So, seeing an argument in another thread has lead me to write start this thread about defining genres. I'll start with one of the most misunderstood and mislabeled genre: Science Fiction. From there, I'll probably do the Western genre, or maybe Post-modernism
Anyway on to the topic. But first, a warning:[INDENT][INDENT] If you find yourself getting angry/defensive about the following, I strongly suggest before you react, you go pick up a book about science fiction. There are loads of them. All you need to do is find the Literary Theory section of your local library or bookstore. Read those first. Then go talk to some fanboys. No, I mean the hardcore real fanboys that sit alone in the corner at the coffee shop reading Arthur C. Clarke. If they've never heard of Aurthur C. Clarke, then they aren't hardcore (and they can fuck right off). DO NOT talk about any of the below stuff with anyone wearing a Storm Trooper outfit, they will not tell you the truth. Those others, though, some of them will corroborate what is written below. I'm not here to argue with anyone, I'm not trying to start a fight. [B]This is merely for educational purposes only[/B].[/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]What Science Fiction Is.
[/B][/INDENT]Science Fiction is simply a genre of books, film, or other media (I'll stick to films to stay on topic) that take a [B]scientific principle[/B], pose a question or hypothesis about that principle, and then explore the effects of that principle on society/culture. The movie becomes a sort of thought experiment. It is easy to see which films are considered Science Fiction by easily looking for the above criteria.
For example, let's look at [I]Blade Runner [/I](Holy fuck, did you just see that? I fucking italicized the title of the movie, MLA style and shit. I must know what I'm talking about). [I]Blade Runner [/I]is considered a sci-fi film because it explores the scientific principle of imprinting human qualities onto androids. One of the main questions becomes, if memories/emotions can be implanted onto a machine, does that machine become human? Obviously, this leads to the bigger question, what is humanity, a question that has haunted scientists and philosophers alike. The movie explores these questions through the main character who continually questions what makes him human. (BTW, [I]Blade Runner, [/I]or [I]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep[/I]?, share the same themes as [I]Frankenstein. [/I]Really, [I]Frankenstein[/I] could be considered one of the first pieces of Science Fiction).
Another movie, [I]Minority Report[/I],(also based on a book by Philip K. Dick) explores the science of ESP and prediction the future, and what would happen to a culture if ESP was used to prevent crime. Obviously, bad stuff would happen.[INDENT][B]The Parameters of the Experiment[/B]
[/INDENT]Truly great Science Fiction sets up rules, like an experiment, so that the viewer knows the parameters of the experiment. For example, the rules in [I]Primer[/I] are set early in the movie, and the audience sees the destruction/mayham that time travel affords the characters within these strict rules.
Sometimes these rules are kept from the characters/audience until later in the film. A great example of this is [I]Moon[/I], which seems at first to be just about a guy working on the Moon, and maybe the effects of working 3 years alone. But later, the movie becomes about [sp]the effects of using clones for work[/sp]. The parameters and the real experiment are suddenly revealed.[INDENT][B]What Science Fiction Is Not (or How to Hollywood and Blockbuster Dumbs Everyone Down)[/B]
[/INDENT]Sadly, there are a lot of movies that people [I]think [/I]are Science Fiction, but they really are not. Sadly, space, the future, technology, aliens, ufos does not a Science Fiction make. This is where many people get angry and storm off. Unfortunately, I've kinda studied the subject in graduate school, so I kinda know what I'm talking about. If you are getting angry, read the warning above.
As I was saying, just because a movie "looks" like Science Fiction doesn't mean it actually is Science Fiction. For a very famous example, [I]Star Wars[/I]. [I]Star Wars [/I]is [I]not[/I] Science Fiction. It is actually a fantasy. The first words on the screen at the beginning of the movie even tell you so, "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away. . ." Most fairy tales begin nearly the same way. Furthermore, Star Wars is a fantasy because it deals with a corrupt kingdom (the Empire), a exiled prince (Luke), and his hero's quest (Joseph Campbell, look him up) to get his kingdom back. Substitute the ships with horses, the planets with kingdoms, the blasters with bows, the taun-tauns with dragons, the lightsabers with, well, sabers (or samurai swords), and the Force with magic, and you are left with a very classic and archetypal fantasy movie, [B]not Science Fiction![/B]
[I]Serenity/Firefly[/I] are westerns. River being genetically modified could be the scientific principle here, but the movies/show barely deal with any questions of that principle, and use it more as a vehicle to make River interesting and bad ass.
[I]Alien[/I] and [I]Aliens[/I] are not Science Fiction as well, unless your idea of a scientific experiment consists of getting a large fish bowl complete with guppies and maybe one beta, and then sticking a piranha into it. Fun to watch but [I]not[/I] a very good scientific experiment. [I]Alien[/I] and the movies that follow are horror/monster movies, set in space. Like [I]Star Wars[/I], the key element is missing; there is no scientific principle being explored.[INDENT][B]UFOs and E.T.s on Earth[/B]
[/INDENT]Films like [I]Independence Day[/I] and [I]E.T. [/I]and [I]District 9[/I] and [I]The Thing[/I] are curious as Science Fiction films. One one hand, they could be classified with [I]Alien[/I] and [I]Aliens[/I], monster/horror movies. And most probably are. Many will argue that these films wrestle the scientific principle of extra terrestrials coming to this planet and the questions of what happens next. These films must be scrutinized then by what questions are asked and how those questions are dealt with in the film. Are there scientific parameters set up? Are these parameters tested? Do we learn anything about ourselves through these films? If these questions are hard to answer, then the film is probably just a monster of the week film, rather than true Science Fiction.
[B]Science Fiction as Future Myth.
[/B]Finally, great pieces of Science Fiction do more than explore questions. As I mentioned before, they teach us about ourselves. More importantly, Science Fiction can act as mythology of the future. Instead of teaching us about the past and how we should've acted (and how we should act in the future) as myths do, Science Fiction warns us about the dangers of using these scientific principles for the future. We could learn a lot about where we are headed by reading the Science Fiction of the past. For examples, do [I]not[/I] give robots emotions and AI.
Anyway, I've just scratched the surface of what Science Fiction is and what can be done with it. Understanding the genre is important, though, and a deeper enjoyment of Science Fiction films can be obtained through more rigorous study of the genre.
Good read and very informative. I liked the MLA bits.
Great thread, really changed how I view these types of films before. I had always thought the films such as Star Wars were Science-Fiction films, now I know better.
[QUOTE=cheesywlz;23224832]Great thread, really changed how I view these types of films before. I had always thought the films such as Star Wars were Science-Fiction films, now I know better.[/QUOTE]
Thanks man.
Great thread man, just wanted to throw in that Star Wars is sometimes classified as Space-opera rather than fantasy, just because i love that name :v:
Wow, good read. I'm now buddha.
That was really good. Thank ye much.
[editline]08:07AM[/editline]
Would that make the book The Lord of the Flies science fiction?
I honestly had little belief that someone else had a similar way of defining genres like I do. You sir proved me wrong, and even taught me more about defining the genre.
Great read.
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