Download or read book Science Fiction Italian Style Italian Science Fiction Films from 1958 2000 written by Matt Blake and published by . This book was released on 2019-03-18 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italy is not a country generally known for its science fiction cinema. Over the years, however, a number of films belonging to the genre have been made and - while there might not be a single, defining science fiction 'movement' as such - they make for a curious, compellingly disparate whole. From critically acclaimed futuristic satires to cheapjack exploitation films featuring deadly extra-terrestrials; from counterculture polemics set in an imminent dystopia to post-apocalyptic action movies populated by Mohican-sporting thugs. There might be many different types of films, but they all deal with shared themes and concerns. And that's not even mentioning the giant chickens and flesh-eating fish. This is the first English language book to deal comprehensively with the subject. Covering all Italian science fiction films made between 1958 and 2000 in detail - as well as including an overview of productions made in subsequent years - it examines a range of interconnected sub-genres, looking into how recurrent narratives came about, evolved and eventually faded. So... zip up your space suit, settle back in your anti-gravity seating device... and welcome to the wild, wild world of Science Fiction, Italian Style.
Download or read book Italian Science Fiction written by Simone Brioni and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-18 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores Italian science fiction from 1861, the year of Italy’s unification, to the present day, focusing on how this genre helped shape notions of Otherness and Normalness. In particular, Italian Science Fiction draws upon critical race studies, postcolonial theory, and feminist studies to explore how migration, colonialism, multiculturalism, and racism have been represented in genre film and literature. Topics include the role of science fiction in constructing a national identity; the representation and self-representation of “alien” immigrants in Italy; the creation of internal “Others,” such as southerners and Roma; the intersections of gender and race discrimination; and Italian science fiction’s transnational dialogue with foreign science fiction. This book reveals that though it is arguably a minor genre in Italy, science fiction offers an innovative interpretive angle for rethinking Italian history and imagining future change in Italian society.
Download or read book The Twenty Days of Turin A Novel written by Giorgio De Maria and published by Liveright Publishing. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An NPR Best Book of the Year Written during the height of the 1970s Italian domestic terror, a cult novel, with distinct echoes of Lovecraft and Borges, makes its English-language debut. In the spare wing of a church-run sanatorium, some zealous youths create "the Library," a space where lonely citizens can read one another’s personal diaries and connect with like-minded souls in "dialogues across the ether." But when their scribblings devolve into the ugliest confessions of the macabre, the Library’s users learn too late that a malicious force has consumed their privacy and their sanity. As the city of Turin suffers a twenty-day "phenomenon of collective psychosis" culminating in nightly massacres that hundreds of witnesses cannot explain, the Library is shut down and erased from history. That is, until a lonely salaryman decides to investigate these mysterious events, which the citizenry of Turin fear to mention. Inevitably drawn into the city’s occult netherworld, he unearths the stuff of modern nightmares: what’s shared can never be unshared. An allegory inspired by the grisly neo-fascist campaigns of its day, The Twenty Days of Turin has enjoyed a fervent cult following in Italy for forty years. Now, in a fretful new age of "lone-wolf" terrorism fueled by social media, we can find uncanny resonances in Giorgio De Maria’s vision of mass fear: a mute, palpitating dread that seeps into every moment of daily existence. With its stunning anticipation of the Internet—and the apocalyptic repercussions of oversharing—this bleak, prescient story is more disturbingly pertinent than ever. Brilliantly translated into English for the first time by Ramon Glazov, The Twenty Days of Turin establishes De Maria’s place among the literary ranks of Italo Calvino and beside classic horror masters such as Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft. Hauntingly imaginative, with visceral prose that chills to the marrow, the novel is an eerily clairvoyant magnum opus, long overdue but ever timely.
Download or read book The Liverpool Companion to World Science Fiction Film written by Sonja Fritzsche and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first comprehensive companion to science fiction film as a global, rather than solely Anglo-American, concern.
