Evolution of Science Fiction in Films Since the 1970s

Introduction

Science fiction covers a broad genre of hypothetical fiction which has defined many films and games, including ‘Cyberpunk 2077’, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Frankenstein’. It is generally defined by futuristic concepts such as time travel, space exploration and extraterrestrial life.

Figure 1. Famous image captured from the first science fiction film ‘Le Voyage Dans La Lune’ (Méliès, 2013).

Many films have been categorized as science fiction throughout the years, with ‘Le Voyage Dans la Lune’ (‘A Trip to the Moon’) being one of the first known science fiction films to be created. In this revolutionary film, a group of astronomers listen to their professor’s plan to fly to the Moon. Six men travel to the Moon in a large bullet-shaped vessel and encounter hostile alien life before retreating to Earth and celebrating their voyage (Le Voyage Dans la Lune, 1902).

Since 1902, many advancements have taken place within society, which has, in turn, impacted the way that science fiction is portrayed in films. Technology that was predicted in the 1970s has already been invented, counting artificial intelligence and biometric scans. As a result, modern science fiction films endeavour to predict future technology, which is often assumed to include devices resembling advanced AI and robotics (Standage, 2020). 

In this dissertation, investigations will be completed into various science fiction films from the 1970s and how their portrayal of technology compares to recent films in the 2010s. Through investigations, the goal is to research how science fiction has evolved over the past fifty years and what might have caused these changes.

Aims

1. Observe elements of science fiction from the 1970s to present-day to discover how it has evolved over the years.
2. Understand what factors have affected the change in science fiction films throughout the years.
3. Examine technological advancements in the past fifty years and how that has impacted perceptions regarding futuristic technology.

Objectives

1. Gather and analyse data on how science fiction technology has been imagined and perceived from 1970s films to present-day films.
2. Research what technology was available in the 1970s compared to the 2010s and how that influenced predictions of future technology.
3. Explore past predictions of future technology compared to current equipment and comprehend its impact on contemporary science fiction.

References

Le Voyage Dans la Lune. 1902. [Film] Directed by Georges Méliès. France: s.n.

Méliès, G., 2013. LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE (A TRIP TO THE MOON). [Online]
Available at: https://www.intofilm.org/intofilm-production/scaledcropped/970x546https%3A/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/images.cdn.filmclub.org/film__4290-le-voyage-dans-la-lune-a-trip-to-the-moon--hi_res-0d80ee00.jpg/film__4290-le-voyage-dans-la-lune-a-trip-to-the-moon--h [Accessed 10 September 2020].

Standage, T., 2020. ROBOTS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. In: The Future Of Technology. s.l.:Economist Books, p. 4.

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