Usually when making a science fiction movie writers start with the accurate science we know, and stretch it in efforts to create an exciting and entertaining sci-fi film. For this assignment, I will be critiquing the science fiction movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first Star Trek film and stars the cast of the original 1966–1969 Star Trek television series (Wikipedia,2015). Although, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is critically acclaimed and referred to as one of the greatest and most iconic films of all time, the film contains many science inaccuracies. For example, scientifically we know that it is impossible for spaceships
Phasers are common particle-beam weapons that emit nadion particle beams rather than bullets; they come in a wide range of sizes, ranging from hand-held versions to starship-mounted ones. Phaser beams can be adjusted in both width and output; a typical hand phaser has different power settings so that it can merely stun living organisms, or completely disintegrate them . However, although the phaser weapon has the capabilities to accomplish all these things, in the movie the phaser nadion particle beams that the phaser emits always seem to shoot out at a very slow speed. As I previously stated the creator of Star Trek Gene Roddenberry wanted most of the elements within the movie to travel faster the speed of light; however, we already know that is impossible. Therefore, for theatrical purposes Roddenberry made the nadion beams emitting from the phaser shoot out extremely slow; because if they were traveling at the speed of light the nadion beams would travel so fast that one would not be able to see them or react to them. Adam Weiner a writer for the website “Popular Science”, explains this further by stating: “If the beam is electromagnetic radiation it moves at the speed of light (c). Because "nadions" are particles, and assuming they have mass, they can't achieve the theoretical speed limit of c”. He then
Literature and film have always held a strange relationship with the idea of technological progress. On one hand, with the advent of the printing press and the refinements of motion picture technology that are continuing to this day, both literature and film owe a great deal of their success to the technological advancements that bring them to widespread audiences. Yet certain films and works of literature have also never shied away from portraying the dangers that a lust for such progress can bring with it. The modern output of science-fiction novels and films found its genesis in speculative ponderings on the effect such progress could hold for the every day population, and just as often as not those speculations were damning. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis are two such works that hold great importance in the overall canon of science-fiction in that they are both seen as the first of their kind. It is often said that Mary Shelley, with her authorship of Frankenstein, gave birth to the science-fiction novel, breathing it into life as Frankenstein does his monster, and Lang's Metropolis is certainly a candidate for the first genuine science-fiction film (though a case can be made for Georges Méliès' 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune, his film was barely fifteen minutes long whereas Lang's film, with its near three-hour original length and its blending of both ideas and stunning visuals, is much closer to what we now consider a modern science-fiction film). Yet though both works are separated by the medium with which they're presented, not to mention a period of over two-hundred years between their respective releases, they present a shared warning about the dangers that man's need fo...
This is the third film in the trilogy, it made a total of $572 million dollars and had a budget of around 35 million dollars. The film is 2 hours 11 minutes long
In the beginning there was a team of explorers made up of soldiers and scientists traveling through a Stargate, an ancient portal to other planets. They use the Stargate to explore new worlds, forge ties with friendly civilizations and protect Earth from hostile forces. In modern-day Egypt, professor Daniel Jackson teams up with retired Army Col. Jackson to unlock the code of an interstellar gateway to an ancient Egypt-like world. They arrive on a planet ruled by the despotic Apophis who holds the key to the Earth travelers' safe return. Now, in order to escape from their intergalactic purgatory, Colonel Jackson must convince the planet's people that Apophis must be overthrown.
America got its first look of a program that would later become legendary on September 8, 1966 at 8:30 PM on NBC. America was never the same after Star Trek made its debut that night. The series did not receive the recognition it deserved until it was canceled after only three years and later returning in syndication. However, Star Trek was never an ordinary science fiction program to begin with. Comparison to other programs in this genre is difficult because Star Trek is certainly not an unconventional science fiction program- it is a science fiction program that displays America during 1960's. In fact, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, during an interview said, "I have no belief that Star Trek depicts the actual future, it depicts us, now, things we need to understand about that". Even David Gerrold, a writer for the series, writes in his book that "[t]he stories are about twentieth century man's attitudes in a future universe. The stories are about us". Naturally each episode does not make a social commentary, but all through the program, characters, themes, and it goes without saying, individual episodes make powerful reflections on sexism, feminism, as well as racism and improving race relations, all crucial social affairs during the late 1960's, and to a certain extent, social affairs of today.
To fully appreciate Star Trek’s influence, you have to understand its enormous scope. Although the first series only ran for three years, the show gained popularity in syndication. It would go on to spawn five new series with a total of 726 episodes, 12 films, 31 Emmy Awards and 149 nominations, one Academy Award and 15 Oscar nominations, 120 CDs, 40 video games, 70 million books in print and one invented language, estimated to be spoken by over 100 people.
