Sci Fi History: 2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick directed this amazing sci-fi masterpiece. The film is split into four acts that follows man's evolution, which is aided by mysterious monoliths. It begins with "The Dawn of Man" featuring a bunch of protohumans learning to kill. In the second act, 21st century man discovers a monolith on the moon. Act III sends the cast to Jupiter where 2001 transforms into a horror film. The ship's computer, HAL, systematically murders the crew. One man survives into Act IV where he seemingly evolves into a higher being after an encounter with the monolith.

2001 was revolutionary. It did not feature humanoid aliens. A conspiracy on Earth program HAL to kill the astronauts 25 years before The X-Files. The special effects were cutting edge. The film influenced George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Additionally, elements of 2001 can be seen in Blade Runner, Close Encounters, Alien, Contact, and other films and television programs.


Dawn of Man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypEaGQb6dJk




Trailer:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ywMnbef6Y




Theme Song:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLacN2Dp6A

Sci-Fi History: The War of the Worlds (1898)

By 2011, we are used to movies and literature pitting mankind against evil aliens. In 1898, the concept was in its infancy. H.G. Wells split The War of the Worlds into two parts. Part One chronicles the alien invasion and the narrator’s attempt to find his wife and flee. Part Two delves into the world under Martian domination. In the end, the military cannot withstand the invaders. However, a naturally occurring pathogen destroys the aliens. Despite their technological advantage, they had no immunity to terrestrial diseases.

One interesting aspect of the novel is the concept of total war. The aliens attack without regard for life. Additionally, they assault with advanced weaponry resulting in maximum casualties and destruction. Wells wrote the novel over a decade before World War I’s killing fields and 40 years before World War II. Some of the other themes in the book include natural selection, evolution, colonialism, imperialism, and Social Darwinism.

The book has spawned many adaptations. In 1938, Orson Welles radio broadcast on Halloween created a mini panic. In 1953, Hollywood released the definitive movie version, which led to a TV sequel in 1988. In 2005, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise united to film a remake more on par with the book than the 1953 version. There have also been comic books, cartoons, musicals, an audio adaptation featuring Star Trek cast members, and a 2001 version starring Superman.