A slice of sci-fi pie: a thematic look at man, machine and alien.
Preface: I had to write about films from post-1940's era for a film history class a few years ago, and I immediately thought of my favorite genre of film: Sci-fi! Enjoy!
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The sci-fi genre is far-reaching and encapsulates many different types of films. Fantasy, adventure, thriller, horror, and even some romantic comedies include elements from science fiction. So, this slice of sci-fi pie will not focus on the generalized, sweeping genre of science fiction, but will center on three human/alien interaction themes in heavy science fiction rotation: aliens teach peace – man vs. machine – and, living among the aliens.
In the 1940’s, the science fiction genre was mostly seen through short films and serials. The United States was engaged in a Second World War, and with the invention of plutonium, the first jet planes and the splitting of the atom, public interest was too busy with science fact rather than science fiction.
But the drought did not last long and the 1950’s brought us our first theme: peaceful aliens. In The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), director Robert Wise showcases the first contact Earthlings make with another life-form. From the beginning of the first contact, humans are shown as frightened and scared. Their fear incidentally destroys a peaceful gift from Klaatu (Micheal Rennie), a gentle and compassionate alien. Together with his counterpart Gort, an eight-foot tall gigantic metallic robot, they deliver a message, “learn to live in peace”. But instead they are met by human gunfire and entrapment. Klaatu escapes in order to find out why humans are so unreasonable – which leads to further suspense and tension of what these “invaders” just might do. In the end, the invaders lecture the humans on the mutual protection of all planets and the stance of the elimination of aggression. Humans must join them and live in peace or face self-destruction. [Edit: Anyone see the Keanu Reeves remake of this film? I didn't. Was it any good?]
Peaceful aliens and human self-destruction are also the ultimate message in the fantastic undersea voyage of The Abyss (1989). James Cameron’s big budget spectacle about an oil-rig crew and Navy SEALS who seek to rescue a nuclear submarine from the ocean depths, features the first fully computer generated three-dimensional (3-D) character. These aquatic aliens not only save the life of Virgil ‘Bud’ Brigman (Ed Harris) but are shown to be compassionate and peaceful creatures that lecture humans on our struggles with peace. If it wasn’t for the empathy shown by Bud and his crew , the gigantic world-wide tidal wave, created by the aliens, would have certainly destroyed human civilization (a scene cut from the theatrical version). [Edit: One of my all-time favorite films :)]
Another slice of the sci-fi pie is the theme that human-made machines will inevitably rebel or enslave the human race. In 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), director Stanley Kubrick shows an amazing human evolution from ape-man to space-man, concluding on the idea that man will ultimately create machines that are far superior to humans. In an epic battle between man and machine, Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) must disconnect the malfunctioning HAL-9000, a thinking, feeling, super-computer in charge of maintaining the electrical systems of the space mission. However, HAL faults the humans for the internal discrepancy and sets his mind on destroying his simple-minded human creators instead.
Battles between machines and their human creators are also featured by the game-changing style and finesse of the Wachowski brother’s 1998 science-fiction film, The Matrix. The story centers on computer programmer and hacker Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) after he is unplugged from the virtual reality computer program called “The Matrix”, which enslaves most of the human race. Thomas Anderson, now known as Neo, must help free all humans from these tyrannical machines and their software programs, who seek to destroy the human rebellion ofZion, while contemplating his own importance and role as “the one”. [Edit: Without hesitation, one of the best films ever made. Ever. Ever. Ever.]
Another film which characterizes the fight for human freedom from machines is the 1982 film Tron. A pioneering film in computer graphics, Tron takes place mostly inside a computer video game system which pits digitalized computer programmer and hacker Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) against the malevolent Master Control Program, in an effort to win freedoms from the machines and the programs they have created. [Edit: You might be surprised to hear that I totally missed out on this film as kid. I knew about it through pop-culture references, but never saw the film until two years while I was writing this paper. And let me tell you, I loved it. And not only for the ground-breaking graphics and nerdy dialogue, but for its ultimate message of rebellion and freedom. Power to the people!]
