Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*

The end of 2024 is nigh!You can follow the podcast on Instagram and Threads although I am also trying to join in on BlueSky a bit. (It's a bit weird though.) Welcome to an end of year special! A compilation of some interesting parts of conversations from the podcast in 2024 that were edited out. I edit the podcast down to a more digestible length but this means I often lose parts of conversations that are really fun or insightful so here is a collection of those. I also wanted to give a shout out to some amazing independent podcasters who (like myself) do not have huge teams or budgets to put together their shows. They’ve also offered me some sense of camaraderie in the crazy world of obsessing over something and then making podcasts about it. You can find The Lorehounds crew and offerings which include conversations and recaps on some of the best sci-fi shows around on their website. Em at Verbal Diorama is absolutely lovely, passionate about films (especially The Mummy) and does deep dives into many popular movies. Her research skills are fantastic and she is a fellow winner on the Ear Worthy podcast awards for 2024. Her website is here. Mark Steadman is a fantastic and knowledgeable digital producer who knows lots about the podcasting business. He will be launching Undo: How history’s outliers got stuff done in January. You can learn more about him and it here.Details of the guests and shows featured in this end of year episode: • Jess Nevins and Julian Chambliss were guests on episode 10: Pulps, Comics and the Rise of Superheroes. • Mark Bould and Peter Conolly Smith were guests on episode 8: King Kong: The Origin of a Cinematic Titan.• Sonja Fritzsche and Noah Isenberg were guest in episode 5: Metropolis: The Most Influential Sci-Fi Film Ever*.• Thomas Doherty and Xavier Aldana Reyes were guests on episode 12: Mad Scientists: Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll & Boris Karloff.• Keith Williams and Ari Brin were guests on episode 14: Robert Duncan Milne: A Lost Pioneer of Science Fiction.• Jay Telotte and Marc Longenecker were guests on episode 15: The Thing from Another World: Howard Hawks & the Cold War.•  Scott Higgins and Phil Nichols were guests on episode 18: It Came From Outer Space: Bradbury, 3D & 1950s Teens• Thomas Doherty and Mathew Rule Jones were guests on episode 21: Them! The 1954 Horror Sci-Fi that Spawned Big Bug Cinema.• Jay Telotte and Mark Bould were guests on episode 11: Flash Gordon: From Buck Rogers Rip-Off to Space Opera Legend.Chapters:00:00 Intro and indie podcast shoutouts02:06 Comics and Pulps: Who is your favourite superhero?05:46 King Kong: Hays Code, covert wars and Frank-N-Furter10:17 Metropolis: Rotwang the prototype15:35 Mad Scientists: Favourites20:55 Robert Duncan Milne: From page to screen30:35 The Thing from Another World: Themes of seeing34:15 It Came From Outer Space: 3D cinema and unions36:28 Them! Drive-ins, degenerates and dingy cinemas46:53 Flash Gordon: Casting choicesNEXT EPISODE! The next film we’ll be focusing on is the original Japanese version of Godzilla (1954). This is surprisingly difficult to get hold of although you can purchase a DVD from many outlets. In the US it is available on Apple TV and Max (previously HBO Max) as well as on Tubi. You can check the Just Watch website to see if it might be streaming in your region. I just wanted to add that the opening credits and music are just phenomenal in my opinion.

As usual there are spoilers ahead!For the full show notes without character limits you can head to the website here.Description Them! (1954) is the 6th film we are covering from the 1950s. Hollywood is beginning to realise that sci-fi is a money making genre! The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms from the year before was a big hit for Warner Brothers and Them! followed suit. Another nuclear monster but this time it’s giant ants! Them! was the very first big bug feature and is often considered the greatest of the genre. It sits firmly between the horror and sci-fi and leaves a legacy that echoes beyond just big bugs into films like Aliens and A Quiet Place. 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 including the book Teenagers and Teenpics: The Juvenilization of American Movies in the 1950s. 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 01:23 The first Big Bug film: Atomic to hydrogen bombs 03:49 The quality of Them! 05:24 Matt’s first experience of watching Them! 10:08 Boredom v terror, the silent generation and flame throwers in Japan 14:48 US vs UK interpretations in the post-war period 20:15 Scientists and heroes 25:15 The Ants! 28:38 Feminism 31:08 Sounds design and the Wilhelm Scream 33:51 The horror in Them! 39:01 The LA river 40:00 1954 Brown vs Board of Education: the seeds of change 43:10 Legacy 50:41 Recommendations NEXT EPISODE! Next episode there is an “end of year” episode which will include parts of conversations over the last nine months (since the launch) that were edited out before release. There are some bits I planned for the end of the year and others that I reluctantly took out because I like to keep my podcast episodes to 45 minutes. (And yes, I know I fail almost every single time!) CORRECTION: I stupidly say Alien at 49:50 when I obviously mean the sequel Aliens.