Shock, anger, numbness, denial, acceptance, and fighting for one’s life, are the general phases of grief through one’s experience with cancer (cancersurvivors.org). Although discovering about one’s cancer can be excruciating, an additional agonizing reaction to a sick person is how the others are affected and their one-on-one reaction to the person. Feeling overly pitiful to one’s illness can impair the situation for the one who is ill by emotionally making the tragedy feel additionally worse. Although the extra sympathy, empathy, and compassion Hazel Grace Lancaster is treated with in The Fault In Ours Stars are intended to comfort, these exaggerated emotions have the opposite effect, further isolating and reminding her of her limited existence, but concurrently, the reality of condolences is pivotal to Hazel’s life.
This episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation begins with a performance from Data and his quartet. Data tells Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher they may want to wait for the next performance, since his peers in the group believes he lacks “soul” in his playing. Picard sends a valuable message to Data and the viewers; never advertise your shortcomings. Picard insists on hearing Data play, and of course, as the concert starts, the Enterpirse is hailed by the Sheliak. They, by treaty, with the Federation have ownership of Tau Cygna V, however, there are human inhabitants colonized there. They demand the removal of this “infestation” immediately, and Picard is reluctantly happy to oblige. Upon arrival, it is discovered that the radiation levels in the planet’s atmosphere are so
“Good Night, and Good Luck” is a 2005 American drama film about how United States (US) was plagued by the threat of communism, creating a tense atmosphere within US in the early 1950s. Fear of communism was inevitable and Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin exploited those fears. CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly challenged McCarthy and aimed to expose him of his agendas. Although their actions brought about many consequences, the two men persevered in their stance and eventually brought down McCarthy successfully.
The United States of America has one of the oldest and largest (in terms of revenue) film industries. Hollywood is the main location of the United States film industry. However, four of the six largest film studios in the U.S. are owned by the companies that are located on the East Coast. Only The Walt Disney Company - which owns six other film-making companies (Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm Limited, the Pixar Animation Studios, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Marvel Studios) is located and fully based in Hollywood, California. Sony Pictures Entertainment also has headquarters in Culver City, California, although its parent company, the Sony Corporation, has main headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
Bordwell Thomson, David. “Sex in Science Fiction Films: Romance or Enginnering?”. (New York: BFI Publishing, 1984)
The movie Doubt is set in a private Catholic School in 1960s. Sister Aloysius is the principal of the school, and Father Flynn is the clergyman in the church. While the movie deals with some moral dilemmas such as doubt versus certainty, rigidity versus openness and so on, the central theme of the story pivots on accusation on Father Flynn of child molestation. The story has a hanging ending where Father Flynn is proven neither guilty nor proven innocent. Based on the contents of the movie and my own analysis, I believe that certainty plays a bigger role in accusations and I believe that Father Flynn had been falsely blamed and I am also against the rigidity of the society.
The advancement of technology also accounts for responses to sci-fi changing. Sci-fi stories have always needed a scientific premise. Very early sci-fi films did not look realistic and were often not taken seriously. These days, the film technology we have is amazing - just look at how realistic the apes were in Planet of the Apes! Added to that, the progress that mankind has made in the past few decades is incredible, so much so that a sci-fi films can present its audience with a fantastic idea such as time travel and make it appear possible. This the audience takes seriously. sci-fi is no longer just a fun
“The Mission” is based on a true story that occurred around the borderlands of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil in the years 1750’s according to the film and history. The Treaty of Madrid of 1750 with the Spanish and Portuguese caused both havoc and death for the people of the Guarini and the members of the Jesuits. The Jesuits, members of the church, tried to bring Christianity and civilization to the natives while keeping at peace with Spain and Portugal. The Jesuits were the teachers for the natives; Teaching them not only the Christian religion but also civilization. Father Gabriel, a Jesuit, is first introduced in the film when he is showing his respects to a former Jesuit priest killed by the natives. He walks through the South American
Perhaps one of the most versatile genres in films, television, books, artwork and any number of things today is science fiction. Many times I have seen a sci-fi movie filed under comedy or drama. That is one of the major things that has led to my love for science fiction, the simple fact that it can be so much more than just science fiction. I would like to present a definition of what science fiction is in this paper. My definition will not be exact, because so many people have a different idea of what counts as sci-fi and, not only that, but we may have found yet another venue for science fiction by the time this paper is complete. In order to define what science fiction is and to support my definition, I am going to give some examples of stories that I think fall into this genre first and then give a semi-solid definition of what I think science fiction is.