Download or read book Italian Horror Films of the 1960s written by Lawrence McCallum and published by McFarland. This book was released on 1998 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until I vampiri (The Vampires) in 1956, Italian filmmakers generally eschewed horror in favor of fantasy films and big screen spectacles. In the 1960s, the subjects became as varied as the filmmakers, ranging from the comic strip flavor of The Wild, Wild Planet (1966) to the surrealistic mixture of horror and social commentary of Fellinis Toby Dammit segment of Spirits of the Dead (1969). Arranged by English title, each entry includes Italian title, studio, running time, year of release, work the film is based on (when appropriate), and cast and credits. These data are followed by a lengthy essay, blending a plot synopsis with critical commentary and behind-the-scenes information.
Download or read book Italian Gothic Horror Films 1957 1969 written by Roberto Curti and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-03-27 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The "Gothic" style was a key trend in Italian cinema of the 1950s and 1960s because of its peculiar, often strikingly original approach to the horror genre. These films portrayed Gothic staples in a stylish and idiosyncratic way, and took a daring approach to the supernatural and to eroticism, with the presence of menacing yet seductive female witches, vampires and ghosts. Thanks to such filmmakers as Mario Bava (Black Sunday), Riccardo Freda (The Horrible Dr. Hichcock), and Antonio Margheriti (Castle of Blood), as well the iconic presence of actress Barbara Steele, Italian Gothic horror went overseas and reached cult status. The book examines the Italian Gothic horror of the period, with an abundance of previously unpublished production information drawn from official papers and original scripts. Entries include a complete cast and crew list, home video releases, plot summary and the author's analysis. Excerpts from interviews with filmmakers, scriptwriters and actors are included. The foreword is by film director and scriptwriter Ernesto Gastaldi.
Download or read book Perverse Titillation written by Danny Shipka and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2011-07-25 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The exploitation film industry of Italy, Spain and France during the height of its popularity from 1960 to 1980 is the focus of this entertaining history. With subject matter running the gamut from Italian zombies to Spanish werewolves to French lesbian vampires, the shocking and profoundly entertaining motion pictures of the "Eurocult" genre are discussed from the standpoint of the films and the filmmakers, including such internationally celebrated auteurs as Mario Bava, Jess Franco, Jean Rollin and Paul Naschy. The Eurocult phenomenon is also examined in relation to the influences that European culture and environment have had on the world of exploitation cinema. The author's insight and expertise contribute to a greater understanding of what made these films special--and why they have remained so popular to later generations.
Download or read book Science Fiction Film Directors 1895 1998 written by Dennis Fischer and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2011-12-14 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This enormous and exhaustive reference book has entries on every major and minor director of science fiction films from the inception of cinema (circa 1895) through 1998. For each director there is a complete filmography including television work, a career summary, a critical assessment, and behind-the-scenes production information. Seventy-nine directors are covered in especially lengthy entries and a short history of the science fiction film genre is also included.
Download or read book Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema written by M. Keith Booker and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-06-15 with total page 543 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the years since Georges Méliès’s Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) was released in 1902, more than 1000 science fiction films have been made by filmmakers around the world. The versatility of science fiction cinema has allowed it to expand into a variety of different markets, appealing to age groups from small children to adults. The technical advances in filmmaking technology have enabled a new sophistication in visual effects. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, films, companies, techniques, themes, and subgenres. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about science fiction cinema.
Download or read book The Vampire in Science Fiction Film and Literature written by Paul Meehan and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-07-07 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vampires have been a popular subject for writers since their inception in 19th century Gothic literature and, later, became popular with filmmakers. Now the classical vampire is extinct, and in its place are new vampires who embrace the hi-tech worlds of science fiction. This book is the first to examine the history of vampires in science fiction. The first part considers the role of science and pseudo-science, from late Victorian to modern times, in the creation of the vampire, as well as the "sensation fiction" of J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells. The second part focuses on the history of the science fiction vampire in the cinema, from the silent era to the present. More than sixty films are discussed, including films from such acclaimed directors as Roger Corman, David Cronenberg, Guillermo del Toro and Steven Spielberg, among others.