As usual there are spoilers ahead!For the full show notes with no character limits you can visit the website. DescriptionCreature from the Black Lagoon released in 1954 is in many ways the epitome of 1950s science fiction cinema. Jack Arnold (director), William Alland (producer) and Richard Carlson (the leading man) were all people who has become associated with the increasingly popular genre. It also has a beautiful and stylish Julie Adams as the heroine, scientists on a mission and of course the monster. But there are no themes of nuclear radiation, Russian invasion or small town shenanigans here. The film was filmed in 3D although the peak of 3D popularity had faded and most viewers saw this film in 2D. Two absolute heavyweights of sci-fi research join me to enlighten us.The Experts Jay Telotte is a Professor Emeritus of film and media studies at Georgia Tech. He has written/edited numerous books and articles about science fiction film. Mark Bould is a professor of Film and Literature at the University of West England, Bristol. He has also written/edited extensively about science fiction cinema.You can take a look at the Forbidden Planet poster mentioned amongst others that have the same trope by viewing my instagram post here. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the film and guests 02:16 Little Jay goes to the cinema 03:19 Universal monsters and comebacks 06:20 The mythical origin of the story 10:03 The monster, its maker and dangerous desires 21:37 Human invaders and Jack Arnold 23:22 Everybody loves Kay 28:59 Man, nature, science and the environment 29:12 Evolution: The Scopes Monkey Trial 33:32 1950s sci-fi: Space opera to the dangers of the depths 38:55 The Legacy: Sequels 45:00 Legacy cont: The Shape of Water 53:10 Recommendations for listenersNEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be taking a closer look at Them! (1953). You can check Just Watch to see where it can be found in your region and the film is available to buy or rent at many outlets including Apple TV.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! Earlier this year I approached a brilliant theoretical physicist about whether she would like to come on the podcast to speak about her favourite science fiction film but instead she wanted to speak to me about the science of the film Interstellar (2014). I apologise in advance for my own level of understanding of physics which is a mix of decades old lessons in school, a tiny handful of pop science books and a number of science fiction films. Interstellar was released ten years ago in November 2014. Theoretical physicist Kip Thorne was the main consultant to director Christopher Nolan on the science of the film which is packed with scientifically accurate scenarios (and a few scientifically fantastical ones too). The Guest Claudia de Rham is a theoretical physicist at Imperial College, London. Her expertise lies at the interface between Quantum Field Theory, Gravity, Gravitational Waves, Cosmology, Particle Physics, Numerical Simulations and Theoretical Mathematical Physics. She is also the author of the book The Beauty of Falling: A Life in Pursuit of Gravity. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the show and guest01:20 Claudia’s first viewing: Science, emotion and the world you leave behind. 03:25 A quick overview of the premise04:37 Wormholes: folding paper and spacetime17:17 Kip Thorne and gravitational anomalies11:14 Time dilation and black holes15:14 Time is relative, gravity is multi-dimensional and the transition to science fiction16:49 Going beyond Einstein’s theory of general relativity to the holy grail of science19:34 Differences in singularities and being pulled apart by black holes21:47 The tesseract and extra dimensions24:50 Gravity as communicator29:38 Gravity vs light33:20 Direct detection of gravitational waves, interferometers and LISA* in space35:06 Observation of the shadows of black holes36:50 Claudia’s love of gravity Next Episode:The next film we will be looking at is Creature from the Black Lagoon from 1954!You can check JustWatch for where you can find the film in your region. It is available to rent or buy in various places including Apple TV. Sequels Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us are trickier to track down though there are some online streaming services. The Shape of Water (2017) which is heavily inspired by the original film is available to rent or buy in various places and is also available for those who have a Disney+ subscription. * The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

As always there are spoilers ahead! If you want to read the full show notes you can click the episode on this page and scroll down. Description Are we sick of alien invasion films? I certainly hope not! Although this one is a little different as the aliens just want to leave. It Came from Outer Space (1953) was directed by Jack Arnold who would make a name for himself in the 1950s as a director of many sci-fi films. Although the script was written by Harry Essex the treatment for the film was by none other than the famous Ray Bradbury. The film is a mix of schlocky sci-fi and poetic soliloquies set in small town USA. To help us dig a little deeper into this film I have two fantastic guests. The Experts Scott Higgins is a Professor of Film at Wesleyan University as well as being the Curator of the Wesleyan Cinema Archives. Phil Nichols is a visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton and a researcher with a special interest in Ray Bradbury. He is Senior Consultant to the Ray Bradbury Centre at Indiana University and editor of The New Ray Bradbury Review. He is also the man behind the Bradbury 100 podcast and the Science Fiction 101 podcast.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the show and guests 01:40 The beginnings of a sci-fi film director Jack Arnold 04:30 Ray Bradbury’s influence on the film 09:40 The schlocky and elusive Aliens 15:54 Bradbury’s politics in the 1950s 18:22 Bradbury’s treatment vs Harry Essex’s screenplay 21:38 Small town USA: provincial views, scandal and something simmering beneath the surface 28:11 Teenage culture: post war boom, TV and rock n roll 33:26 Body snatching 36:00 3D cinema! 42:57 Ray Bradbury’s treatment 45:22 The legacy of the film 50:56 Recommendations NEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be taking one of my pesky detours! I speak to brainiac theoretical physicist Claudia de Rham about the science of Interstellar which is ten years old on November 6th 2024. Interstellar (2014) is available to rent or buy at an array of outlets. You can check JustWatch to check which platforms it is available in your region.

