Cinema and science fiction were made for each other. The science fiction genre has produced some of the most extraordinary films ever made, yet science fiction cinema is about more than just special effects. It has also provided a vehicle for filmmakers and writers to comment on their own societies and cultures. This new exploration of the genre examines landmark science fiction films from the 1930s to the present. They include genre classics such...

Whether depicting humans battling aliens or a brave geologist saving lives as a volcano erupts, science-fiction films are an exciting visual and sensuous introduction to the workings of science and technology. These films explore a range of complex topics in vivid and accessible ways, from space travel and laser technology to genetic engineering, global warming, and the consequences of nuclear weaponry. Though actual scientific lab work might not...

This book is the definitive encyclopedia for the science fiction fanatic. From Barbarella to Blade Runner, from Solaris to Star Wars, and from 1984 to 2001, Sci-Fi Chronicles seeks out 200 of the greatest galactic creations. Presented in an arresting blend of incisive text, infographic timelines, and stunning photographs, each chronologically arranged entry features an entertaining overview written by a science fiction expert, plus: The lifespan of...

"Science fiction films, from the original Frankenstein and The Fly to Blade Runner and The Terminator, traditionally have been filled with aliens, spaceships, androids, cyborgs, and all sorts of robotic creatures along with their various creators. The popular appeal of these characters is undeniable, but what is the meaning of this generation of creatures? What is the relationship of mad scientist to subject, of human to android, of creature to creator?...

What principle of mechanics is illustrated in the science fiction thriller Terminator 2: Judgment Day? How is nuclear fission important to the plot of Aliens? Is the time travel portrayed in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home a real possibility? Discover the surprising answers to these and a host of other intriguing questions in Fantastic Voyages. This book provides basic physics and biology instruction using scenes from popular science fiction films as...

Four years after agents J and K averted an intergalactic disaster, J is still working for the MIB while K has returned to the comforts of civilian life. While investigating a seemingly routine crime, J uncovers a diabolical plot masterminded by Serleena, an evil Kylothian monster who disguises herself as a sexy lingerie model. It's a race against the clock as J must find and convince K--who not only has no memory of his time spent with the agency,...

Two hundred and fifty years in the future, life as we know it is threatened by the arrival of Evil. Only the fifth element can stop the Evil from extinguishing life, as it tries to do every five thousand years.

Los Angeles, 2019: Rick Deckard of the LAPD's Blade Runner unit prowls the steel & microchip jungle of the 21st century. His job is to track down and eliminate assumed humanoids known as 'replicants.' Replicants were declared illegal after a bloody mutiny on an Off-World Colony, and are to be terminated upon detection. He wants to get out of the force, but is drawn back in when 6 "skin jobs, " the slang for replicants, hijack a ship back to Earth....

An assassination attempt is made on the life of the president by a teleporting mutant. This act upsets the entire world and entices the president to begin the mutant-human war as predicted by Eric Lensherr (Magneto) earlier. In an effort to get to the bottom of the attack and prevent world-wide war, Professor Charles Xavier sends out Storm and Dr. Jean Grey to search for the teleporting mutant and discover the truth behind the assassination attempt....

Massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies and wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet. The world's only hope lies with a determined band of survivors.