From Alien to The Matrix

I. B. Tauris

2005

208 p.

9781850438069

Contents: Waking into dreams: competence cascades, thick texts and the universalization of the geek aesthetic -- Director as parodist: Paul Verhoeven's Starship troopers -- Comedy 1: Galaxy quest -- The decline and fall of the alien invasion -- Comedy 2: Small soldiers and the joke of the robot -- Who are you? Cognitive dissonance and lots of really big guns -- The mirrored gaze: James Cameron's and Kathryn Bigelow's Strange days -- Creation as product: the paradox of franchises -- A franchise case study: Alien and its sequels -- Index of films -- Index.

A critical approach to science fiction films that considers them as both autonomous creations and contributions to the genre and to the broader culture, this work looks at the movies of alien invasion and movie franchises. Written by a world expert in Science Fiction, From Alien to The Matrix is a hugely entertaining and enlightening read and a new critical approach to SF films that considers them as autonomous creations and contributions to the genre and to the broader culture. Kaveney looks at the movies of alien invasion and movie franchises, and offers a celebration of Galaxy Quest; deep readings of the Alien quartet, of Dark City, Starship Troopers and Strange Days; extended consideration of the Star Wars series and the Terminator films, and much more.

Английский