As always there are spoilers ahead!If you want to read the full show notes you can click the episode on this page and scroll down. Description: After the classic film The Day the Earth Stood Still we move forward to 1953 and yet another Alien invasion. This time the aliens are definitely not looking to be friends. The War of the Worlds was written by HG Wells and published in 1897 in Pearson’s magazine. There have been many adaptations of the text including the famous radio play from Orson Welles in 1938 and the film adaptation by Steven Spielberg in 2005. I mention the drawings of the Martian tripod machines early in the episode. You can take a look at these wonderful images on this Instagram post. To help us with their brilliant insights I have two wonderful guests. The Experts Keith Williams is a Reader in English Literature at the University of Dundee where he runs the science fiction programme. He is the author of the book H.G. Wells, Modernity and the Movies. Ian Scott is a Professor of American Film and History at The University of Manchester. He has written extensively about politics and film in Hollywood.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the show and guests 02:26 HG Wells original text and his place in science fiction history09:00 The 1938 Orson Welles CBS radio play 12:46 1953 USA: paranoia and morality 15:04 The differences from the novel: jingoism, religion and diversity21:32 California: Manifest Destiny and small town attitudes24:52 Race and racial segregation 28:55 Science, religion and salvation36:04 The spectacle of the film38:31 The 2005 Spielberg rendition43:35 The legacy of the film 47:22 Related recommendationsNEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be taking a closer look at It Came from Outer Space (1953). You can check Just Watch to see where it can be found in your region and the film is available to buy or rent at many outlets including Apple TV.

As usual there are spoilers ahead!If you want to read the full show notes you can click the episode on this page and scroll down. The Day the earth Stood Still was released in 1951 just like The Thing from Another World. And just like that film The Day the Earth Stood Still is based on a story from Astounding Science Fiction magazine. The flying saucer craze of 1947 has obviously made its impression on Hollywood and The Day the Earth Stood Still delivered a seamless sleek futuristic saucer along with an imposing shiny robot and a polite humanoid alien who comes in peace to deliver an ultimatum to a world wrangling with the atomic age. The Experts: Glyn Morgan is Curatorial Lead at the Science Museum in London and is a science fiction scholar. Peter Gottschalk is a Professor of Religion at Wesleyan University with a special interest in the South Asian region, empire and science. He also teaches a class called “Awesome Cinema”. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the show and guests 02:22 Astounding magazine, The Manhattan project and the Peace Offensive 5:55 From pulps to peace: Sci-fi amid the red scare 11:28 The Flying Saucer 14:00 A benevolent invader and the United Nations 19:39 Gort the robot - Klaatu, Barada Nikto! 25:55 The sane scientist 29:06 Christian themes 34:36 Media frenzy 38:24 The 2008 remake 42:44 Bernard Hermann’s seminal score 44:06 Legacy and recommendations NEXT EPISODE!Next episode we will be taking a closer look at The War of the Worlds (1953). You can check Just Watch to find out where it can be found in your region. It is available to buy or rent at many outlets including Apple TV. If you wanted to listen to the famous 1938 radio play from Orson Welles you can hear it here on YouTube. And if you want to hear Richard Burton’s hypnotic reverberating voice in Jeff Wayne’s Musical version of War of the Worlds you can hear that here on YouTube.

As always there are spoilers ahead! For the full show notes with no character limits you can click the episode on the website watch page here. Description:We are finally in the 1950s! The Golden Era of science fiction cinema. Although the 1950s are known for may B Movies The Thing from Another World was produced (and possibly directed) but the very famous Howard Hawks and came from RKO which was a big name studio at this time. This film capitalised on the growing appetite for science fiction in the USA which was up until this recently largely in print but also a little on television although studios were still wary of the science fiction label. Based on the John W Campbell novella Who Goes There? from 1938 there were a few significant changes made to the story. The ExpertsJay 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 Selling Science Fiction Cinema. Marc Longenecker is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Film Studies at Wesleyan University.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the show and guests02:40 The 1950s sci-fi explosion06:34 The studio aversion to science fiction and the paramount decree09:55 Howard Hawks, Howard Hughes and who really directed this film?16:20 If it walks like a Hawk: Hallmarks and the Hawksian woman21:52 The Cold War, flying saucers and “the group”34:05 Jay’s comparison to The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)36:26 The influence on John Carpenter and The Thing (1982)44:21 The legacy of the film48:56 Recommendations for listenersNEXT EPISODE!Next episode we will be taking a closer look at The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). You can check Just Watch to find out where it can be found in your region and is available to buy or rent at many outlets including Apple TV.

