times. The story line features virtually no dialogue, the first scene opens with the tragic robot 'Wall-E' racing through a deserted, rubbish filled city, speeding through skyscrapers and equally tall compacted rubbish heaps. Wall-E is the last living thing on Earth (Aside from his CockRoach friend). Wall-E developed an inquisitive personality by doing what he was built to do, allocate and dispose of human waste, day after day for 700 years, all due to the fact that nobody switched him off when they left the now-hostile planet. Soon after though the Directive led 'Eve' comes down into Wall-E's life, who then becomes the main soul of his life. Wall-E then follows her back to the 'Mother Ship' in space. The near final scene of Wall-E and Eve dancing in space with a Fire-Extinguisher Propulsion has taken up its place in the memorable moments in an expansive romantic story.

*IMAGE HERE*http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/wall-e-eva-space.jpg*IMAGE HERE*

462 words :/