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

Abstract

Since the early eighties, the personal computer has come to form anintegral part of most aspects of our existence. In Hollywood thisis no different. Indeed, the influence of the computer is so powerfulthat it is rare for an action-adventure film to be able to call itselfa ‘blockbuster’ unless it is released with some sort of videogametie-in following closely in its wake, as the case of James Cameron’sAvatar (2010) suggests. It is the relationship between film andvideogame and their combined strengths as a teaching tool that arethe concerns of this article. The analysis therefore centres on twoexamples of film and videogame tie-in: Clash of the Titans andPercy Jackson & the Olympians: The lightning thief, both 2010releases. The investigation targets this film / videogame complexthrough the use of a new concept, the ‘reality world’, to be defined inthe course of the article that better allows an assessment of therelevance and utility of films and their videogame tie-ins aspedagogical tools for the teaching and study of the discipline ofClassics.