From lurid comic-book blockbusters to dark dystopian visions, science fiction is seen as both a powerful cultural barometer of our times and the product of particular industrial and commercial frameworks. The authors of this introductory study outline the major themes of the genre and explore issues such as the meaning of special effects and the influence of science fiction cinema on the entertainment media of the digital age. The book concludes with an extensive case-study of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Both authors lecture in Film and Television Studies at Brunel University, London. Geoff King has written on contemporary Hollywood cinema and cultural studies, and is the author of Film Comedy (Wallflower Press, 2002). Tanya Krzywinska has written on explicit sex films and the cinema of the occult. Both authors are also the co-editors of ScreenPlay: cinema/videogames/interfaces (Wallflower Press, 2002).

2000
144 pages
978-1-903364-03-1    £12.99 (pbk)

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reviews
The best overview of English-language science-fiction cinema published to date ... thorough, clearly written and full of excellent examples. Highly recommended.’
Steve Neale, Sheffield Hallam University

‘A useful, insightful and user-friendly manual for the post-millennium assessing the bygone futuristic visions that have shaped our image of the present and beyond’
Kim Newman, author of 'Apocalypse Movies: End of the World Cinema'

‘A useful introduction to the serious business of film/cultural studies, King and Krzywinska’s slim volume is a concise but thoughtful look at the main issues, including exploration and innovation, that SF and therefore SF cinema is concerned with … The book identifies the core themes and tropes of SF as presented in the cinema, and notes their relationship to modernity and change in the real world.’
Stephen Hampton, DOWSE

‘A serious critical look at the genre … a first-rate contribution to the field of Film Studies.’
Cinescape

‘The book offers a wide-ranging and useful survey of science fiction films … An excellent little study. I strongly recommend it for use on undergraduate film courses. Written with expertise by academics who teach science fiction and know their students, it is ideally tailored to its indented readership. I found it an extremely useful teaching tool for my own year-two science fiction film course. Postgraduates would benefit from its clear-sighted elucidation of the relationship between the industry and aesthetics, whilst also it remains accessible for the cineliterate fan seeking information on the shaping influences of the industry. The style and register are lively and highly readable, moving into humour or poetry as the subject matter requires. King and Krzywinska have the gift of presenting complex issues with lightness of touch without being simplistic or patronising … The book is short yet succinct, packing a lot of ideas and material into a small space. The strength of its very conciseness for students is its sharp focus on underlying structures … Of special value is the section on music and sound effects … the authors offer a useful glossary of their key terms, a wide filmography, and a solid and representative range of sources and further reading in the bibliography … Students can confidently use it to advance their understanding of science fiction’s formative determinants, and also enjoy reading a compact and punchy study.’
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