Download or read book The Science of Sci Fi Music written by Andrew May and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-06-30 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 20th century saw radical changes in the way serious music is composed and produced, including the advent of electronic instruments and novel compositional methods such as serialism and stochastic music. Unlike previous artistic revolutions, this one took its cues from the world of science. Creating electronic sounds, in the early days, required a well-equipped laboratory and an understanding of acoustic theory. Composition became increasingly “algorithmic”, with many composers embracing the mathematics of set theory. The result was some of the most intellectually challenging music ever written – yet also some of the best known, thanks to its rapid assimilation into sci-fi movies and TV shows, from the electronic scores of Forbidden Planet and Dr Who to the other-worldly sounds of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This book takes a close look at the science behind "science fiction" music, as well as exploring the way sci-fi imagery found its way into the work of musicians like Sun Ra and David Bowie, and how music influenced the science fiction writings of Philip K. Dick and others.
Download or read book Music in Science Fiction Television written by Kevin J. Donnelly and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The music for science fiction television programs, like music for science fiction films, is often highly distinctive, introducing cutting-edge electronic music and soundscapes. There is a highly particular role for sound and music in science fiction, because it regularly has to expand the vistas and imagination of the shows and plays a crucial role in setting up the time and place. Notable for its adoption of electronic instruments and integration of music and effects, science fiction programs explore sonic capabilities offered through the evolution of sound technology and design, which has allowed for the precise control and creation of unique and otherworldly sounds. This collection of essays analyzes the style and context of music and sound design in Science Fiction television. It provides a wide range of in-depth analyses of seminal live-action series such as Doctor Who, The Twilight Zone, and Lost, as well as animated series, such as The Jetsons. With thirteen essays from prominent contributors in the field of music and screen media, this anthology will appeal to students of Music and Media, as well as fans of science fiction television.
Download or read book Strange Stars written by Jason Heller and published by Melville House. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Hugo Award-winning author and music journalist explores the weird and wild story of when rock ’n’ roll met the sci-fi world of the 1970s As the 1960s drew to a close, and mankind trained its telescopes on other worlds, old conventions gave way to a new kind of hedonistic freedom that celebrated sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Derided as nerdy or dismissed as fluff, science fiction rarely gets credit for its catalyzing effect on this revolution. In Strange Stars, Jason Heller recasts sci-fi and pop music as parallel cultural forces that depended on one another to expand the horizons of books, music, and out-of-this-world imagery. In doing so, he presents a whole generation of revered musicians as the sci-fi-obsessed conjurers they really were: from Sun Ra lecturing on the black man in the cosmos, to Pink Floyd jamming live over the broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing; from a wave of Star Wars disco chart toppers and synthesiser-wielding post-punks, to Jimi Hendrix distilling the “purplish haze” he discovered in a pulp novel into psychedelic song. Of course, the whole scene was led by David Bowie, who hid in the balcony of a movie theater to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey, and came out a changed man… If today’s culture of Comic Con fanatics, superhero blockbusters, and classic sci-fi reboots has us thinking that the nerds have won at last, Strange Stars brings to life an era of unparalleled and unearthly creativity—in magazines, novels, films, records, and concerts—to point out that the nerds have been winning all along.
Download or read book Sounds of the Future written by Mathew J. Bartkowiak and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2010-03-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covering titles ranging from Rocketship X-M (1950) to Wall-E (2008), these insightful essays measure the relationship between music and science fiction film from a variety of academic perspectives. Thematic sections survey specific compositions utilized in science fiction movies; Broadway's relationship with the genre; science fiction elements in popular songs; the conveyance of subjectivity and identity through music; and such individual composers as Richard Strauss (2001: A Space Odyssey) and Bernard Herrmann (The Day the Earth Stood Still).
Download or read book The Science of Sci Fi Cinema written by Vincent Piturro and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2021-08-09 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science fiction films present hypothetical futures, featuring imagined technological advancements--not yet realized but perhaps (more or less) plausible. Yet how much of what audiences see is within the bounds of possibility? Can we really envision what a black hole looks like? Can dinosaurs really be genetically re-engineered? Originating from an annual Science Fiction Film Series in Denver, Colorado, this volume of essays examines 10 films, with a focus on discerning the possible, the unlikely, and the purely science fictional. With essays by scientists in relevant fields, chapters provide analyses of the movies themselves, along with examination of the actual science (or lack thereof) in each film.