Unlike most episodes there are no film spoilers ahead! For full detailed show notes please click the episode on this page and scroll down. This episode we take a huge jump back to the end of the 19th century and a side step to science fiction literature rather than film. Robert Duncan Milne is a lost pioneer of science fiction literature. Milne’s work had largely vanished despite a book drawing attention to him in 1980. Born in Scotland in 1844 he died in San Francisco at the dawn of the 20th century. During his time in San Francisco he worked as a journalist as well as writing science fiction short stories. In the many stories Milne wrote he included themes of time travel, alien life, teleportation, cryogenic preservation, remote surveillance and much much more. My fantastic guests today have spent many years researching and compiling Milne’s work and trying to discover as much as possible about his life and work. The ExpertsKeith Williams is a Reader in English Literature at the University of Dundee where he runs the science fiction programme. He has a special interest in the pre 1945 period. Ari Brin completed her Masters at the University of Dundee where she began her PhD research which focuses on the life and work of Robert Duncan Milne.The book that Ari and Keith have been working on will be released in January 2025. It is available for pre-order for the ungodly price of £117 in the UK or $175 in the USA. We all hope a cheaper, consumer friendly version will be released in the future. Shownotes: 00:00 Introduction 01:59 Why was this pioneer’s work lost? 03:21 Milne’s contemporaries and the topics he wrote about 06:57 The promising young man who vanishes from Scottish society 12:32 San Francisco: an exciting literary hub in the late 19th century 14:18 Milne’s excessive drinking and the Keeley cure 19:27 Milne’s journalism and how it fed into his fiction 22:20 The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 25:51 Milne, Wells and visions of the future 33:17 The death of Milne and his work 36:32 Keith and Ari’s book and the crazy price NEXT EPISODE! WE ARE IN THE 1950s!!!!! It is an exciting but overwhelming time so please bear with me. The next film we will be speaking about The Thing From Another World (1951). You can find out where you can watch it on Just Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/ It is available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play and other outlets. If you are in the USA I believe you can watch it for free (with ads) on Tubi.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! For full detailed show notes (without character limits) you can choose the episode on the watch page here: https://www.everyscififilm.com/watch This is a special crossover episode with The Lorehounds podcast. To learn more about The Lorehounds and their extensive coverage of multiple TV series you can visit their website here. DescriptionIt has been 45 years since the first Alien (1979) film released in the cinema receiving lukewarm reviews. Perhaps the impact of a different kind of science fiction film was completely lost on film critics having to deal with the many clasher films of the 70s and a slew of Star Wars rip offs? But since then, Alien has cemented its reputation as a sci-fi film classic. Although there were many sci-fi horrors in the 1950s B-movies this film was different. There is no dashing hero, no damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, no bug eyed monster that takes away from the gritty realism of the film. This film set science fiction cinema on a different course. The ExpertsRoger Luckhurst is a Professor at Birkbeck, University of London. He specialises in literature, film, and cultural history from the 19th century to the present. He has written/edited a crazy number of articles and books including the BFI Film Classics book on Alien. Jason Eberl is a Professor for Health Care Ethics at St Louis University with a special interest in biotechnology, human enhancement and the philosophy of human nature. He has also written extensively including a range of books that examine the philosophy of various mainstream media such as Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. Co-Host David is one third of The Lorehounds and is joining as co-host for this special crossover episode. Chapters00:00 Intro to the show and Alien’s bad reviews 02:55 The Origins of Alien 06:22 Why was Alien such a success? 08:06 Alien’s departure from the slick sci-fi aesthetic 09:15 Truckers in Spaaaace! Grittiness and the late 1970s political landscape 17:13 The protagonist: breaking away from gender stereotypes 24:00 Giger’s art and the Xenomorph's life cycle 26:50 A lack of eyes, Charles Darwin and Francis Bacon 30:31 The ship and the alien 33:43 The other monsters: Ash the android and the company 39:39 The history of heads speaking the truth 41:12 The Company: The factory line, Joseph Conrad & Belgians in the Congo 46:17 Jones the cat 51:22 The Philosophy of Alien 53:38 Recommendations 58:02 OutroNEXT EPISODE!Next episode we have a discussion about a long-lost pioneer of science fiction literature from the late 19th Century. Robert Duncan Milne’s work had largely vanished despite a book drawing attention to him in 1980. Milne was born in Scotland and died in San Francisco just before the dawn of the 20th century. Much of his legacy and work is thought to be lost due to the huge earthquake in San Francisco in 1906. My two wonderful guests are working hard to have him and his work recognised.

