Nothing crome yellow can stay
Many Science Fiction films have a clear predecessor in the realm of Science Fiction literature. Because of this, Science Fiction offers an uncommonly visible lineage from paper to screen. The same extent is not apparent in, for example, slasher films. As a literary genre, Science Fiction is known for its forward thinking. Authors like Mary Shelley, George Orwell, and Arthur C. Clarke pushed boundaries of contemporary feminist issues like social justice, gender, and sexuality. Hollywood movies, as a rule, are more susceptible to the vision damaging consequences of mass consumption. Science Fiction movies generally are not pushing our conceptions of these feminist issues outside of hetero-male norms; However, there are instances worthy of further analysis. I feel Ridley Scott's Alien is representative of main stream science fiction cinema. While pushing some boundaries, Science Fiction film largely fails the rigors of my feminist critique.
Tomorrow I will talk about the context, content, and form of Alien. I'll bring some images and clips from the film to illustrate my arguments. I'd also like to talk about how I personally view science fiction film versus literature.
Sources include:
Carol Clover,(1992). Men, Women and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Princeton
Mulvey's Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema