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