Be warned: There are some potential spoilers ahead. Neither of us have watched Alien: Romulus yet but there is a lot of talk of the franchise and what we are expecting of the new film including a very clever theory from David which could be a spoiler. This is a bonus episode which is part of my first ever crossover podcast! Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* is joining The Lorehounds podcast as both are a little too excited about a certain franchise. Alien (1979) is 45 years old this year and Alien: Romulus is being released on the 16th of August. To celebrate we have this bonus episode is myself and David from The Lorehounds having a short chat about the trailer for the new film. The next full episode will be on Alien (1979) released on Sunday the 18th of August. The Lorehounds and myself will be having a fan discussion about Alien (1979) on their podcast and finally you can catch a discussion about the Alien: Romulus film over at The Lorehounds after its release. For more details about The Lorehounds you can visit their website here.As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the Alien franchise. You can leave me a voice message here or catch up with what I’m working on or researching on my Instagram page. Chapters 00:00 Intro to the show and the crossover project 04:06 Alien: Romulus synopsis and production details 05:57 Kids in Spaaaace! 08:02 Sound design 12:36 Infused with the original 13:05 Practical effects 16:10 Cultivating the next generation of fans 19:00 Expectations: Ayesha 20:36 Expectations: David 23:51 David’s brilliant theory (and potential spoiler!) 25:40 The Blade Runner and Alien universe 28:51 OutroNEXT EPISODE!As mentioned above the next episode will be a discussion with David from The Lorehounds and myself speaking to two wonderful guests about Alien (1979). All the Alien films are available on the Disney Plus channel but are also available to buy or rent in many places including Apple TV.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! For full detailed show notes (without character limits), including the titles of the films mentioned or shown, you can choose the episode on the watch page here: https://www.everyscififilm.com/watch Description: The idea of the ‘mad scientist’ has been with us for a very long time. In the early 1930s science fiction (and horror) films proliferated with the trope. Metropolis (1927) had already had the remarkable Rotwang who was a prototype that would go on to be referenced in Stanley Kubrick’s character Dr Strangelove (1964) with his black-gloved hand. But why has the mad scientist become a staple of cinema? And why were the 1930s and 40s a time when Dr Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and the many other crazed scientists (including several played by Boris Karloff) became so commonplace? Luckily we have two wonderful brains ripe for picking!* 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. Xavier Aldana Reyes is a Reader in English Literature and Film at Manchester Metropolitan University with a special interest in the Gothic. His books include the fiction anthology Promethean Horrors: Classic Tales of Mad Science. *Disclaimer: No human brain transplants were carried out on unwilling participants during the making of this podcast. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:05 The Great Depression and the Hays Code 06:24 How World War I changed perceptions of science 07:38 Frankenstein, Faust and forbidden knowledge 11:33 The male mad scientists and the lack of female ones16:13 Religion, magic and science20:20 Eugenics, miscegenation and The Code25:26 Anti-authoritarianism, psychoanalysis, Leopold and Loeb33:34 Einstein, real science and the beneficial scientists43:00 The legacy of the mad scientist48:12 Recommendations for the listeners and outroNEXT EPISODE!I have a lot of detours planned ahead (which you can learn about in the outro). One of the films I will definitely be covering very soon will be Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) for a crossover episode with The Lorehounds podcast. Alien can be found to buy or rent on many channels as well as hard copies. To keep up to date with what’s coming next you can join me on Instagram.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead!For full detailed shownotes (without character limits) you can choose the episode on the watch page here.If you would like to watch the Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers film serials they are available on YouTube. (Warning: the serials are repetitive and there are three Flash Gordon serials and one Buck Rogers!) The 1980 Mike Hodges Flash Gordon film is available to rent or buy at an array of outlets including Apple TV. Although it was Buck Rogers that triggered an array of copies after the comic strip was published in 1929, it is Flash Gordon  (one of those copies) that went on to have a film serial made with a lavish budget by Universal Pictures in 1936. Buck Rogers has had a significant impact in popular culture but the trajectory of Flash Gordon has eclipsed it in many ways.This week’s experts bring you all their knowledge about how this came to be.The ExpertsJay Telotte is Professor Emeritus of film and media studies at Georgia Tech. He has written/edited numerous books and articles about science fiction film.Mark Bould is a professor of Film and Literature at the University of West England, Bristol. He has also written/edited many books on science fiction cinema.Chapters00:00 Introduction to show and guests01:39 Why a Flash Gordon film serial?09:58 The full bill cinema experience in 193611:55 The origins of the misaligned Space Opera14:29 Star Wars, George Lucas and his 1930s influences16:08 Post Star Wars Space Opera19:55 Pushing beyond a space adventure to social commentary 21:48 Flash Gordon: The damsel, the hero and the good scientist27:34 Ming the Merciless: Asian stereotypes, representation and racism32:42 Aliens, post code reshoots and the sexual current37:25 The 1980 Flash Gordon: Mark gushes while Jay waits42:45 Jay’s reaction45:06 The legacy49:45 Recommendations NEXT EPISODE!The next episode will be covering an array of films about ‘Mad Scientists’ from the 1930s and early 40s. I will share some of the titles here but it will be a topical discussion. Boris Karloff who came to fame for playing the monster in Frankenstein (1931) plays the role of the mad scientist in multiple films during this period, many that stray away from the science fiction genre or have a strong crossover with horror film. Some of these are: The Man Who Changed his Mind (1936), The Invisible Ray (1936), Black Friday (1940) and The Man with Nine Lives (1940).Aside from those we also have the film Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), The Island of Lost Souls(1932) and both Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde films (1931 and 1941). Metropolis (1927) has the scientist Rotwang who is an excellent earlier example of this trope.You can check JustWatch to find where these films are available to buy, rent or stream in your region. I have found many on Apple TV and some are available on YouTube.

