Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*

As usual there are spoilers ahead!   You can follow the podcast on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/everyscififilm], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@everyscififilm] and BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/everyscififilm.bsky.social]. You can support the podcast and get ad-free episodes on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/everyscififilm]. Please be aware that we touch upon sexual assault in this episode due to the content of the film. Description USA in 1959 was on the brink of a decade that would see major changes in the country in terms of race. But never without opposition. It was also the year in which Harry Belafonte, at the peak of his fame, would star in The World, the Flesh and the Devil. The film centres Belafonte’s character, Ralph Burton, as the last man on earth. A Black man at a time when the country was wrangling with desegregation. Ralph is joined by Sarah and Ben: White survivors who enter what was for a while his world. This episode focuses on race and racism and I am so lucky to have two amazing guests to help us put the plot and frustrations into context. Mark Bould is a professor of Film and Literature at the University of West England, Bristol. He has written/edited extensively about science fiction cinema.   Stéphanie Larrieux is the associate director of the Centre for the study of Race and Ethnicity at Brown University. She wrote about the World, The Flesh and the Devil as part of her PhD.   Chapters (times may vary slightly due to advertising!) 00:00 Introduction 01:07 Why is this film largely unknown? 03:10 Source material 10:05 Harry Belafonte 16:25 An empty Manhattan 18:53 The last man on earth 23:12 Double sight and racial panopticism 24:26 Cultured and capable 28:03 Sarah’s unnerving feet 31:31 The frustrations of this film 35:26 Free, white and 21: Ralph and Sarah’s relationship 39:25 The hair cutting scene 41:42 Ben comes to town: Mel Ferrer 45:31 The ending 47:09 Inger Stevens 48:29 Ben’s “idealism” 49:47 The title 50:28 Black protagonists in science fiction 53:36 Legacy   NEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be talking about On The Beach (1959) starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins. You can visit Just Watch in your region to find out where you can watch this film although it seems to be easily available to rent or buy online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

If you would like to support the podcast and get ad free versions you can subscribe for $3 or £3 a month at https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm [https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm]   You can follow the podcast on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@everyscififilm], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/everyscififilm] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/everyscififilm.bsky.social].   Although science fiction cinema did not begin in the USA it seems that by the 1950s Hollywood had tapped into the ravenous appetite the public had for the genre.   The period is now known as the Golden Age of Science Fiction with an array of films ranging in style, topic and quality. Themes of space travel, alien invasion, nuclear fears and cold war paranoia are strewn across the decade.   Meanwhile in Czechoslovakia Karel Zeman was working on making some cinematic masterpieces made for children based on the works of Jules Verne and other late 19th century authors. In 1958 he made the film Invention for Destruction based on Verne’s novel Facing the Flag. In 1961 this was dubbed in English and retitled The Fabulous World of Jules Verne and distributed by Warner Bros.   The visual style is based on late 19th century etchings and illustrations of Verne’s novels which you can take a look at on this Instagram post [https://www.instagram.com/everyscififilm/p/DI6VHzlpjR8/?hl=en&img_index=1].   The film went on not only to inspire many prominent filmmakers like Hayao Miyazaki, Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam but also a cohort of writers who cite his film as being the origin for the style of steampunk science fiction.   I spoke to two wonderful guests to understand the historical context and ongoing influence of the film.   Thomas Lamarre is a Professor of Film, Media, and East Asian Languages and Civilisations at the University of Chicago. He is also the author of the Steam Punk cinema chapter in the Oxford Handbook of New Science Fiction Cinemas.   Mary Heimann is Professor of Modern History at Cardiff University. She is also the author of the book Czechoslovakia: The State that Failed.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the show and Karel Zeman 03:51 Post War Czechoslovakia 06:52 A Christmas Dream and Hermina Týrlová 07:25 Global animation after World War 2 10:48 Journey to the Beginning of Time 12:47 Why haven’t I heard of this film*? 15:37 Science Fiction in Czechoslovakia 18:27 Steampunk! 23:08 Thomas’ experience of the film 24:58 The Czech perspective 26:12 The Czech New Wave and the Prague Spring 30:58 Milos Forman and filmmakers in exile 32:19 The messaging and nature of the film 35:56 Legacy 41:41 Recommendations for the listener 44:44 Ads and subscription details     NEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be speaking about another lesser known science fiction film: The World, the Flesh and the Devil from 1959. You can find out where the film is streaming in your region on the Just Watch website and an internet search brings a few leads for the full film online.   *Possibly because I am stupid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

