Screening Space: The American Science Fiction Film

by Vivian Sobchack

Screening Space deserves the attention of everyone in our field. It is an important book, a groundbreaking book, an indispensable book for critics of SF film, SF, or contemporary mass culture.  Read it and you will never view SF film in quite the same way again.Science Fiction StudiesA brilliant book, the best book yet on the American SF film.-Fantasy Review

 A closely reasoned, finely observed, entirely admirable piece of work.  The best examination so far of the visual and aural iconography of SF film, and likely to remain the best for a long time.Journal of Film & TV

 Sobchack builds up her arguments meticulously. . . . she continually prods the reader to review his or her assumptions.ÓÑFilm Quarterly

 Her writing style is clear, witty, and concise as she shapes new definitions of the SF film. . . and ultimately rescues it from the benign neglect of film theorists and from the camp admiration of Trekkies and Trolls.ÓÑFilm Bulletin

The first serious work to study the surprisingly close connection between science fiction films and social preconceptions.ÓÑLos Angeles Times Book Review

This history of American SF movies, which includes lots of stills, covers virtually all the classic films and discusses their import intelligently. . . . All in all, a valuable and fascinating book for film buff and SF fan alike.

Genres: Film, Science Fiction, School, Media Tie In

345 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Vivian Sobchack was the first woman elected President of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, and is on the Board of Directors of the American Film Institute. Her essays have appeared in journals such as Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Film Comment, camera obscure, Film Quarterly and Representations. Her books include Screening Space: The American Science Fiction Film; The Address of the Eye: A Phenomenology of Film Experience; and Carnal Thoughts: Embodiment and Moving Image Culture, and she has edited two anthologies: Meta-Morphing: Visual Transformation and the Culture of Quick-Change; and The Persistence of History: Cinema, Television, and the Modern Event. Her research interests are eclectic: American film genres, philosophy and film theory, history and phenomenology of perception, historiography and cultural studies.

Reviews

[S.R. Toliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information is good, but the examples become tedious over time. Additionally, the last chapter completely differs in tone from the previous chapters. Of course, this is understandable because it was written well after the first edition, but it is something that readers should be prepared for.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly inspiring and beautifully written.

[Lyla]

#forclass #textbook #alien

[Jeff Eisenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read-all about Sci-Fi tropes-if you like that sort of thing.

[John Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful articles about SF that go way beyond the common movie mag stuff, more into deep ethical dilemnas in SOLARIS and such.