The Science Fiction Film Genre Essay - 1691 Words

The science-fiction film genre serves as an excellent medium for examining shifting power structures, social paranoia and Cold War politics during the 1950s. A number of films released during this period, including: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Them (1954) and Attack of the 50ft Woman (1958), are particularly symptomatic of the social and political atmosphere of the time. These films navigate not only narrative based issues such as the threat of aliens and science experiments gone wrong; but also wider issues of the time, such as the Cold War, changes in the US film industry, urbanisation, politics, the growing power of women and most significantly, social concern about nuclear energy. Before analysing individual science-fiction films from the 1950s, it is important to gain a clear understanding of the social, cultural and political background against which these films were set. Paranoia is a term frequently used to describe an acute, anxiety dominated medical condition (Paranoia, 2009), however in the context of 1950’s America, this term can be used more accurately to describe the general, delusionary mood of the nation. The first important event that influenced a paranoiac filmmaking atmosphere was the Cold War. As opposed to the ‘hot war’ (WWII) that involved active military hostilities, the Cold War was based on heightened tension and suspicions between Western Bloc (USA) powers and Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union) powers (TheShow MoreRelatedThe Science Fiction Film Genre Essay1683 Words   |  7 PagesScience Fiction Films The science fiction film genre has been around almost as long as movies have, but like the cinema it is still a fairly young art form. This genre came into existence shortly after the invention of the movie camera in 1888 and has endured for over one-hundred years. Science fiction is adaptive; it changes with the times and this trend can be seen in its incorporation of other genres, cultural history and technology. This essay will attempt to define the genre, chronicle the historyRead MoreScience Fiction Film Genre Analysis Paper1450 Words   |  6 PagesGenre Definition Paper The science fiction film genre is absolutely the hardest to define. It can easily be confused with or applied to Fantasy films and some horror films as well. Genres are used to identify types of films, and outside of science fiction this is a fairly simple process. A Western is set in the west and has cowboys and Indians. A gangster film has a plot revolving around the mafia. A horror film is centrally purposed to scare the viewer. Science fiction, on the other hand, is notRead MoreExploring the Film Genres of Horror, Science Fiction, and Action Movies817 Words   |  4 Pagesmovies are, in there own way, great. Practically the excitement of horror movies, and science and technology of science fiction movies, and action and enthusiasm in the action movies are some credits that makes people’s engrossment. Even so could all movies create an entertainment and make people experience their thoughts of imaginations in the real world. What are the most interesting things about thes e film genres, which could establish a fantasy world for their fans to escape to their imaginationsRead MoreA Compare and Contrast of Horror and Science Fiction/Fantasy Genres1777 Words   |  7 PagesThe good thing about films is that we not only have the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of different genres, but also compare them and understand their purpose in the world. The Horror genre has used the basic principles throughout time, and as a result, films of this type have not proven to be as timeless as another genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy. At first, these two genres might at times seem similar as they have at several occasions been blended together, but their basic, common themeRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film And Film Genre Essay1182 Words   |  5 PagesThere are many different types of film and film genres. A film can fit into more than one genre, but there are some genres that are more general than others. Some examples of film genre are animated, science ficti on, documentary, comedy, and historical fiction. Within each genre, there are also specific characteristics that help support themes and story lines within that genre. An animated movie is a drawing, painted, or digitally created film that uses stop-frame cinematography to simulate movementRead MoreEssay on How Terminator Two Satisfies the Science Fiction Genre1157 Words   |  5 PagesHow Terminator Two Satisfies the Science Fiction Genre The film, ‘TerminatorÂ’ is part of a trilogy; Terminator 2 is the sequel to the first terminator film- Terminator 1. The auteur, James Cameron, produced the first terminator movie in 1984; and because the film was a big success with a range of viewers- the majority of different genre lovers- , James Cameron had decided to create a sequel, which was producedRead MoreThe Importance Of Science Fiction1459 Words   |  6 PagesScience fiction has indeed played a significant role in not only speculating about the future, but in many instances has actually shaped and molded some of the social and cultural norms we see today. Science fiction is about what could be, in the realm of actual scientific related possibilities, not farfetched ones. Look at Isaac Asimov’s speculative vision of robotics and mankind living side by side, in peace and harmony. When Asimov wrote the stories in compiled in I Robot, the idea that humansRead MoreAvatar, By James Cameron Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesBelinda Duhl THEA 1023, Fall Semester 2016 Due: Saturday, December 10, 2016 Avatar Avatar, a 2009 American epic science fiction film was directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. The film’s main stars are Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriquez, and Sigourney Weaver. The story formula or plot is the specific actions and events that filmmakers select, and the order in which they arrange those events and actions to effectively convey on-screenRead MoreBack to the Future Directed by Robert Zemeckis1170 Words   |  5 Pagespeople are trying to find life on other planets today. The fear that people will potentially mess up the world by advancing in science too far. Due to the fact that the world today quickly advancing in all types of sciences That you can achieve any goals that you really want to. That being able to excel in the sciences is very possible. Uses sub-genres throughout the film such as comedy, romance and adventure. People always being curious about their future. Having the fear of rejectionRead MoreUse Of Special Effects On Science Fiction981 Words   |  4 PagesSimilar to genres in a collection of books, films are also categorized by the different styles being expressed in the film. Science fiction was influenced in early films by capturing the animation of different worlds or futures that may seem real but is actually fiction. Science fiction enables viewers to directly witness and understand science used by the corporation of visionary content. Their detailed images bring viewers closer to another world by creating a sense of reality. Science fiction films