O Guia Geek de Cinema: A História por Trás de 30 Filmes de Ficção Científica que Revolucionaram o Gênero

by Ryan Lambie

Que importância têm os filmes de Ficção Científica para a história do cinema? Como se deu a evolução dos filmes de FC nos últimos anos? E como eles se tornaram uma das maiores e mais bem-sucedidas formas de entretenimento?
Para responder a essas perguntas, Ryan Lambie faz uma seleção de filmes fundamentais, por meio de uma linha do tempo, para apresentar as obras mais influentes do gênero, mostrando a trajetória e o desenvolvimento da FC no cinema. De Georges Méliès até os grandes sucessos de bilheteria no século XXI, o autor nos conta como esses filmes essenciais refletiram o espírito da época em que foram lançados e influenciaram outros cineastas nos anos que se seguiram.
A edição conta ainda com textos de Alfredo Suppia, Roberto Causo e Claudia Fusco, especialistas em FC e anexo com mais de 30 listas dos filmes separados por subgênero, eixos temáticos e década a década.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In

363 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2019

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

My exposure to the Sci-Fi genre came really late, in fact it was, of all films, Planet of the Apes and I thought it was amazing. Needless to say that I caught up quickly.

Really the book’s title is self explanatory. Den of Geek’s Ryan Lambie presents the history of Sci-Fi cinema through 30 classic films of the genre. Each chapter contains a summary of the film and then some other movies that are similar in plot and a brief explanation of the particular subsection of Sci-fi.

Due to the structure of the chapters, this is a book one dips into rather than read cover to cover, however if you do so Lambie likes to emphasize that with each film has some sort of technological advance – Voyage to the Moon used a special camera, The Abyss used the nascent Photoshop, Jurassic Park use of CGI was groundbreaking etc.

The Geek’s Guide to SF Cinema is a fun read and along with the main 30 films featured there’s probably a 100 other titles mentioned so I guess your ‘to watch’ list will increase a bit.

[Renato Doho · Rating 4 out of 5]

O mais legal desse livro e que me chamou a atenção e o interesse em lê-lo é ter esse aspecto de guia para filmes de ficção científica sem ser somente uma grande lista com vários títulos sendo citados. A ideia era mesclar isso com uma pequena história introdutória e ir pontuando com os filmes de cada tema e época. Os 30 filmes escolhidos, por exemplo, são os mais conhecidos (vi quase todos, os que não vi foi apenas por falha minha e não por desconhecimento). Mesmo conhecidos vale não ver o índice e ir descobrindo a cada capítulo qual o filme e tema que será abordado.

Em cada capítulo há uma listinha dos principais filmes abordados para que sirva mesmo de guia para quem não viu algum deles.

Não tenho o costume de ler este tipos de livros e ir aprofundando vendo os filmes citados (descobrindo ou revendo), o que pode ser um erro, mas é como funciono. Provavelmente só agora é que verei alguns dos vários que fiquei interessado.

Pela proposta o livro cumpre muito bem seu papel. É uma ótima introdução ao tema para quem quer conhecer o gênero sem grandes análises que podem ser descobertas em outras obras. Não é um texto que fique apenas no histórico do gênero, mas tem o estilo de reportagem que pode abordar bastidores das produções, curiosidades e algum contexto social / cultural. É uma leitura prazerosa que faz com que queiramos conhecer os filmes não vistos e rever outros.

A edição nacional é ainda melhor por ter dois textos iniciais de Claudia Fusco (mestre em estudos de ficção científica) e Roberto Causo (autor do estudo Ficção Científica, Fantasia e Horror no Brasil). E no final 30 listas de filmes feitas pelo editor classificadas em vários subgêneros e temáticas, além de um pequeno texto de Alfredo Suppia sobre 16 filmes brasileiros de ficção científica.

[Richard Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

In any list there are entries you think do not deserve to be there and ones you think should be but, overall, Ryan Lambie does an admirable job of surveying the history of SF in cinema by highlighting 30 films. Each film is not over-analysed but its themes are explored and contrasted with others in the genre. I have seen all on the 'Top 30' list but will definitely seek out some titles that at are mentioned in passing.

