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
Science Fiction
Horror
Focus of this class: SF film that
deals with future
Futurist SF
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.
One iconographic approach
Kitsch & Camp
--Aesthetic of bad taste and irony
 --Contemporary view of retro future
 --Art history and stylistic analysis
 --Image criticism

Here’s how you can play
Research paper
 PPT presentation

C&C of written or visual
text
SF classic written text c&c movie(s)
 Anachronon c&c

ISBN: 0-7443-1392-9
Copyright 2007 by Dan Bentley-Baker
All Rights Reserved
Published 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