Speaking of the different movie genres, the one that has probably impressed an audience more than any other is science fiction. Science fiction can be difficult to define since it includes a wide range of subgenres and themes that can be both suspenseful and thought-provoking. Perhaps one of the easiest definitions to understand comes from Rod Serling whose stated definition is “fiction is the impossible made possible, while science fiction is the impossible made possible”.
Science fiction in movies is nothing new, it has been around since the early years of silent cinema when Georges Méliès’ 1902 film A Trip to the Moon wowed audiences with its beguiling portrayals. The 1930s brought larger film budgets to the film industry, which benefited fans of the genre. The first feature-length science fiction film produced by an American studio had the generally unfamiliar title Just Imagine. The most popular American films in this genre during the 1930s include King Kong and Lost Horizon.
Many of these films not only produced a great story but also a classic cinematic character. Two of these unforgettable classics come from blending two genres – science fiction and horror. They would be Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1910), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912).
Today, many of these movies are based on comic book characters. This is nothing new. In 1934, comic characters entered motion pictures in movie serials. Good examples are Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon (both played by Buster Crabbe). The similarity extended beyond the actor playing the role, as both of these characters were space heroes, and they each had a similar movie in the title. Buck Rogers released Conqueror’s Universe in 1939, and Flash Gordon released Conqueror’s Universe in 1940.
For a while, the general public viewed science fiction films as juvenile, and as a result there were no more big budget science fiction films made after 1936. However, all of this changed in 1950 with Destination Moon, the first science fiction film to be produced in color. The 1950s brought new popularity to the science fiction genre with some of the most popular and entertaining science fiction films of all time appearing during this time. Some of these titles would include the classics The Day The Earth Stood Still, This Island Earth, and one of my personal favorites, Forbidden Planet.