Alternate Americas: Science Fiction Film and American Culture

M. Keith Booker has selected fifteen of the most successful and innovative science fiction films of all time, and examined each of them at length-from cultural, technical and cinematic perspectives-to see where they came from and what they meant for the future of cinema and for America at large. From Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Star Wars, from Blade Runner to The Matrix, these landmark films have expressed our fears and dreams, our abilities and our deficiencies. In this deep-seeking investigation, we can all find something of ourselves that we recognize, as well as something that we've never recognized before.

Contents

Introduction
1 F The Day the Earth Stood Still
2 F Forbidden Planet
3 F Invasion of the Body Snatchers
4 F 2001: A Space Odyssey
5 F Planet of the Apes
6 F Star Wars
7 F Close Encounters of the Third Kind
8 F Alien
9 F E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
10 F Blade Runner
11 F The Terminator
12 F Robocop
13 F The Abyss
14 F Independence Day
15 F The Matrix
Conclusion: Science Fiction Film and American Culture

Index

About the Author