Science fiction is a special separate genre of cinema. She gave the world cinema a huge number of ups, both literally and figuratively. Science fiction includes dramatic and comedic films, films for children and philosophical novels, melodramatic works and horrific thrillers. We decided to remember about ten iconic paintings that have become milestones of the cinematic scientific scientist in our top.
1
The Matrix 1999
The film “The Matrix” by Wachowski’s brothers (who later became sisters) is a dream painting for teenagers. The film has a huge number of spectacular hand-to-hand fights and skirmishes that have surpassed special effects, colorful agents and an intricate conspiracy theory. The scenes with “flying kung fu” look the most spectacular.
The matrix tore the genre known as “humanity against machines”, which was hackneyed in the eighties and nineties, taking it to a new level. Tired of the clumsy confrontation of the hero, who alone bravely smashes an army of clumsy thugs, fans got something new. The hero Keanu Reeves, although he is the chosen one (the name Neo is an anagram of the word “one”, which can be interpreted as “special”) with superpowers, is opposed to a reasonable computer program not alone, but with a whole group of rebels.
2
Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Costs of $ 7 million more than paid for themselves, bringing the creators of 78 million box office for the first, which became great, science-fiction thriller James Cameron. Subsequently, “Terminator” became a long-running franchise (5 films of the series have been shot at the moment), but only the first two films to which Cameron had a hand remained really worthwhile. The film became a classic of the science fiction genre and at the same time made a movie star out of the bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Films raise the issue of creating artificial intelligence and the time paradox of time travel. All this is wrapped in a wrapper with a wonderful action and restrained humor. The first film takes place around Sarah Connor - the mother of the future leader of the uprising of people. A robot was sent from the future, in order to kill Sarah and prevent the boy who won the car, John, from beating the car.
In the second film from the future, two humanoid robots are already directed. The goal of the first (Schwarzenegger hero) is to protect the teenager John Connor from the second - an improved model of the android that can take any form.
3
Close Encounters of the Third Degree 1977
Steven Spielberg resurrected and revived the alien invasion genre after 50 years of exploiting images of aggressively minded aliens, with blasters in their hands. In the 1977 extravagant special effects, Spielberg showed contact with alien civilizations as a gateway to new knowledge, new opportunities, as a path to a more developed consciousness.
The main character, Roy Neri, is an ordinary family guy from the suburbs who, after meeting with UFOs, is haunted by mysterious sounds. The strange behavior of the hero is terrifying to his wife and their children. As a result, Roy, in the company of such witnesses of mysterious events, finds himself in a city classified by the government, near the site of the alleged contact. Of all those present, only Roy aliens take on board their ship.
The film is good not only as science fiction. He raises important social issues, especially close to Americans contemporaries of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal.
The film was expanded in a special directorial version of 1980.
4
"Star Wars"
From the first frames of the first film, the original Star Wars trilogy lays cards on the table: a giant evil spacecraft is chasing an aircraft of much smaller size. Like the rest of the film, this fragment can be watched without sound, which will not affect the interest in the perception of the picture. The story of George Lucas is the plot of a classic big journey wrapped in a shell of robots, spaceships and laser sword fights.
The film industry of the 70s was not ready to pay for the financial component of such an ambitious directorial project. A technical breakthrough in the field of special effects was made despite a modest budget. Lucas attracted young people who previously worked exclusively on low-budget auteur films and completely unrelated to film specialists. The output was a film that set the tone in creating special effects for many years to come.
The plot is based on the struggle of a group of rebels, led by the ancient order of space samurai - the Jedi, against a technological space empire. During the trilogy, the young Jedi, in numerous travels and confrontations, finds new friends, finds a family, and learns the secret of his origin.
5
"Alien" 1982
After the release of “Close Encounters of the Third Degree” in 1977 (see No. 8), director Steven Spielberg changed the plot concept of human contact with extraterrestrial intelligent beings. In the “Alien” created in 1982, the director asks himself about what strangers will do when they meet humanity, and not how people will behave. As a result, the film became a blockbuster that eclipsed even Star Wars. An unheard-of feat for a film with such a pronounced sci-fi content (9 nominations for an Oscar and 4 victories).
Despite all the fantasy genre attributes, the picture touches the social aspects of life that are loved by the Academy of Film Academy: the difficult relationship of 10-year-old boy Thomas with his family. The film does not tell much about the origin of an alien. Spielberg focused his attention on the fact that the middle of the three children in the family in the alien found a friend whom neither the sweet but intrusive younger sister nor the cynical older teenage brother could become for him.
After the light and hearty first half, the film plunges into a more dramatic context in the second. When adults learn about the existence of an alien, they put him in quarantine, condemning him to suffering.