Whilst researching the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers film serials of the 1930s I was delighted to find far too much information about the pulp and comic book origins of these heroes. So we are taking a detour to speak with people who really have their heads wrapped around this topic.For full shownotes for this episode without character limits you can visit here.We will be talking about Flash Gordon (and a little about Buck Rogers) in the next episode. Scroll down to get more information on where to watch the 1930s film serials.The ExpertsJulian Chambliss is a scholar and a professor at Michigan State University. He is the author of multiple books including Ages of Heroes, Eras of Men: Superheroes and the American Experience.Jess Nevins is an Author and research librarian who has annotated multiple comics and written the Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, The Encyclopedia of Pulp Heroes and The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger: The 4,000-Year History of the Superhero.Chapters00:00 Intro to the show and guests02:14 The origins of pulp fiction04:14 The western frontier and the American hero06:23 Superheroes in the pulps and ancient civilization09:42 WW1 and Hugo Gernsback’s Amazing Stories11:21 Buck Rogers, race and rapid change15:13 From pulp to comic strip: Buck Rogers and Tarzan15:39 The success of Flash Gordon 16:55 Racial politics of Flash Gordon19:16 The true first superhero20:38 Phantom’s international popularity21:38 The Great Depression, superpowers and The New Deal25:35 The Jewish influence28:44 Superman as the good immigrant32:25 Women: from pulps to comics35:55 The rediscovery of black creators40:44 Moral panic, senate hearings and the Comics Code Authority48:34 The future of the heroNEXT EPISODE!Next episode we will be focusing on the Flash Gordon (and Buck Rogers) film serials of the 1930s. You can check JustWatch to see where you can access them: https://www.justwatch.com/There are also available on YouTube including some strangely colourised versions.I would also highly recommend watching the 1980 version of Flash Gordon which is ridiculously good fun in my opinion. It is available to rent or buy in various places including on Amazon and again you can check on Just Watch where it may be streaming in your region.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead!For full detailed shownotes (without character limits) you can choose the episode on the watch page here.I would love for you to join in by watching The Invisible Man here. You can follow what I'm researching and working on next on the podcast Instagram page @everyscififilm.Description:When HG Wells wrote The Invisible Man in 1897 he was in a world in which the telephone, the phonograph and even the invention of the radio brought the idea of disembodied voices to an increasing number of people. In the 1933 film director James Whale (who also directed Frankenstein) imbued the film with themes of mass communication more relevant to an age of radio broadcasts and film newsreels. Although it is a part of Universal Pictures classic monsters it often feels more like a comedy than a horror. The film was a great success with the special effects impressing moviegoers and critics. This week’s wonderful experts break down the themes and history of the film. We also have a little discussion about Things to Come (1936) which is also based on an HG Wells story and touch upon the infamous War of the Worlds radio play (1938) which (apparently) led people to think aliens were invading. The ExpertsKeith Williams is a Reader in English at the University of Dundee with a special interest in the pre 1945 period and HG Wells. He is the author of the book H.G. Wells, Modernity and the Movies.Marc Longenecker is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Film Studies at Wesleyan University and wrote an article titled A Brief History of Invisibility on Screen.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:35 Invisibility on film and by HG Wells10:28 Humour, satire and prejudice14:26 A man walks into a pub15:28 Rags to riches: Whale, Wells and Rains20:12 The invisible actor22:02 Phonographs, radio and Hitler27:18 War of the Worlds (1938 radio drama)29:58 The special effects35:37 HG Wells Vs the movies41:00 Things to Come (1936)46:42 Legacy49:08 Conclusion51:32 RecommendationsNEXT EPISODE!No film to watch for next episode as we will be discussing the development of early pulp fiction magazines and comics and their relationship to science fiction. You can start catching up with the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers film serials of the 1930s as I am working on an episode based on them.  You can check JustWatch to see where you can access them.You can also watch them on YouTube. There are also some colourised versions. There were three Flash Gordon serials and one Buck Rogers serial Flash Gordon (1936)Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938)Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)Buck Rogers (1939)CORRECTION: at 24:09 Keith Williams misspeaks and says 1933 was the year of the Nazi coup. This was the year the Nazis came to power in a landslide election. The Beer Hall Putsch was in 1923.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! For full detailed shownotes (without character limits) you can choose the episode on the watch page here. I would love for you to join in by watching the film King Kong here.Description:In early March 1933 the US welcomed Franklin D Roosevelt as their 32nd president. The longest lasting presidency in US history. That same weekend the original King Kong opened in theatres in New York. The huge ape was a big success and continues to wow audiences almost a century later. Although I have many dear friends and family members who adore this creature I have never been enraptured by him. I wanted to find two experts who really had love of this film as well as the knowledge and insight that would put the movie into context. The ExpertsMark Bould is a professor of Film and Literature at the University of West England, Bristol. He has written/edited multiple books on science fiction and the 1933 King Kong is one of his favourite films.Peter Conolly Smith is an Associate Professor of History at Queens College, CUNY. He specialises in American studies and also considers King Kong as one of his favourite films. Chapters00:00 My reading plans, a big thank you intro00:46 Introduction02:00 Why Mark loves the film03:40 Why Peter loves the film06:57 The meaning and relevance of pre-code films09:25 The great travelling filmmaking adventurers13:06 The Depression Era as King Kong19:28 Racism: inherent and the allegory27:32 The Scottsboro Boys trial30:28 Beauty and the Beast: the contamination of civilization36:08 Boyish adventure!39:04 Groundbreaking special effects41:53 The humanisation of Kong43:26 The legacy: Kong, Kaiju and Jurassic Park50:39 Conclusions51:10 Recommendations for listenersNEXT EPISODE!The next film we'll be speaking about it The Invisible Man. You can watch it here.