Societies in Space

Essays on the Civilized Frontier in Film and Television

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Edited by Gary Westfahl

Type

Studies

Subject

Genre > Science Fiction

Keywords

science fiction, sociology

Publishing date

2025 (February 04, 2025)

Publisher

McFarland & Co

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 120 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-1-4766-8981-4

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Book Presentation:
Science fiction films and television programs about space travel have undergone a significant transformation since their inception. In contrast to the early depictions of small spaceship crews on exploratory missions, recent film and television portrayals depict much larger societies in space as well as the obstacles that arise with them.

This collection of essays examines many aspects of making space travel films, from the process of screenwriting to the impact of Greek myth on modern film, with illuminating commentary on contemporary problems including class distinction, racism, and sexism. Contributors to this volume, including several extensively published scholars and science fiction writers, analyze a wide variety of relevant science fiction films and television programs ranging from Star Trek, Silent Running, the Alien films and Japanese anime to more recent works like Battlestar Galactica, Avatar, Elysium, The Martian, Passengers, and Ad Astra.

About the Author:
Gary Westfahl, a professor emeritus at the University of La Verne, California, has authored, edited, or co-edited 34 books about science fiction and fantasy, and hundreds of articles and reviews. In 2003, he received the Science Fiction Research Association’s Pilgrim Award for his lifetime contributions to science fiction and fantasy scholarship.

Press Reviews:
"This volume will make a major contribution to our understanding of postwar Science Fiction cinema. The essays have an impressive breadth which covers budgets, ethnicity, politics and other factors which build up a helpful context to the films."—Professor David Seed, Liverpool University

See the publisher website: McFarland & Co