According to Spielberg, his picture is a story about two, in the minority, losers uniting under the yoke of circumstances.
6
Solaris 1972
Andrei Tarkovsky began work on the adaptation of the philosophical science fiction novel by Stanislav Lem in 1968. After difficult negotiations with Soviet censorship, approval was given to shoot a film different from anything shot before and after this picture.
In Lem’s novel, the radiation of a distant planet causes strange changes in the psyche of the people exploring it. Scientists in orbit begin visions of their past, causing remorse. Only a researcher who has arrived from Earth is also exposed to mysterious radiation. In visions he sees his double, whom he ultimately takes for a living person.
Tarkovsky’s painting raises important ethical issues: faith, memory and the transforming power of love. This film is recognized as one of the best films in the history of the science fiction genre. In fairness, it is worth noting that the adaptation of the film reveals little of the idea of a book by Lem. This is a fairly free interpretation, which was criticized by the Polish writer.
7
Alien 1979
A huge team of extremely talented people worked on Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller “Alien”: Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Schusett pored over an elaborate script, perfectionist cameraman Derek Vanlint controlled the camera, Jerry Goldsmith composed chilling music and verified effects created by Brian Brian. The cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm and John Hurt.
A wonderful, largely revolutionary work in Alien was done in the field of design. A whole team of prominent filmmakers worked on the film, led by Ron Cobb and Hans Giger. The scenery in the film is stunningly realistic.
The story tells about the crew of a ship attacked by an aggressive alien life form. Having received a danger signal for a request for help, the crew of the space tug landed on an unknown planet. After the attack, the team decides to return to space, accidentally capturing the alien larvae on board.
Ridley Scott's film is the best representative of the sub-genre of sci-fi horror.
8
Blade Runner 2049 2017
Most directors who have completed a science fiction film tend to choose something more earthly for their next project. Ridley Scott, departing from the topic of aliens, launched a fantastic story about people of different classes.
Based on Philipp Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, The director of Alien made a fascinating and at the same time philosophical story. The plot of the picture tells the story of a detective forced to search and destroy replicants - androids created by genetic engineering. "Man or Replicant?" - The moral dilemma that arises in the protagonist runs through the film with a red thread.
The film was invaluable and not understood at the time of its release on wide screens and failed at the box office, but over time it became a cult, mainly due to the release of the directorial version of the picture, with an open ending.
9
Metropolis 1927
Despite the many sci-fi films made, not one of them makes references to the classic silent film - the film "Metropolis" by German director Fritz Lang. Perhaps this is due to the many versions of this film. The initial 2.5-hour version was almost halved for rental, and versions with cut frames and storylines periodically appeared throughout the twentieth century.
At one time, the film was a milestone in cinema with an innovative approach to special effects and working with the camera. It took two years to recreate the city of the future and, in terms of modern money, about 200 million dollars. But this was not the key to the longevity of the film, but its thematic content: class conflict against the backdrop of a romantic story. Metropolis is a warning film about a possible future scenario.
The city of the future is divided into two parts: the aristocratic upper and the working lower. Life at the top is like paradise, the inhabitants of the bottom eke out a miserable existence in hard work, becoming, in fact, an appendage to cars. The son of the head of the city falls in love with a girl from the lower classes preaching tolerance - Mary. Compassion for the workers, he can change the way in the Metropolis. The enemy is trying to prevent this from the head of the city. His goal is to destroy Metropolis with the help of a robot copy of Mary.
10
2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968
When “2001: The Space Odyssey” was first released, few predicted its role and impact on modern cinema. In fact, almost no one predicted the film even short-term fame.
Contrary to skepticism, Odyssey has become a classic of science fiction cinema and more often than other films is recognized as the best film in the history of this genre. The leisurely action of the film takes place with classical music. In addition to philosophical reflections on faith, God and the history of the development of mankind, Kubrick presented an amazing visual series for discussion. And 50 years after the release, the picture of the film looks completely modern. "Odyssey 2001" has become a template and a kind of standard for all films claiming to be a serious space saga.
The plot of the film tells about a space expedition to the mysterious obelisks - "monoliths", the meeting with which drastically changed the course of human history, pushing civilization to further development. A meeting with the first of these “monoliths” took place on Earth, at the time of Australopithecus, with the second on the Moon. In search of the third obelisk, an expedition was sent to the region of Jupiter. Part of the team was plunged into suspended animation, and the ship was controlled by two pilots and a supercomputer. The dramatic line is built around people’s ignorance of the true mission of the expedition and their actions that run counter to the hard software settings of the computer.