Description
James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction 3 DVD Set (Full Mini Series – Episodes 1 to 6) COMMERCIAL FREE
Award-winning writer, director and producer James Cameron explores science fiction’s roots. An exploration into the science fiction genre, with some of the greatest pioneers of the genre.
The Story Of Science Fiction gathers creators, critics, actors, authors, and directors from every corner of the genre, along with scientific consultants, to weigh in on its most prominent aspects and themes. Each episode has the same structure, combining dozens of interviews with snippets from the movies and TV shows discussed under the banners of alien invasions, monsters, artificial intelligence, and dark futures. Stars like Keanu Reeves, Sigourney Weaver, Will Smith (who says he’s been “chasing Star Wars” for his entire career), and Zoe Saldana—the latter of whom’s quickly become a sci-fi mainstay, with roles in three franchises including Avatar—are all featured in multiple episodes. The focus is less on chronology than pertinence—at times, it borders on free association. Cameron and Spielberg will start off talking about Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, which gives way to Arrival screenwriter Eric Heisserer explaining how he adapted Ted Chiang’s “Story Of Your Life,” which then leads to an ersatz panel on the goals of science fiction, complete with archival footage of Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein.
The end result of all this research and collaboration is accessible and surprisingly cohesive, full of touchstones that sci-fi newcomers will easily recognize, e.g. The Matrix, Guardians Of The Galaxy, etc. There isn’t a ton of new info here for well-versed fans, outside of watching some of the genre’s preeminent filmmakers praise each other and reveal the movies they considered directing that ultimately went to one of their peers—Cameron tells Spielberg he originally wanted to make a scarier Jurassic Park, for instance. But the host and co-executive producer has stated that The Story Of Science Fiction was made for the neophyte, and not those who have gathered in chatrooms to compare Star Trek to Battlestar Galactica, or analyze the latest episode of Westworld.
But one important aspect of The Story Of Science Fiction that’s mostly missing from these six episodes is any real consideration of the future of the genre. Cameron has acknowledged in interviews promoting his docuseries that the genre remains “stale, male, and pale,” which is why the show includes multiple interviews with award-winning fantasy and sci-fi author Dr. Nnedi Okorafor, and acclaimed speculative-fiction authors Nalo Hopkinson and N.K. Jemisin. But they’re not on the show to discuss their own oeuvres so much as to weigh in on the work of their predecessors. Cameron recently expressed concern that real-world advances are inhibiting innovation in the genre, that “the people emerging are just the best stylists. Because there’s not that much that you can say that’s profound now that hasn’t already been said.” He said right now “the question is how do you package it, how do you make great characters, how do you tell good stories.” That’s a surprising lack of forward-thinking from the man who’s envisioned technological advances going very wrong, who’s also looked out at the current landscape and deemed it still too cluttered with white, male creators. But then, this is Cameron’s Story Of Science Fiction, so maybe it’s just his way of making room for others to add new chapters.
Acclaimed filmmaker James Cameron joins Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Guillermo del Toro and many more in this documentary series to explore the “Big Questions” of science fiction. Stars: James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg (entire interviewed cast listed at the bottom of this description)
Disc 1 of 3
EPISODE 1 “Aliens” Air Date: 04/30/18
From its earliest days, science fiction has asked whether or not we’re alone in the universe. What can aliens teach us about ourselves?
EPISODE 2 “Space” Air Date: 05/07/18
What does science fiction imagine about what waits for us in outer space – and how will those discoveries change who we are? George Lucas, Zoe Saldana, Jeff Goldblum and others share their thoughts and theories.
Disc 2 of 3
EPISODE 3 “Monsters” Air Date: 05/14/18
From Frankenstein to Stranger Things, what terrifies us about monsters in science fiction? Guillermo del Toro, Ridley Scott, Milla Jovovich and others explore why we like being scared so much.
EPISODE 4 “Dark Futures” Air Date: 05/21/18
Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Robert Kirkman and others explore what happens… when the world goes to hell? How does science fiction imagine the end will come about? And could I survive?
Disc 3 of 3
EPISODE 5 “Intelligent Machines” Air Date: 05/28/18
Technology is at the heart of science fiction. Steven Spielberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Lucas and others attempt to answer the question: Will the smart machines that science fiction predicted save humankind or lead to our demise?
