From Alien to the Matrix

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by Roz Kaveney

I. B. Tauris

Due/Published May 2005, 256 pages, paper

ISBN 1850438064

Roz Kaveney, an expert in science fiction literature and film, has written an entertaining and enlightening new read on the genre. She explores the history of science fiction film and literature, the recurring themes and characters across the genre, development of special effects technology and the advent of CGI, the business and culture of movie franchises, and the legitimization of "geek culture" through the blockbuster successes of sci-fi movies. Films discussed include Dark City, Strange Days, the Star Wars series, the Terminator films, the Alien quartet, and Galaxy Quest.

Contents

Waking into Dream--Competence Cascades, Thick Texts and the Universalization of Greek Culture
Director as parodist--Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers
Comedy 1--Galaxy Quest * The decline and fall of the alien invasion
Comedy 2--Small Soldiers and the joke of the robot
Who are you? Cognitive Dissonance and Lots of Really Big Guns
The mirrored gaze--Strange Days
Creation as product--the paradox of franchises
A franchise case study: Alien, Aliens, Alien3 and Alien Resurrection
Index