Dissertation sci-fi Horror!*help needed*

[MrTwiggy]

Hello there everybody!

*quick note this thread is not about horror*


Im starting my dissertation soon and i plan to do it on sci-fi!
now im sure already none of you are bothered to reply to me, which is fine im not expecting any of you to take your own time to help a stranger out.

however im just looking for some basic advice on where to take my research direction i was hoping someone could point me maybe in the right direction?

The wall i have hit at the moment is deciding on a theisis that is quite viable. A few ideas i have been playing around with are

Scifi of all film genres, makes more of a policitcal statement.
or
Science fiction films over history have refelcted conemporary issues

What do you think of them two? Not amazing but its a start.
any ideas on improving my thesis?

 

[J Riff]

I'd go with policitcal.
There's an anthology of only political science fiction out there somewhere.
Avoid the conemporary stuff, it's mostly a con.

 

[Kylara]

Political also allows you to bring in dystopias - 1984, Blade Runner, umm not sure if Brave New World has been made into a film, but the book is well worth a look. Day of the Triffids...lots of good political dystopians...hehe woooo dystopian fictions!

 

[The Judge]

Are you restricting yourself to films for a reason?**

I'm a tad confused by your first idea -- do you mean an examination of films for their political content? If so, I'd imagine you'd need an interest in and wide knowledge of political thought. If you don't have that, then it might be a little more difficult. Looking at how SF reflects contemporary issues might be easier, and could incorporate political matters such as attitudes to the Cold War and the rise of feminism in the 70s. On the other hand, that's a much larger topic and you might not go into the depth needed for a dissertation. Have you spoken with your tutor about possible subjects and how wide-ranging or narrow they will need to be?

Looking at it another way, what is your favourite SF film or book? What issues are raised by it which you could use? Alternatively, what social/ethical issues do you care about? Are they reflected in SF, and if not, why not?

As ideas: the attempts in SF to create utopia and how that has changed over the years; the fear of the other and how that is seen; the treatment of minority groups, either racial or religious, the presence of the disabled; the re-invention of self; the empowerment of women.

Good luck with it, anyway.


** EDIT: Just seen your introductions thread which answers this!

 

[MrTwiggy]

Well first of all! thank you everyone that has replied so quickly to a new memeber like myself .

So the thesis ive actually gone for,

Actual Historical events are a main thematic element of sci-fi films which, in turn, clarifies and premotes the fears of the culture/society during which the media was produced.

what do you think about that?

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Sounds good. There is a lot you could research here.

The fear of another World War, the rise of fascism, and the idea of technocracy as they relate to Things to Come.

If you are going to include fantasy films, the way that death was very familiar during World War Two and all the "life after death" films (Stairway to Heaven, Heaven Can Wait, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Angel on My Shoulder, and others) of that period.

The fear of atomic weapons in many films of the 1950's: radioactive monsters, post-apocalyptic films like Five and The World, the Flesh, and the Devil, etc.

Cold War fears and the space race in films like Destination Moon.

Fear of technology in many newer films like The Terminator and The Matrix.

Good luck!

 

[clovis-man]

Silly question, perhaps, but what is your major?

 

[ginny]

Well first of all! thank you everyone that has replied so quickly to a new memeber like myself .

So the thesis ive actually gone for,

Actual Historical events are a main thematic element of sci-fi films which, in turn, clarifies and premotes the fears of the culture/society during which the media was produced.

what do you think about that?

Having this in mind you might start with the 1950 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (which was alleged to be in response to McCarthyism) There may be others but this was one of the hallmarks.

Look into Metropolis and a few others from that era.

Maybe move up to the Day the Earth Stood Still

Even compare the old and newer versions of the IBS and DESS