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead! For full detailed shownotes (without character limits) you can choose this episode on the watch page here and scroll down. I would love for you to join in by watching the film Just Imagine which is available here.If you would like to share your thoughts on the film or the episode you can do that on Instagram. DescriptionHow did the US make a lighthearted, musical rom-com in answer to the grand German dystopia of Metropolis? Just Imagine was made by David Butler who was hot off the success of another musical: Sunny Side Up (1929).Just Imagine was released in November of 1930 a little over a year after the Wall Street Crash. Sound had become commonplace in movie theatres and musicals were drawing in the crowds. Just Imagine had a budget of approximately $1.1 million.The film is set in 1980. Unsurprisingly there are no synth bands or shoulder pads. There is, however, a glorious retro-futuristic glimpse into what the vision of the future looked like for the people of 1930. The film is very different to its big budget predecessors Aelita Queen of Mars and Metropolis. Just Imagine is a light-hearted, musical rom-com and offers very little anxiety about technology or the future. I had considered titling the episode 'Just Imagine Being Optimistic About the Future!'. Luckily I have procured some heavyweight experts to explain how techno-optimism was par for the course in the machine age USA.The ExpertsJay Telotte is a Professor Emeritus of film and media studies at Georgia Tech. He has written extensively about film history for decades including many books and articles on science fiction cinema. He wrote the article Just Imagine-ing the Metropolis of Modern America in 1996.Lisa Yaszek is back with us! She is Regents' Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, has written/edited multiple books on science fiction and teaches Just Imagine as part of a futurism, fashion, and science fiction design class. She was recently received the SFRA Award for Lifetime Contributions to Science Fiction Scholarship.Chapters:00:00 Intro to the show and guests01:41 The perfect storm for a musical rom-com sci-fi04:55 Musicals 08:19 Science Fiction10:26 Swedish accents, gender and the other queen of Mars15:10 Optimism, World's Fairs and technocracy19:53 The futurists and fashion24:26 Visionary tech hits and misses28:50 Good and evil of sci-fi fashion31:47 The death of the big-budget futurist film33:27 Visual legacy: Flash Gordon, Frankenstein & Buck Rodgers35:29 Sci-fi musical Vs sci-fi horror37:34 Conclusions40:07 RecommendationsNEXT EPISODE!We will  be speaking about the 1933 original King Kong! The film is available to buy or rent on many streaming channels. You can check the 'Just Watch' website to get details on where. You can also watch the film here.

We're doing things a little differently this episode. There are still spoilers ahead! Frankenstein is considered by many people to be a solid first choice for the first science fiction novel. (Before you start jumping up and down in disgust, yes, there are many stories from the 1600s and even ancient tales which are considered to be strong contenders for the first written sci-fi story. That does not take away from the influence of Mary Shelley.) In 1816 the teenager* went on holiday to Switzerland and came up with the character of Frankenstein and his monster which would then develop into a novel titled Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Over 200 years later there are still films being made based on the characters from the book. In this episode, we touch upon James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein film but look at the origins of the story, examine why its monster has such a long lasting legacy, and why these stories resonate with us still.For full detailed shownotes please click the episode at www.everyscififilm.com/watch and scroll down.The expertsRoger Luckhurst is a Professor at Birkbeck, University of London. He specialises in literature, film and cultural history from the 19th century to the present. He has written many books and numerous articles on science fiction, horror and the Gothic.Sarah Artt is a Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. She has taught courses on Frankenstein in film and literature and co-led a 3 year project titled The Age of Frankenstein which examined the origins and legacy of the story. Her book Quiet Pictures comes out in May 2024. Chapters00:00 Introduction, thank you and guests02:08 The origin of the monster04:51 Mary Godwin: not your average 19th century girl06:22 The monster is still with us10:16 Mary Shelley as the monster: my hackneyed take14:23 The ultimate goth princess15:02 Knowledge and punishment16:37 The horror film genre20:12 Frankenstein’s monster: a child of revolution!23:16 Why we love monsters29:58 James Whale and the Bride of Frankenstein31:38 Godzilla, B movies and pod people35:50 The Stepford Wives39:18 The slave becomes the master40:08 Burning cross, lynching and the mob42:59 Conclusions: class, prejudice and eugenics46:06 RecommendationsNext episodeThe next film we will be covering is Just Imagine (1930). Is is a musical, rom-com sci-fi set in 1980. You can watch it here: https://archive.org/details/JustImagine_201701*Correction: I wrongly say at 02:37 that Mary Shelley is 16 or 17 years old when they arrive at Villa Diodati but she is 18.

