One element of Pattern Recognition that struck me was the use of movie titles or directors in descriptions of both people and places in the novel. While I did not enjoy the novel much as a whole, I liked how Gibson included these contemporary tidbits of information. It really helped clear up some of the environments that Cayce was in, and gave the novel a more realistic narrative feel. I noticed references to The Matrix and to female characters in general in most role-playing games on page 187. And to director Ridley Scott’s sets on page 248.
The first, Cayce’s description of Marina, wearing “what…is this season’s Prada exclusively, everything black” and looking like she is “Caucasian in some primordial, geological sense” immediately brings black-leathered, pale angular-faced Trinity to mind, even without the direct Matrix reference. It fits in well with the feelings of ‘soul-delay’ and wide-ranging unreality that Cayce is experiencing here. Adding to this, Cayce then asserts that, “if her boobs were bigger, she could get work on the covers of role-playing games for adolescent boys of any age whatever.” I thought this was a hilarious statement, having often shaken my head at the ridiculous proportions and clothes some of the cover woman on those types of games have. One simple Google search of Everquest, with no mention of cleavage or feminine attributes whatsoever came up with this image including both World of Warcraft and Everquest woman.
http://www.joystiq.com/media/2006/01/wow_eq2.jpg
This brought back memories of our class discussions on the first Street Samurai badass Molly in Neuromancer as well. It is almost as though Gibson is making a parody of Molly here, with her leather pants and dangerous, attractive body.
The last reference to Ridley Scott brings up a wealth of science fiction scenes to mind, not the least of which are Blade Runner and Alien. The “sunlight, shafting dramatically in through a few small holes {in the ceiling]…giving the space the look of a Ridley Scott set” sets the mood for the odd conversation between Cayce and Baranov very well. The dark, cigarette smoke-filled is transformed with this element included, conjuring images of spotlights illuminating a dirty, futuristic Los Angeles street, or of patches of light shining through the floor grates and air ducts of the Nostromo. The mood becomes that much more sinister and familiar.