You can find the podcast on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@everyscififilm], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/everyscififilm] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/everyscififilm.bsky.social].  In 1992 Ishiro Honda sat down for his final interview [https://www.tohokingdom.com/blog/ishiro-honda-his-final-interview/] with journalist David Milner. When asked about which of his own films were his favourite Honda listed Godzilla (1954), Gorath (1962) and The Mysterians from 1957.   The Mysterians is a visually beautiful film full to the brim with sci-fi tropes. A technologically advanced but desperate alien race, affected by radiation, is invading earth and wants to take our healthy women for breeding purposes. There’s also a groovy space station and the first mecha-kaiju in the form of Moguera. A film made at a time when Japan seems to be wrangling with what it means to be a post imperial, post nuclear tragedy country with a growing economy and a booming film industry.   I have two wonderful experts to help shed light on the context of this trope laden sci-fi classic.   Jay Telotte is Professor Emeritus of film and media studies at Georgia Tech. He has written/edited numerous books and articles about science fiction film including the 2023 book Selling Science Fiction Cinema.   Yuki Miyamoto is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Humanities Center at DePaul University. Her work focuses on the ethics around nuclear discourse.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Japanese Golden Age of Cinema: censorship, art vs big budget & the USA 08:47 Pacifism and militarism 14:04 Toho studios 15:36 Glorious colour, Toho-scope and cinema culture 19:57 Tradition, science and military might 27:55 Taking our women: occupation, war & marketing 36:55 Message of collaboration 39:50 The US market 44:51Battle of the Planets 45:55 Shout outs: Akira Ifukube and Eiji Tsuburaya 48:10 Legacy and Recommendations     NEXT EPISODE! In two weeks we will be speaking about a film that shocked me with its striking visual style. The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (1958), also known as Invention for Destruction or in its original Czech: Vynález zkázy. You can look to find the film on Just Watch but people in mainland and central Europe may find it easier to find with mainstream streaming services. The Criterion Channel also has the film available and there may be some Central and Eastern European services that you may be able to sign up to. I believe there may be a copy on YouTube but I am unsure of its quality or validity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

You can find the podcast on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@everyscififilm], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/everyscififilm] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/everyscififilm.bsky.social].  I Married a Monster from Outer Space was released as part of a double bill (with The Blob) in 1958. The story focuses on newlywed couple Marge and Bill Farrell but unbeknownst to his new bride and the whole town Bill has been replaced by an alien on the eve of their wedding.  Themes of marriage, resentments and gendered expectations are as rife as can be expected in the 1950s. We have two insightful experts help shine a light on these themes.  The Experts  Thomas Doherty is a professor of American Studies at Brandeis University, he is a cultural historian with a special interest in Hollywood cinema on which he has written extensively.  Sherryl Vint is Professor of Science Fiction Media Studies at the University of California, Riverside. She has written/edited many books about science fiction.  Chapters  00:00 Introduction  01:58 Science fiction golden age and the marriage melodrama  05:27 The female led sci-fi film and Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique  08:40 Patriarchal expectations of 1950s men  13:24 Changes in post war America  16:33 The Hays production code and the scandalous double bed  21:19 The Alien: looking good and learning to love  26:14 Marge’s dilemma 30:42 Romantic, sexual and gendered anxiety  39:20 Devil Girl from Mars: Aliens are coming to take our men!  41:36 Legacy  45:59 Recommendations for the listeners NEXT EPISODE!  Next episode we will be hopping slightly back in time and discussing The Mysterians from 1957. The film was made in Japan by Toho studios. It is quite difficult to buy or rent a copy but is available in some regions on FlixFling, The Criterion Channel and some other internet sites.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

As usual there are spoilers ahead!  Somewhere in the late 1950s society began to come to terms with the idea of the teenager. Teens were heading to the cinema leaving younger siblings and parents at home. The Blob (1958) isn‘t a tale of rebellion or film warning about teenage delinquency but a thoroughly enjoyable time with a catchy theme tune.  I have two wonderful guests to help us unravel this classic 1950s sci-fi.  The Experts  Roger Luckhurst is a Professor at Birkbeck, University of London. He has written/edited numerous  of articles and books on cultural history and film.  Matthew Rule Jones is a senior Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Exeter and the author of Science Fiction Cinema and 1950s Britain: Recontextualising Cultural Anxiety.  Chapters  00:00 Introduction  03:22 The origins of the film  06:05 Moral panic, the teenager and the AIP film formula 11:36 Red scare as red herring: Jello and suburbia   16:25 The intention vs the interpretation of films  17:32 The Blob   20:00 The theme song vs the earnest tone  24:15 The cinema scene and self-reflection  28:32 The double bill offering  29:56 Steve McQueen: The adult teen  39:10 What are we gonna do?  39:40 Legacy: Sequels and the education system  48:55 Recommendations for the listener The Next Episode!  The next episode we will focus on the film I Married a Monster from Outer Space. You can buy or rent the film from many outlets or check the Just Watch website to see where it may be streaming in your region   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.