*Almost. As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead!You can watch Metropolis (1927) here or here: For full shownotes visit the watch page for this episode on the website: https://www.everyscififilm.com/watchDescriptionAfter losing World War I Germany entered a time of economic hardship and political turmoil. In 1918 the Monarchy abdicated. The country was financially crippled by the reparations enforced by The Treaty of Versailles and German democracy began.From 1918 until Hitler came to power in 1933 is known as the Weimar period. A time of political upheaval and artistic creativity. German Art and Cinema were thriving while the left and right were wrangling for control of the country. In 1927 Fritz Lang made what is to this day considered one of the greatest films of all time. It is based on a story by Thea Von Harbou, his wife at the time, who went on to collaborate with Nazi Party on multiple films. The ongoing influence of Metropolis on film is immense. Films like Blade Runner, Fifth Element, Frankenstein, Batman, and more recently Poor Things have all been influenced by it. And yet, the film itself was not a hit.Luckily we have two luminary experts to help us understand the film, the society it came from and the themes it portrays. The expertsSonja Fritzsche is a professor of German Studies and an author/editor for many books about science fiction. She has taught courses on science fiction, utopia and Metropolis.Noah Isenberg is a film historian and best-selling author. He is a professor at the University of Texas and editor of the book Weimar Cinema: An Essential Guide to Classic Films of the Era.Chapters00:00 Introduction, shownotes clarification and guests02:30 Weimar: economics, Hitler and creative legacy11:05 Fritz Lang15:00 Thea Von Harbou18:41 Lang’s Jewish heritage and Harbou’s Nazism21:05 The rediscovery of missing Metropolis reels22:05 Lang’s visual virtuosity26:05 Fear of the future and the three faces of Utopia27:50 The virgin, the whore and the workers unions31:41 Critical reception Vs visual spectacle35:32 Religious themes37:37 The Nazi connection45:23 Lang’s future: M, Woman in the Moon, Film Noir48:25 Is Metropolis the most influential sci-fi film of all time?50:36 Conclusions and recommendationsNEXT EPISODE!We will be looking at Frankenstein and speaking about monsters and their role in storytelling and science fiction. You can watch Frankenstein (1931) here.Or check Just Watch for where it is available.

As with all episodes of this podcast there are spoilers ahead!You can watch Aelita Queen of Mars (1924) here. For full shownotes visit the watch page for this episode on the website: https://www.everyscififilm.com/watch Lenin, the leader of the Russian revolution and the new soviet Russia declared “cinema is for us the most important of the arts”. He recognised the power of film to reach a wide range of audiences and its potential as propaganda. The country was struggling as was its film industry which was nationalised in 1919. In the first half of the 20th century Russia has been through a world war, a revolution and a civil war which ended in 1923. Some months later the words “Anta Odeli Uta” started appearing in the press and distributed leaflets. The words are from Aelita Queen of Mars which was Soviet Russia’s first big film. A film they hired acclaimed pre-revolutionary film director Yakov Protozanov to make. This film was intended to make a big impact, to be popular and be a beacon of the new emerging soviet Russia. Although the film was a commercial success, communist critics were harsh in their verdict.The film has a mishmash of themes which make for confusing viewing. Part communist propaganda (oppressed Martian workers rise up against a cruel king), part romantic drama (jealousy and obsession), part social commentary (corrupt government officials and bumbling policemen) amongst many other things.Luckily we have two heavyweight scholars to help us rein in the confusion. The expertsDenise Youngblood is Professor of History Emerita at the University of Vermont.  She is a specialist on the history of Russian and Soviet cinema from 1908 to the present. She has written extensively on the subject, including seven books and numerous articles and film reviews. Denise has a PhD from Stanford and was one of only three Americans who studied Soviet film history at VGIK (the Soviet state film institute in Moscow) during Soviet times.Rachel Morley is Associate Professor at UCL's School of Slavonic & East European Studies where she is also co-chair of Russian Cinema Research Group. She has published widely and presented papers on Russian film.Chapters00:00 Introduction to show and guests02:43 The pre-revolutionary master returns07:01 Where is the communist propaganda?13:00 Anta Odeli Uta and the critics Vs fans18:34 Is the protagonist meant to be unlikable?23:12 Women: past, present and future28:34 The working class32:17 A vision of the future: costumes and set design35:22 Russian sci-fi after Aelita: Stalin Vs Khrushchev38:38 Aelita: a warning to Soviet filmmakers40:53 Did Aelita inspire Fritz Lang’s Metropolis?43:12 Protozanov’s future44:27 Stalin’s restrictions on the film industry48:02 ConclusionNEXT EPISODE!Fritz Lang’s Metropolis is next! It is considered by many to be one of the greatest films of the silent era. You can watch it here  at the internet archive or here on YouTube. Or you can check here for UK or here for US options. DVDs of the film are also available(There are many versions of the film due to editing, lost footage and restorations. There is also a 1984 Giorgio Moroder version with an 80s soundtrack!)