Science-fiction, most popularly referred to as sci-fi, is one of the largest and most influential genres in the fields of art and media. Some of the most famous stories in humankind and some of the largest television and movie productions are sci-fi creations, from
Dr Who to the
Star Wars films, from
Frankenstein to
Gulliver`s Travels.
Science fiction is at once a far-reaching and nebulous concept, which works against any sort of solid classification. However, there are some certain characteristics that make up science-fiction. A futuristic setting is, if not essential, usually the norm. Speculative applications of possibly imaginary science, such as robots, flying cars, nanotechnology, deep-space exploration, time-travel and contact with alien life forms are often leitmotifs of the genre.
The rise of science-fiction can be traced all the way back to
Beowulf or Shakespeare`s
The Tempest for some people, though many contend that only with the Age of Reason and true interest in science could the genre truly be categorised. Voltaire`s short story
Microm?gas tells of an extra-terrestrial visitor to earth, and Mary Shelley`s Gothic masterpiece
Frankenstein defined the science-fiction novel. H.G Wells and Jules Verne both published widely and popularly in the 19th century, and science-fiction was now a bona fide artistic genus. Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke were both powerhouse names in the science-fiction field in the 20th century, and the field continues to be an active one.
Science-fiction has often found it`s most eloquent expression through television and film. In the US, sci-fi has always been popular, and the US gave us the iconic show
Star Trek in it`s various incarnations and the
X-Files, the latter staple viewing for anyone who grew up in the 1990s. The UK started it`s sci-fi infatuation with the eerie
Quatermass Experiment, which led to further
Quatermass serials. However, the most famous sci-fi creation from UK shores is undoubtedly
Doctor Who, who in his iconic Tardis shot around time and space on his adventures, and gave us the terrifying Daleks. The BBC also produced series such as
Thunderbirds and
Captain Scarlet, both of which are particular favourites of mine.
It is in movies though that sci-fi has made it`s most profound mark. George Melies` 1902 silent picture
A Trip to the Moon used trick photography to entertain, and although through the 1930s to the 1950s the genre existed mainly with B-movies, Kubrick`s 1968 classic
2001: A Space Odyssey put sci-fi movies back into the mainstream. Everyone is familiar with the iconic and hugely influential
Star Wars franchise, whose special effects have wowed audiences for almost four decades and gifted us no end of legendary characters, including the quintessential sci-fi villain Darth Vader.
Pictures such as
Aliens and
Close Encounters paved the way for more contemporary films, such as
ET and the blockbuster
Independence Day. More recently, the
Matrix trilogy has garnered critical adulation. What can be seen is a trajectory in special effects; as more technology and methods became available, more spectacular and impressive effects could be created, enabling sci-fi to become even more influential. All this is to say nothing of
what video games have been produced, which would need an article all it`s own, with legendary titles such as
Doom to the forefront.
For me, science-fiction is so enduringly popular due to it`s vast range. In science-fiction the wildest whims of the imagination can be released boundless, and that makes for some fascinating and unique ideas. In short, this unfettered way of working can ensure that no idea is too much, and this also allows for fan input, also explaining the huge popularity of sci-fi conventions and meetings. This makes the fan part of the art, and this breeds intense loyalty and devotion