Download or read book Year Zero written by Robert Reid and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the hilarious tradition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Reid goes on a headlong journey through the outer reaches of the universe--and the inner workings of our absurdly dysfunctional music industry.
Download or read book Off the Planet written by Philip Hayward and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2004-05-18 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the use of sound and music in Science Fiction films.
Download or read book The Science in Science Fiction written by Peter Nicholls and published by Crescent. This book was released on 1987 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Songs of Distant Earth written by Arthur C. Clarke and published by Rosetta Books. This book was released on 2012-11-30 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Earth refugees threaten a peaceful space settlement in this influential novel from the Golden Age science fiction author of 2001: A Space Odyssey. More than two thousand years in the future, a small human colony thrives on the ocean paradise of Thalassa—sent there centuries ago to continue the human race before Earth’s destruction. Thalassa’s resources are vast—and the human colony has lived a bucolic life there. But their existence is threatened when the spaceship Magellan arrives on their world—carrying one million refugees from Earth, fleeing the dying planet. Reputed to be Arthur C. Clarke’s favorite novel, The Songs of Distant Earth addresses several fascinating scientific questions unresolved in their time—including the question of why so few neutrinos from the sun have been measured on Earth. In addition, Clarke presents an inventive depiction of the use of vacuum energy to power spacecraft—and the technical logistics of space travel near the speed of light. “Clarke’s simple, musical style never falters in this sobering yet far from bleak commentary on humanity’s longing for the stars. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal
Download or read book The Science of Science Fiction written by Matthew Brenden Wood and published by Nomad Press. This book was released on 2017-02-20 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early science fiction imagined a world with space travel, video calls, and worldwide access to information, things we now know as NASA’s human spaceflight program, Skype, and the Internet. What next? Could we really bring back the dinosaurs, travel to a distant star, or live on Mars? In The Science of Science Fiction, readers ages 12 to 15 explore the science behind classic and modern science fiction stories, including artificial intelligence, androids, and the search for alien life. They learn how cutting edge concepts, including time dilation and genetic manipulation, influence today’s fiction. The Science of Science Fiction promotes critical thinking skills through inquiry, discovery, research, analysis, and reflection of key scientific ideas and concepts made popular by many titles in science fiction. Each chapter features informative sidebars and video and website links for an in-depth look at key topics. Science-minded experiments include a simple demonstration of artificial gravity using a bucket of water and calculating the speed of light using chocolate in a microwave. This variety of resources ensures the material is accessible to students with diverse learning styles.
Download or read book Sound Design and Science Fiction written by William Whittington and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2009-01-27 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sound is half the picture, and since the 1960s, film sound not only has rivaled the innovative imagery of contemporary Hollywood cinema, but in some ways has surpassed it in status and privilege because of the emergence of sound design. This in-depth study by William Whittington considers the evolution of sound design not only through cultural and technological developments during the last four decades, but also through the attitudes and expectations of filmgoers. Fans of recent blockbuster films, in particular science fiction films, have come to expect a more advanced and refined degree of film sound use, which has changed the way they experience and understand spectacle and storytelling in contemporary cinema. The book covers recent science fiction cinema in rich and compelling detail, providing a new sounding of familiar films, while offering insights into the constructed nature of cinematic sound design. This is accomplished by examining the formal elements and historical context of sound production in movies to better appreciate how a film sound track is conceived and presented.Whittington focuses on seminal science fiction films that have made specific advances in film sound, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, THX 1138, Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner (original version and director's cut), Terminator 2: Judgment Day and The Matrix trilogy and games—milestones of the entertainment industry's technological and aesthetic advancements with sound. Setting itself apart from other works, the book illustrates through accessible detail and compelling examples how swiftly such advancements in film sound aesthetics and technology have influenced recent science fiction cinema, and examines how these changes correlate to the history, theory, and practice of contemporary Hollywood filmmaking.
Download or read book Science Fiction Disruption and Tourism written by Ian Yeoman and published by Channel View Publications. This book was released on 2021-12-20 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines science fiction’s theoretical and ontological backgrounds and how science fiction applies to the future of tourism. It recreates and invents the future of tourism in a creative and disruptive manner, reconceptualising tourism through alternative and quantum leap thinking that go beyond the normative or accepted view of tourism. The chapters, focusing on areas such as disruption, sustainability and technology, draw readers into the unknown future of tourism – a future that may be disruptive, dystopian or utopian. The book brings a new theoretical paradigm to the study of tourism in a post COVID-19 world and can be used to explore, frame and even form the future of tourism. It will capture the imagination and inspire readers to address tourism’s challenges of tomorrow.
