American science fiction film and television
By: Lincoln Geraghty.
Publisher: Berg
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 156
ISBN-13: 9781845207960; 9781845207953
Subjects: Science fiction films -- United States -- History and criticism; Science fiction television programs -- United States -- History and criticism
Description: Overview: American Science Fiction Film and Television presents a critical history of late twentieth-century science fiction together with an analysis of the cultural and thematic concerns of this popular genre. Science fiction film and television were initially inspired by the classic literature of HG Wells and Jules Verne. The potential and fears born with the Atomic Age fueled the popularity of the genre, upping the stakes for both technology and apocalypse. From the Cold War through to America's current War on Terror, science fiction has proved a subtle vehicle for the hopes, fears and preoccupations of a nation at war. The definitive introduction to American science fiction, this is also the first study to analyze it across both film and TV. Throughout, the discussion is illustrated with critical case studies of key films and television series, including Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files, and Battlestar Galactica.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: American science fiction culture; title: Conflict and consensus: the Cold War and the space race. Invasion of the body snatchers (1956); title: The twilight zone (1959-1964); title: Pushing the frontiers of reality: science fiction and the counterculture. 2001: a space odyssey (1968); title: Star trek (1966-1969); title: unsettling visions of America's future present: dystopian science fiction. Soylent green; title: The six million dollar man (1974-1978); title: Hopes and fears: aliens, cyborgs, and the science fiction blockbuster. *Batteries not included (1987); title: Star trek: the next generation (1987-1984); title: Beyond truth and reason: politics and identity in science fiction. The matrix (1999); title: The x-files (1993-2002); title: American science fiction post 9/11. Transformers (2007); title: Battlestar galactica (2003-2008); title: Epilogue: the repeated pleasures of science fiction film and television.