October 24, 1997. The film Gattaca is released, starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. The movie is considered a serious examinations of eugenics in recent science fiction (Kirby, 2007). Gattaca was a failure at the box office, but it is credited with greatly shaping popular understanding of human genetics and eugenics (Silvers, 1997). The movie tagline was "There is no gene for the human spirit."

Released at the height of the Human Genome Project, it presents a near future in which society is split into people who were pre-selected prior to birth for the best possible traits of their parents, and people whose parents chose (or couldn’t afford anything but) “natural” conception. This distinction leads to widespread discrimination, with the pre-selected portion of society occupying the elite positions both socially and in the workforce. Gattaca thus explores neugenic issues such as genetic discrimination, genetic prophecy, and homogenized humanity (Kirby, 2007). The movie follows a “naturally” conceived man’s struggle to enter the mentally and physically intensive space program despite his genetic disadvantages.

Many other eugenic and genetic symbols were used in the movie. For example, the title of the movie was created using only letters that identify nucleotide bases of DNA (Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, and Cytosine) (Kirby, 2007). The staircase of the protagonists' apartment resembles a DNA helix (Kirby, 2007), and the name "Eugene" of one of the main characters is tied to "eugenics" which sounds similar (Kirby, 2007). Issues of disability are also alluded to, as the character of Eugene is confined to a wheelchair after being paralyzed in an attempted suicide.

Gattaca suggested ultimately that ethical issues of eugenics are tied to the idea that an individual is only who they are because of their genes. Instead, the movie suggests that it is possible for an individual to "overcome" flawed genes and to become more than just genetics (Kirby, 2007).

Another interesting aspect speaking to the presence of eugenics and eugenic desires in popular culture comes out of an advertising campaign launched by the Gattaca movie. A print ad advertising the ability to create a baby "made to order" with the tagline, "At Gattaca, it is now possible to engineer your offspring" was run in news sections of USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times (Ryan, 1997). The ad was meant to spark conversation about the upcoming movie. These ads fooled many people into thinking Gattaca was a lab, and not a movie, and over 50,000 people called in to the phone number provided (Ryan, 1997).

-Colette Leung and Amy Dyrbye

• Kirby, D. (2007). The Devil in our DNA: A brief history of eugenics in science fiction films. Literature and Medicine, 26(1), 83-108.

• Silvers, L. (1997). Genetics goes to Hollywood. Nature Genetics, 17(3), 260-261.

• Ryan, J. (1997, September 16). Reading isn't Believing in "Gattaca" Ads. Retrieved from: http://ca.eonline.com/news/35186/reading-isn-t-believing-in-gattaca-ads