Interesting Article on hisorical emphasis in current fiction

[LadyCrais]

The article talks about the move away from Science Fiction, specifically mentioning Farscape and Firefly, and the emphasis on historical fiction, or on the past. I disagree with his lack of concern about the loss of interest in sci-fi, but it's an interesting observation he makes about every movie nominated for an Academy Award this year being set in the past. Apparently the emphasis is pervasive in literature as well.

For the more thoughtful or time-on-their-hands people, this might be an interesting person to write to in defense of the societal benefits for science fiction in our arts.

It's from the Toronto-Star, btw, so you Canadiens dig in! :)


http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1035777992227&call_pageid=968867495754&col=969483191630

[AgentSun]

everything has it's ups and downs. scifi has regressions and then resurgences. it's whats being trendy. spielberg does saving private ryan, 6 other directors think they'll be able to make a buck with war movies. scorsese does a historical fiction, everyone else thinks it's great.

i'm not really worried about the decline in science fiction. it's never declined for me, nor has it for many other fans. as long as we have innovative people thinking creatively, then we'll still get great science fiction. somewhere somehow, a scifi film will get made, even among the trendiness of historical fiction.

i love science fiction, but i find that the truly great scifi makes you think. it presents a question about people and humanity. it's not the entertainment value that keeps you in your seat, it's the fact that it's challenging the mind. and thats why i dont think theres ever been a huge trend in scifi movies and why it doesnt always get nominated, unless you have something huge like LOTR, which i LOVED.

I always mention Gattaca. I think this is one of the most amazing films i have ever seen. especially so because it's the underdog and not a lot of people have heard of it. but if you watch it, it has so much relevance to our society, no matter when it is. i mean, the movie was made in 1998 and its still incredibly relevant now. and it presents the question of humans and science. how far are we willing to go before it's wrong for us to pick and choose the fates of our children? and i saw the movie (ironically, i first saw it on the scifi channel) and was absolutely perplexed. and i'm 18 now, so i saw the movie when i was around 14-15 and for a 14 year old girl to be thinking about cloning and genetics and scientists "playing god"...it's a heck of a lot more than what a lot of 14 year olds today are thinking about, isn't it? i mean, i know 14 year olds who wake up every morning thinking about the mall and about what the newest rap single is and i think that without science fiction i would've been one of those kids.

there's a reason why a lot of students dislike history, but like creative writing. they get to create their own story, their own future. but in looking to the future, i love that scifi is never really afraid to criticize and judge.