[Tom Kubina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book tells trivia about 30 sci-fi movies and puts it into the context (mostly technological). It mostly slides over the surface and doesn't go deeper. Sometimes it just jumps from one movie to another. Each movie chapter is followed by sub-chapter about related topic (Matrix and Virtual reality, Avatar and Motion capture etc.) that are even more general than main chapters. I would recommend this book to sci-fi fans and to people who are interested about trivia.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these essays. The writing style flowed smoothly, informing me about specific films without boring me with excruciating philosophical details. The end of each chapter included a list of films similar to the film highlighted in that chapter. Before I read this book, I wouldn't say I was into SF films, yet, I now have a much keener interest in watching them, especially those included in the aforementioned lists.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read and overview of Sci-fi films. I've seen most of them, yet I appreciate the historical background and details that I didn't know went into making the films. The only downside is that with a lot of references to other films, a master list at the end would have been appreciated. I know there were lists at the end of each chapter, but a full list would have been nice as well.

[m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The films themselves aren't dealt with in great depth, the book is interested more in the developments of cinema where it deals with science fiction, mainly technical though some philosophical points.

Would like to see a similar book dealing with the horror genre.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.
I’m ordering myself a copy right now.

[Kira Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like sci-fi movies, read this book!! Well written, easy to follow, and there is a list of movies talked about at the end of each chapter.

[Olivia Thames · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the joys of post-graduation life is the gradual return to what one loves, and had to put on some level of hiatus in order to make it to commencement. For me, that is my passion for reading, writing, and screening films in the name of film history and scholarship, critique and review. After reading Ryan Lambie's "The Geek's Guide to SF Cinema: 30 Key Films that Revolutionised the Genre", I feel as though those initial baby steps back into my passion have been worth it.

Personally, my favorite chapters were the ones related to "A Trip to the Moon" (1902), "Metropolis" (1927), "Godzilla" (1954), "Planet of the Apes" (1968), "Blade Runner" (1982), "Brazil" (1985), "Akira" (1988), "District 9" (2009), and "Inception" (2010). It was not because these nine films were my favorite of all time (although "A Trip to the Moon" remains a personal all-time favorite), but because of how Lambie reflects on each film's primary and secondary layer of meaning. The films that support or counter his thoughts to each of these films also broadened my knowledge, and curiosity, of the nine sub-genres represented here.

As someone who approaches remakes with hesitancy, I found Lambie's observation and argument of the successes and failures of several remake attempts to be well thought out and well composed. Just because something can feel 'tried and true' does not mean we crave it daily, so Lambie's push for studios big and small to give remakes a second thought before the green light was much appreciated.

Like many readers, I am grateful for the list of films mentioned at the end of each chapter, and hopefully will come across a similar list of the literary work referenced in each chapter someday soon. As someone who loves to "read it before I see it", that would be most helpful in continuing my love for both the cinematic arts, and the books that inspired them.

I look forward to the next anthology of essays related to the history of cinema, as well as any book on or related to the subject of film history, criticism, and theory I can find. I would also love to make this next adventure communal, so if you have any recommendations please feel free to share them!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lambie (deputy editor, denofgeek.com) highlights 30 pivotal films in this history of sf cinema spanning 1902–2010. The author devotes a chapter to each film, discussing its plot, production, and legacy. Although he relies on more recent research, he largely works within the established sf canon, and he's not saying anything new about, for instance, Forbidden Planet in only four pages. Where Lambie succeeds is in contextualizing a movie, demonstrating its importance by showing how it drew from previous works and inspired later ones. He is careful to point out this is a compilation of influential films, not a "best of" list—Close Encounters of the Third Kind, for example, is only mentioned. Lambie draws parallels between Frankenstein (1931) and RoboCop and illustrates how Godzilla (1954) launched a genre. He also displays a deep knowledge of his field, citing Soviet-era films, obscure silent titles, and plenty of direct-to-video efforts. The writing is playful and insightful, and each chapter ends with a list of view-a-likes, which is sure to please genre buffs.

VERDICT A fascinating, focused book for sf followers.

Library Journal. Apr2019, Vol. 144 Issue 3, p88-91