In the last slice of sci-fi pie, living among alien cultures and the universal theme of planetary peace and acceptance is the focus. In Star Trek (2009), the 11th film based of the classic 1950’s television series, the famed crew of the spaceship U.S.S Enterprise are in charge of keeping federation peace while also working through internal conflicts and cultural differences between humans and aliens. [Edit: I was a fan of the original series and this film but the other Star Trek films have never impressed me. Same deal with the Next Generation and the subsequent films and series.]
On a smaller scale Men in Black (1997) stays on Earth, to entertain us with a story about special agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) who are part of a larger extra terrestrial surveillance company, the “Men in Black”, with the sole purpose of keeping peace throughout the universe. Kay and Jay foil the plot of an alien terrorist set on destroying Earth.
And in George Lucas’s epic space saga Star Wars (1977), alien cultures and worlds are at risk due to the wrath of Darth Vader, an evil Sith and his Imperial forces who seek to take over the Galactic Empire. With the help of one of the last remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and his team of rebels, they seek to rescue Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and restore peace and justice to the Empire.[Edit: I'm a Star Wars fanboy and people are too hard on Lucas. Kids like Jar-Jar, so get over it. Luke and his dad Anakin are both really bad actors, it runs in the family, get over it. Return of the Sith is a badass film.]
All three films feature living among aliens, peacefully and in conflict. Showing that even when humans leave Earth there are many more cultures to deal with than on Earth, so we better start getting along now.
All these films detailed, show that we can successfully live with other cultures, on Earth or elsewhere, and should ultimately stop the self-destruction of ourselves and try to live in peace. Machines can help us evolve and grow as a culture, but if not carefully programmed or if programmed by greedy, destructive humans, they also can become our enemies. There are many science fiction films that are highly profound and visually astounding, so it is impossible to showcase all of them, especially since computer technology continues to blur the line of fact and fiction, but at the core of true science fiction, is the universal theme that taps our brightest hopes and darkest fears about what might, one day, turn out to be true.
[Final Word: I wanted to write about the Tim Burton film Mars Attacks and the hilarious film Galaxy Quest, two of my favorite sci-fi parody films, but I had to keep this paper serious. But I highly recommend both. Also, I had to pick one film from each decade and my choice had to fit into one of my three sci-fi themes, so there are many great films that I left out: Bladerunner, Aliens, The Terminator, Moon, E.T., Robocop, Total Recall, Mom and Dad Save the World, The Fifth Element, and so many more.]
---------
The sci-fi genre is far-reaching and encapsulates many different types of films. Fantasy, adventure, thriller, horror, and even some romantic comedies include elements from science fiction. So, this slice of sci-fi pie will not focus on the generalized, sweeping genre of science fiction, but will center on three human/alien interaction themes in heavy science fiction rotation: aliens teach peace – man vs. machine – and, living among the aliens.
In the 1940’s, the science fiction genre was mostly seen through short films and serials. The United States was engaged in a Second World War, and with the invention of plutonium, the first jet planes and the splitting of the atom, public interest was too busy with science fact rather than science fiction.
But the drought did not last long and the 1950’s brought us our first theme: peaceful aliens. In The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), director Robert Wise showcases the first contact Earthlings make with another life-form. From the beginning of the first contact, humans are shown as frightened and scared. Their fear incidentally destroys a peaceful gift from Klaatu (Micheal Rennie), a gentle and compassionate alien. Together with his counterpart Gort, an eight-foot tall gigantic metallic robot, they deliver a message, “learn to live in peace”. But instead they are met by human gunfire and entrapment. Klaatu escapes in order to find out why humans are so unreasonable – which leads to further suspense and tension of what these “invaders” just might do. In the end, the invaders lecture the humans on the mutual protection of all planets and the stance of the elimination of aggression. Humans must join them and live in peace or face self-destruction. [Edit: Anyone see the Keanu Reeves remake of this film? I didn't. Was it any good?]
