Having been back in a theater for the first time in over a year, I thought I’d mix it up and talk about movies.
Discussions, arguments, blog posts, “Top Ten Lists,” etc., are replete with opinions and points of view about what counts as science fiction—both in movies and books. I would say Star Trek is science fiction but is Star Wars? Do we relegate that canon to Space Opera, and is that different from Science Fiction?
Is it science fiction if the science is real, but the story it drives is not? For example, is Outbreak (1995) about the race to find the source of the infection, Science Fiction? Lots of science and lots of fiction. (My guess is most people would say no, but you never know.)
What about the distinction between Science Fiction and Hard Science Fiction, such as The Martian (2015)? Lots of actual science, some fictional science, some future science, and no aliens.
I don’t know the answer to any of these questions, and I’d hazard a guess that there isn’t one. We can share some broad definitions and categories, but in the end, does it matter? Does knowing its genre help you select a movie? Or a book?
That brings me to Monster Movies. Are monster movies science fiction? Does it matter where the monster came from? I would say Frankenstein (1931) is a science fiction/monster movie since it was fictional science that created the monster. But is Dracula (1931)?
Likewise, I would suggest War of the Worlds (1953) is a science fiction/monster movie. The Martians are monsters, but they have an intelligence and reason for coming to Earth. What about The Blob (1958), though? The Blob is an alien life form that comes to Earth and, as a monster, terrorizes a small town. Yes, it’s a monster movie, but is it science fiction? There is no reason for the Blob other than to consume humans and grow, and through that, spread terror. And like many aliens that arrive on Earth, something about our home eventually overcomes the monster. In the case of The Blob—cold. A cautionary note—maybe with the melting of the ice caps, that final “?” at the movie’s end does not bode well for us.
Finally, then, what about A Quiet Place (2018)? The monsters (no spoilers!) come from somewhere, and there doesn’t seem to be any reason for them to be here. They just kill humans and spread terror. They’re not mindless like the Blob, but they don’t seem intentional like the Martians.
[The movie I saw last week was A Quiet Place Part II (2020), but I don’t want to reveal a spoiler inadvertently. If you liked A Quiet Place, see it. You’ll love it.]
So there we are—Science Fiction or Monster Movie, or both? And yes, I love the classics.
I hope you’ll try them both and not worry too much about the category—they’re all fun.
Enjoy the show.
[Disclaimer: Please accept my apologies for any ads that pop up before the linked videos. They do not reflect my position, nor do I endorse any of the products – it’s just a YouTube thing I can’t get around.]
Hmmmmm…this makes for a longer discussion…a seminar perhaps? I propose there may be more than science fiction and monster movies or horror…now just to come up with a name…
Perhaps after the government releases their report on the UFOs seen by the Navy there will be more possibilities?
Exactly – so many genres. We’ll see who’s first to capitalize on the new footage from the Navy. Who’s watching us now?
Thanks for the comment.
I would stake “Frankenstein” as very early “science fiction”, since it examines the repercussions of humanity intersecting with a science for which it is unprepared, and in so doing discovering a deeper truth. Likewise, the original Star Trek episodes provide stories of very human characters responding to unique situations, but there was intention for the science and technology to at least try to be plausible and internally consistent. Star Wars on the other hand makes little effort for technical plausibility, and thus I would put it in the “space opera” or “space fantasy” bucket. What makes a “monster movie”? I would say Terminator is a science fiction / monster movie, Fallen is a horror / monster movie. That being said, “science fiction” as a genre needs for there to be a critical story element of science or technology which plausibly exceeds the life experiences of the author, i.e. Jules Verne, or character, i.e. a story written today where Leonardo da Vinci actually builds his machines.
Definitely would agree. One of the greats, I. Asimov, once posited that Science Fiction can cover any genre – romance, horror, adventure, thriller, detective – hence the robot mysteries. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.