EPISODE 6 “Time Travel” Air Date: 5/28/18
Christopher Nolan, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Lloyd and others take a look at how, in science fiction, time travel offers the chance to correct history’s mistakes… while creating entirely new ones.
Total Running Time 4 Hours 30 Minutes Approximately
Line-Up of original interviews that are exclusive to this series
James Cameron Host 6 episodes, 2018
Ridley Scott 5 episodes, 2018
Steven Spielberg 5 episodes, 2018
Peter Capaldi 4 episodes, 2018
Amy Nicholson 4 episodes, 2018
Matt Singer 4 episodes, 2018
Gary K. Wolfe 4 episodes, 2018
Lisa Yaszek 4 episodes, 2018
David Gerrold 3 episodes, 2018
Jonathan Lethem 3 episodes, 2018
George Lucas 3 episodes, 2018
Annalee Newitz 3 episodes, 2018
Adam Rutherford 3 episodes, 2018
Max Brooks 2 episodes, 2018
Blair Davis 2 episodes, 2018
Guillermo del Toro 2 episodes, 2018
Keir Dullea 2 episodes, 2018
Gareth Edwards 2 episodes, 2018
Jane Espenson 2 episodes, 2018
James Gleick 2 episodes, 2018
Whoopi Goldberg 2 episodes, 2018
Jeff Goldblum 2 episodes, 2018
Akiva Goldsman 2 episodes, 2018
Joseph Gordon-Levitt 2 episodes, 2018
N.K. Jemisin 2 episodes, 2018
Elliott Kalan 2 episodes, 2018
John Lithgow 2 episodes, 2018
Ronald D. Moore 2 episodes, 2018
Edward Neumeier 2 episodes, 2018
Christopher Nolan 2 episodes, 2018
Jonathan Nolan 2 episodes, 2018
Sidney Perkowitz 2 episodes, 2018
Keanu Reeves 2 episodes, 2018
Arnold Schwarzenegger 2 episodes, 2018
Paul Verhoeven Himself2 episodes, 2018
Andy Weir 2 episodes, 2018
Bob Balaban 1 episode, 2018
Luc Besson 1 episode, 2018
Michael Biehn 1 episode, 2018
Madeline Brewer 1 episode, 2018
Shane Carruth 1 episode, 2018
Cady Coleman 1 episode, 2018
Mark Dawidziak 1 episode, 2018
Samuel R. Delany 1 episode, 2018
John Dykstra 1 episode, 2018
Hampton Fancher 1 episode, 2018
D.C. Fontana 1 episode, 2018
Paul R. Frommer 1 episode, 2018
Bob Gale 1 episode, 2018
Sylvester James Gates Jr. 1 episode, 2018
Sheyna Gifford 1 episode, 2018
Alec Gillis 1 episode, 2018
Kevin R. Grazier 1 episode, 2018
James Gunn 1 episode, 2018
Nalo Hopkinson 1 episode, 2018
Josh Hutcherson 1 episode, 2018
Milla Jovovich 1 episode, 2018
Lisa Joy 1 episode, 2018
Robert Kirkman 1 episode, 2018
Francis Lawrence 1 episode, 2018
Sean Lennon 1 episode, 2018
Christopher Lloyd 1 episode, 2018
Brendan McCarthy 1 episode, 2018
Geoff McFetridge 1 episode, 2018
Bruce Miller 1 episode, 2018
Ron Miller 1 episode, 2018
Greg Nicotero 1 episode, 2018
Gary Ross 1 episode, 2018
Veronica Roth 1 episode, 2018
Danny Rubin 1 episode, 2018
Zoe Saldana 1 episode, 2018
Will Smith 1 episode, 2018
Ed Solomon 1 episode, 2018
Michael Spierig 1 episode, 2018
Peter Spierig 1 episode, 2018
DJ Spooky 1 episode, 2018
Terri Tatchell 1 episode, 2018
Chris Taylor 1 episode, 2018
Douglas Trumbull 1 episode, 2018
Bill Tsutsui 1 episode, 2018
Reggie Watts 1 episode, 2018
Sigourney Weaver 1 episode, 2018
Simon Wells 1 episode, 2018
Alissa Wilkinson 1 episode, 2018
Mary Elizabeth Williams 1 episode, 2018
Bruce Willis 1 episode, 2018
Alex Winter 1 episode, 2018
Grant Wythoff 1 episode, 2018
Marc Scott Zicree 1 episode, 2018
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