HNAR-220: Monstrous Futures

In an era when we are capable of destroying all life on earth in a single day of nuclear strikes, or over several decades through the reckless destruction of our environment, no other film or TV genre addresses the subject of our future as fully as science fiction. In addition to spurring many technological innovations in moviemaking throughout its history, science fiction films traditionally have undertaken serious philosophical exploration and social, cultural, and ideological critique. They often address, implicitly or explicitly, our assumptions, our values, our aspirations, and our fears. And, because they speak directly to their times, they serve as a useful barometer for how people viewed themselves and their world at the time they were created. This course introduces the SF film genre, its methods of inquiry, its notable experiments, and through a series of interdisciplinary readings and an eclectic selection of films and television series', the stakes in our imaginative visions of our future.