Peaceful aliens and human self-destruction are also the ultimate message in the fantastic undersea voyage of The Abyss (1989). James Cameron’s big budget spectacle about an oil-rig crew and Navy SEALS who seek to rescue a nuclear submarine from the ocean depths, features the first fully computer generated three-dimensional (3-D) character. These aquatic aliens not only save the life of Virgil ‘Bud’ Brigman (Ed Harris) but are shown to be compassionate and peaceful creatures that lecture humans on our struggles with peace. If it wasn’t for the empathy shown by Bud and his crew , the gigantic world-wide tidal wave, created by the aliens, would have certainly destroyed human civilization (a scene cut from the theatrical version). [Edit: One of my all-time favorite films :)]
Another slice of the sci-fi pie is the theme that human-made machines will inevitably rebel or enslave the human race. In 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), director Stanley Kubrick shows an amazing human evolution from ape-man to space-man, concluding on the idea that man will ultimately create machines that are far superior to humans. In an epic battle between man and machine, Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) must disconnect the malfunctioning HAL-9000, a thinking, feeling, super-computer in charge of maintaining the electrical systems of the space mission. However, HAL faults the humans for the internal discrepancy and sets his mind on destroying his simple-minded human creators instead.
Battles between machines and their human creators are also featured by the game-changing style and finesse of the Wachowski brother’s 1998 science-fiction film, The Matrix. The story centers on computer programmer and hacker Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) after he is unplugged from the virtual reality computer program called “The Matrix”, which enslaves most of the human race. Thomas Anderson, now known as Neo, must help free all humans from these tyrannical machines and their software programs, who seek to destroy the human rebellion ofZion, while contemplating his own importance and role as “the one”. [Edit: Without hesitation, one of the best films ever made. Ever. Ever. Ever.]
Another film which characterizes the fight for human freedom from machines is the 1982 film Tron. A pioneering film in computer graphics, Tron takes place mostly inside a computer video game system which pits digitalized computer programmer and hacker Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) against the malevolent Master Control Program, in an effort to win freedoms from the machines and the programs they have created. [Edit: You might be surprised to hear that I totally missed out on this film as kid. I knew about it through pop-culture references, but never saw the film until two years while I was writing this paper. And let me tell you, I loved it. And not only for the ground-breaking graphics and nerdy dialogue, but for its ultimate message of rebellion and freedom. Power to the people!]
In the last slice of sci-fi pie, living among alien cultures and the universal theme of planetary peace and acceptance is the focus. In Star Trek (2009), the 11th film based of the classic 1950’s television series, the famed crew of the spaceship U.S.S Enterprise are in charge of keeping federation peace while also working through internal conflicts and cultural differences between humans and aliens. [Edit: I was a fan of the original series and this film but the other Star Trek films have never impressed me. Same deal with the Next Generation and the subsequent films and series.]
On a smaller scale Men in Black (1997) stays on Earth, to entertain us with a story about special agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) who are part of a larger extra terrestrial surveillance company, the “Men in Black”, with the sole purpose of keeping peace throughout the universe. Kay and Jay foil the plot of an alien terrorist set on destroying Earth.
And in George Lucas’s epic space saga Star Wars (1977), alien cultures and worlds are at risk due to the wrath of Darth Vader, an evil Sith and his Imperial forces who seek to take over the Galactic Empire. With the help of one of the last remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and his team of rebels, they seek to rescue Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and restore peace and justice to the Empire.[Edit: I'm a Star Wars fanboy and people are too hard on Lucas. Kids like Jar-Jar, so get over it. Luke and his dad Anakin are both really bad actors, it runs in the family, get over it. Return of the Sith is a badass film.]
All three films feature living among aliens, peacefully and in conflict. Showing that even when humans leave Earth there are many more cultures to deal with than on Earth, so we better start getting along now.
All these films detailed, show that we can successfully live with other cultures, on Earth or elsewhere, and should ultimately stop the self-destruction of ourselves and try to live in peace. Machines can help us evolve and grow as a culture, but if not carefully programmed or if programmed by greedy, destructive humans, they also can become our enemies. There are many science fiction films that are highly profound and visually astounding, so it is impossible to showcase all of them, especially since computer technology continues to blur the line of fact and fiction, but at the core of true science fiction, is the universal theme that taps our brightest hopes and darkest fears about what might, one day, turn out to be true.
[Final Word: I wanted to write about the Tim Burton film Mars Attacks and the hilarious film Galaxy Quest, two of my favorite sci-fi parody films, but I had to keep this paper serious. But I highly recommend both. Also, I had to pick one film from each decade and my choice had to fit into one of my three sci-fi themes, so there are many great films that I left out: Bladerunner, Aliens, The Terminator, Moon, E.T., Robocop, Total Recall, Mom and Dad Save the World, The Fifth Element, and so many more.]
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