Admitting you're a fan of Sci Fi can be risky. You're a rung above saps who still believe in Santa, but one rung below Harry Potter fans, maybe two. I think Sci Fi has a bad rep because of goggle-eyed monsters and prosthetics. Maybe it's those weirdos dressed up as Hans Solo or that pointy eared guy on opening day of Star What 2500.
Don't roll your eyes. Trekkies and Star Warshipers are our cousins, period dramatists. The effort they put into spaceman costumes and amateur movies is admirable. Having written Sparkhouse fan fiction, reviewed Spooks 8 and watched every single Guy of Gisborne youtube fanvid I kinda see where they're coming from. Gee, did I just step out of the closet? (Just FYI if I were to dress up as anyone from RA's world it'd be Isabella Gisborne. No, Marian. No, Isabella.)
There are situations where I love Sci Fi and think creating a different world is worth the trouble: to explore radical ideas.
Like in... Solaris
George Clooney on a space station orbiting a planet which is alive. How does a sentient lonely planet meet and greet its new neighbours? With what's on their minds. I loved this psychodrama, the introspective 1972 version and the novel by Stanislaw Lem.
Like in... The Inhabited Island. Eastern European philosophers were particularly fond of using Sci Fi to get their anti-government literature past the sensors - so I've read.
Has anyone heard of this movie? I doubt it unless you speak Rusky. The Inhabited Island is about the fall of the Soviet Union in the same way Animal Farm is about the rise of the Stalin era, except it was written in the 60s. Grab a Russian, watch it together. Culture shocks don't hit any harder than this guy.
10 comments:
I have not seen the movies you suggested but I am a fan of Merlin and Legend of the Seeker. I do not think being a Science Fiction Fan is a shameful (not really the word I am looking for but it is morning and I have not finish my coffee) thing here in the States, everyone here loves Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Avatar, and Narnia (not really SF).
I forgot to add I am glad you are back and is better from the dreadful flu!
You're baaaaaack! Yay! (I was just about to send an email asking how you were, feeling a little deprived of my Ragtag dosage lately.)
I like sci-fi in general I guess, but I'm not crazy about it. I enjoy the older 3 Star Wars and several other sci-fi movies, classic and recent. But yeah... I wouldn't dress up.
And Av, you were mostly listing fantasy movies there, which I might love as much as period films.
Hello! It's great to be back too. My blogging muscles were getting fat and atrophied, gasp!
It'll take a while for me to catch up on all your blogs too. : )
Alright! I'm glad you're back, and yes, you do know me, but not as this name. Just don't blow my cover if you figure it out. :D
I did not know you were back, but I was going to give you an award anyway in hopes it would entice you back to the blogosphere. It must be fate that you were here when I came over to get a link!! Welcome back.
Hi there!
Glad you are back to posting your blog again! You know I missed you!
I like all genres (if there are well done) but so often Sci-fi has morphed into a pseudo-horror type genre (and I am not so fond of horror flicks!)
I loved the Star Wars films (earlier ones best) and the Star Trek series and some of the movies too. I went through a big bout of reading sci-fi when I was a teenager and loved Asimov's I Robot, and was a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut (although that is more phantasmagorical!).
Loved the Aliens movies (except for the really scary parts).
Other older movies I enjoyed: Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes, Blade Runner. Lots more I'm sure!
Hey Phylly,
Sci fi is so diverse it's hard to know where to begin. This blog post is supposed to be the first in a series, but we'll see how far it goes.
I once saw an old movie on late night tv called 'Charly' which is a film adaption of the sci fi story 'Flowers for Algernon'. It's got someone named Cliff Robertson who won an academy award for it. Apparently it's being remade as a Will Smith project.
Did you read 'Dune'? It's being made into a movie. Can't wait!
Indeed - welcome back, Ragtag! :D
There en't nowt wrong with sci-fi, in my book. It's a great genre, just that it gets a lot of schtick for being a nerd-magnet. Hey, nerds are awesome - you'll struggle to find a more loyal and dedicated fanbase! :)
My favourite sci-fi has to be the stuff that came out of Douglas Adams's brilliant mind, but yes, there's Star Wars, a bit of Babylon 5, Stargate, Time Trax (guess how my nickname came about ;)), The X-Files (at least parts of it were sci-fi, but I wouldn't say it's a sci-fi show), Fringe... Never been into Star Trek, though, but I married a sci-fi fan so I think I've got that base covered anyway. ;D
Oh yes, and Isabella's clothes are magnificent. <3
@Avalon: Merlin, LotR, LotS, Harry Potter and Narnia are fantasy and not sci-fi, so you're safe. ;)
@Nat: What "older 3 Star Wars"? Surely they only made three SW films in total. ;)
Oh! Charly was a great movie! Loved Cliff Robertson and Claire Bloom. I read the book too, and it was a fairly faithful adaptation. I never read Dune I'm afraid.
@Ragtag - welcome back!!!! I'm more into fantasy then Sci-Fi but half this family loves Sci-Fi.
Post a Comment