Futurist Film

Definitions 1: SF

Science Fiction Robert A. Heinlein. 1959.

“ Realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method.”

Definitions 2: Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three (collectively known as speculative fiction).

Definitions 3: Horror

Horror:

Any flick designed to scare your date into your lap.

Linda Williams (Berkeley): Horror, melodrama, and pornography are body genres.

Fantasy

Horror

Science Fiction

Futurist SF

Focus of this class: SF film that deals with future

Futurist film

Film about a timeframe yet to come Film displaying values and ideas

seeking to release from the past Film of prediction, extrapolation, or

speculation on future events Film about time travel to future

Futurist motifs

Recurrent themes persist that reveal psychological and social focus

Effect of technology on life Analysis may reveal sub-sub-genres

and markers.

Space motif

Space motif includes:

Exploration Invasion

1951

Invasion as Cold War parable

Invasion as possession

Alien

What are the motifs?

--Images

--Props, costumes, ‘looks’

--Fads, themes, memes

--Sub-genre markers

What is the message?

Correlations to social, psychological issues

Propaganda Claims Iconic display

Film iconography

Visual motifs as signals:

by film makers and audiences at time of manufacture and today.

Kitsch & Camp

--Aesthetic of bad taste and irony --Contemporary view of retro future --Art history and stylistic analysis --Image criticism

One iconographic approach

Here’s how you can play

Research paper PPT presentation

SF classic written text c&c movie(s) Anachronon c&c

C&C of written or visual text

ISBN: 0-7443-1392-9Copyright 2007 by Dan Bentley-Baker

All Rights ReservedPublished by SynergEbooks

http://www.synergebooks.com

What is the future of future?

What affects current views? What is your view of the future? How does ‘future’ work? How will futurians view us? Is time a river?

All profits from Anachronon sales go to party