Download or read book Liquid Metal written by Sean Redmond and published by Wallflower Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This reader brings together a great number of what are regarded to be the 'seminal' essays that have opened up the study of science fiction to serious critical interrogation. It includes key essays by writers such as J.P. Telotte, Susan Sontag and Peter Biskind.
Download or read book Space Opera written by Catherynne M. Valente and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-04-10 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2019 HUGO AWARD FINALIST, BEST NOVEL The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets the joy and glamour of Eurovision in bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente's science fiction spectacle, where sentient races compete for glory in a galactic musical contest…and the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth. A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented—something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding. Once every cycle, the great galactic civilizations gather for the Metagalactic Grand Prix—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Species far and wide compete in feats of song, dance and/or whatever facsimile of these can be performed by various creatures who may or may not possess, in the traditional sense, feet, mouths, larynxes, or faces. And if a new species should wish to be counted among the high and the mighty, if a new planet has produced some savage group of animals, machines, or algae that claim to be, against all odds, sentient? Well, then they will have to compete. And if they fail? Sudden extermination for their entire species. This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny—they must sing. Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes have been chosen to represent their planet on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.
Download or read book The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume Two A written by Robert Silverberg and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2004-12 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The mysteries and marvels of the science fiction world are brought to life in this compilation of stories representing the work of major authors in this field.
Download or read book Planet Wax written by Aaron Lupton and published by . This book was released on 2020-09-29 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you crank up your stereo and conduct air symphonies to John Williams' Star Wars? Know all of the lyrics to "The NeverEnding Story" or "Xanadu?" Have a burgeoning collection of space disco albums? Well, pluck those Ceti Alpha eels out of your ears and open this book - we've got you covered. From the orchestral bombast of Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek: The Motion Picture score, to the muscle-flexing might of Basil Poledouris' Conan the Barbarian, to the dreamy electronic soundscapes of Vangelis' Blade Runner and the pop styling of the Flash Gordon soundtrack, science fiction and fantasy films have inspired some of the most beloved and memorable soundtracks in film history. Planet Wax covers the best, as well as the most unique and underrated scores the sci-fi and fantasy genres have to offer, while showcasing their original vinyl LP artwork over 240 pages. Franchises like Mad Max, The Terminator, and even the Indiana Jones films are spotlighted, along with television classics such as Doctor Who and Star Trek, making Planet Wax the definitive discography of soundtracks from the films and shows of the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s that shaped multiple generations. Featuring over twenty interviews, including composers Stu Phillips (Battlestar Galactica), Laurence Rosenthal (Clash of the Titans), and directors Richard Donner (Superman) and Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II), Planet Wax chronicles an era in film and music when the sounds were given as much prominence as the interstellar imagery. Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas, co-authors of Blood on Black Wax: Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl, will take you on the ultimate trip to the far reaches of both the cosmos and their record collections.
Download or read book Fake Physics Spoofs Hoaxes and Fictitious Science written by Andrew May and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-12 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: People are used to seeing “fake physics” in science fiction – concepts like faster-than-light travel, antigravity and time travel to name a few. The fiction label ought to be a giveaway, but some SF writers – especially those with a background in professional science – are so adept at “technobabble” that it can be difficult to work out what is fake and what is real. To confuse matters further, Isaac Asimov’s 1948 piece about the fictitious time-travelling substance thiotimoline was written, not as a short story, but in the form of a spoof research paper. The boundaries between fact and fiction can also be blurred by physicists themselves - sometimes unintentionally, sometimes with tongue-in-cheek, sometimes to satirize perceived weaknesses in research practices. Examples range from hoaxes aimed at exposing poor editorial standards in academic publications, through “thought experiments” that sound like the plot of a sci-fi movie to April Fools’ jokes. Even the latter may carry a serious message, whether about the sociology of science or poking fun at legitimate but far-out scientific hypotheses. This entertaining book is a joyous romp exploring the whole spectrum of fake physics – from science to fiction and back again.
