Here’s a science fiction film, nearly every frame of which is an homage to Stanley Kubrick’s unsurpassed masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The homage extends into the set design, the windows, the doors, walkways and more. It was made by a UK art design group called BC2010.
Category Archives: Science Fiction
The Penultimate Truth About Philip K. Dick
This is a 2007 documentary produced by Martín Florio on science fiction author Philip K. Dick. The great author behind the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the basis for the ultimately disappointing Blade Runner film, is portrayed by his many former wives and friends as having been obsessed with images that he perceived as having a divine origin. I detect a fair amount of condescension on display here from these former close relations, especially from fellow science fiction author K.W. Jeter. I think the general sort of hand-waving dismissal of Dick’s ideas and visions is foolish and indicates to me that Philip K. Dick made the relatively common mistake of surrounding himself with dimwits. Decide for yourself as you watch this interesting film.
Watch parts 2 – 9 after the jump.
Interplanetary Revolution – 1924 Soviet Animation
Paul Gallagher at Dangerous Minds posted this 1924 Russian propaganda masterpiece. It’s a wild, science fiction, abstract work of art that just keeps pumping out wondrous images, one after the other. I love the ragged edges and mix of photographs, hand-drawn animation and cutouts.
The Earth Dies Screaming!
Suddenly, a man dies at the controls of a train!
Suddenly, a car swerves to destruction!
Suddenly, a plane dives to death!
The earth dies screaming!
The Cosmic Man
I often think of myself as this Cosmic Man.
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne: 1958 Film by Karel Zeman
Czechoslovakian animator Karel Zeman made The Fabulous World of Jules Verne in 1958 and it is, without exception, the finest example of Verne on film that I have ever seen. It is an adaptation of Verne’s novel, Facing the Flag. The combination of live action and Mysti-Mation (sets and animation painted to look like illustrations) not only evokes the atmosphere of old book illustrations, but it evokes the visual act of imagination that happens when I read a Jules Verne book. This film is perfection. I’m somewhat distrustful of the ‘steampunk’ movement but I would certainly imagine that this film must be one of its holy grail objects of worship. It should be for sure. Disney could never come close to this, then or now, because they are focused solely upon happiness.
Parts 2 through 8 after the jump!
Podcast Novel: A Princess of Mars (Chapter 22)
This is the first John Carter of Mars novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books. It was his first novel, published in 1917 and it’s a work of rip-roaring science fiction that has inspired many of the great writers in the genre.
Chapter 22: John Carter, tries to find Dejah Thoris and learns some heartbreaking news.
You can find all the previous chapters of the book here.
You’ll find regular podcasts of all the chapters over the next couple of months. Subscribe to our feed.
Duration: 00:20:12
Read by Alessandro Cima
All audio stories are Copyright © Candlelight Stories, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Mystery Video From Neill Blomkamp
Wired Magazine for the iPad included this mysterious little film that is apparently some sort of teaser by Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9. It shows the discovery of a dead alien or unknown life form by two guys driving down a dirt road. Creepy. But why would anyone touch a dead alien? The creature is stamped as if part of some project at a lab. Maybe it’s about growing new life forms to feed the planet and then some of them escape. Or some company has captured and bred aliens for food production!
Here’s a Slashfilm article that suspects it’s a teaser for an online narrative about a company doing genetic engineering.
1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast in Toy Animation
I am on a roll of discovery tonight! Here’s the perfect film to kick off the Halloween season for 2010. This is a recording of the legendary 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater. But Toyman Studios has animated the entire thing with toys! Toy sets, toy people, and amazing toy battles! It’s beautiful. This is just the perfect way to tell this story now. I want more from Toyman Studios!
Podcast Novel: A Princess of Mars (Chapter 21)
This is the first John Carter of Mars novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books. It was his first novel, published in 1917 and it’s a work of rip-roaring science fiction that has inspired many of the great writers in the genre.
Chapter 21: John Carter, meets a friend and learns to fly.
You can find all the previous chapters of the book here.
You’ll find regular podcasts of all the chapters over the next couple of months. Subscribe to our feed.
Duration: 00:19:54
Read by Alessandro Cima
All audio stories are Copyright © Candlelight Stories, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Yellow Plastic Raygun Wins Best Experimental Film Award at Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles
Well I’m just very pleased about this. The Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles has given my film, Yellow Plastic Raygun, the award for Best Experimental Film. I was having quite a nice week attending various parties and screenings at the festival. Its use of multiple locations in the heart of downtown Los Angeles gives one a real sense of taking part in the life of the city and being involved with something that’s helping to foster the exploding art and film scene in downtown. Most of the short films were screened in the new Civic Center Theater at the intersection of First and Main Streets, in the shadow of the famous City Hall tower that has appeared in so many crime shows and film noir classics. I attended the screening of my own film this past Saturday evening and was amazed at seeing it large since I had put so much work into it on small monitors. What’s great about the Downtown Film Festival is that it shows a wide range of filmmaking styles, crew sizes and budgets. They show films made with lots of production resources right alongside films made by individual artists working with inexpensive HD cameras and even cell phone cameras. I am very proud to have won this and I look forward to more great festivals in downtown Los Angeles from the people who put this together.
Film: Spaceman
Jono Schaferkotter wrote and directed this short sci-fi film that places a spaceship crew in love and peril during a mission to find more resources for Earth. But the spaceship is an apartment. It’s a clever mix of perspectives and imaginary circumstances that play out over the course of a short romance. The film was made with no budget but it features some lovely special effects and a very convincing space walk.
Yellow Plastic Raygun Selected for Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles
The Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles has made my latest short film, Yellow Plastic Raygun, part of their official selection! So if you are in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 11, 2010 and you want to see an evening of short films, come by the Civic Center Theater at First and Main Street right across from the City Hall building. The shorts program starts at 10:00 pm. Here’s a link to the festival schedule.
I am very happy about this. I like the idea of a film festival right here at home where I can go and hang around with some other insane filmmakers. It should be an interesting Saturday night.
Podcast Novel: A Princess of Mars (Chapter 20)
This is the first John Carter of Mars novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books. It was his first novel, published in 1917 and it’s a work of rip-roaring science fiction that has inspired many of the great writers in the genre.
Chapter 20: John Carter, on the edge of starvation finds himself as an unwanted guest in a vast atmosphere generator.
You can find all the previous chapters of the book here.
You’ll find regular podcasts of all the chapters over the next couple of months. Subscribe to our feed.
Duration: 00:19:17
Read by Alessandro Cima
All audio stories are Copyright © Candlelight Stories, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Film: Electro-Magnetic Flight And You!
A fantastic low-budget retro science fiction military training film for our brave UFO-fighting squads! Electro-Magnetic Flight And You! was made by Angus Lyne in 2006.