Book description
American Science Fiction Film and Television presents a critical
history of late 20th Century SF 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 fuelled 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 analyse SF across both film and TV. Throughout, the discussion is
illustrated with critical case studies of key films and television
series, including The Day the Earth Stood Still, Planet of the Apes,
Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files, and Battlestar Galactica.
Lincoln Geraghty is Principal Lecturer in Film Studies and Subject
Leader for Media Studies in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media
at the University of Portsmouth. He is author of Living with Star Trek:
American Culture and the Star Trek Universe, editor of The Influence of
Star Trek on Television, Film and Culture, and co-editor of The Shifting
Definitions of Genre: Essays on Labelling Films, Television Shows and
Media.