Download or read book An Investigative Cinema written by Fabrizio Cilento and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-07-17 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book traces the development of investigative cinema, whose main characteristic lies in reconstructing actual events, political crises, and conspiracies. These documentary-like films refrain from a simplistic reconstruction of historical events and are mainly concerned with what does not immediately appear on the surface of events. Consequently, they raise questions about the nature of the “truth” promoted by institutions, newspapers, and media reports. By highlighting unanswered questions, they leave us with a lack of clarity, and the questioning of documentation becomes the actual narrative. Investigative cinema is examined in relation to the historical conjunctures of the “economic miracle” in Italy, the simultaneous decolonization and reordering of culture in France, the waves of globalization and neoliberalism in post-dictatorial Latin America, and the post-Watergate, post-9/11 climate in US society. Investigative cinema is exemplified by the films Salvatore Giuliano, The Battle of Algiers, The Parallax View, Gomorrah, Zero Dark Thirty, and Citizenfour.
Download or read book Voluptuous Terrors 3 written by G. H. Janus and published by . This book was released on 2020-07-29 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Classic Italian film poster art is renowned as being among the most accomplished, creative and dynamic of its kind. From the post-war period through to the 1980s, Italian artists consistently produced posters with sumptuously stunning designs and imagery - not least in the horror and exploitation genres, for which compositions almost invariably included curvaceous female figures in jeopardy, juxtaposed with the iconography of fantasy and terror.Voluptuous Terrors 3 collects 120 film posters by a wide range of acclaimed Italian artists, created for both indigenous and foreign-language film productions. Classic exploitation, pulp horror, science fiction, Eurospy, mondo and giallo movies all figure in full-color, full-page reproductions showcasing some of the world's most innovative and seductive poster design.
Download or read book Italian Horror Film Directors written by Louis Paul and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-06-08 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is no cinema with such effect as that of the hallucinatory Italian horror film. From Riccardo Freda's I Vampiri in 1956 to Il Cartaio in 2004, this work recounts the origins of the genre, celebrates at length ten of its auteurs, and discusses the noteworthy films of many others associated with the genre. The directors discussed in detail are Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Mario Bava, Ruggero Deodato, Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi, Antonio Margheriti, Aristide Massaccesi, Bruno Mattei, and Michele Soavi. Each chapter includes a biography, a detailed career account, discussion of influences both literary and cinematic, commentary on the films, with plots and production details, and an exhaustive filmography. A second section contains short discussions and selected filmographies of other important horror directors. The work concludes with a chapter on the future of Italian horror and an appendix of important horror films by directors other than the 50 profiled. Stills, posters, and behind-the-scenes shots illustrate the book.
Download or read book Italian Giallo in Film and Television written by Roberto Curti and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2022-05-31 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the release in 1929 of a popular book series with bright yellow covers, the Italian word giallo (yellow) has come to define a whole spectrum of mystery and detective fiction and films. Although most English speakers associate the term giallo with the violent and erotic thrillers popular in the 1960s and 1970s from directors like Mario Bava, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci and others, the term encompasses a wide range of Italian media such as mysteries, thrillers and detective stories--even comedies and political pamphlets. As films like Blood and Black Lace (1964) and Deep Red (1975) have received international acclaim, giallo is a fluid and dynamic genre that has evolved throughout the decades. This book examines the many facets of the giallo genre --narrative, style, themes, and influences. It explores Italian films, made-for-TV films and miniseries from the dawn of sound cinema to the present, discussing their impact on society, culture and mores.
Download or read book Italian Sword and Sandal Films 1908 1990 written by Roy Kinnard and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2017-02-28 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Produced in Italy from the turn of the 20th century, "sword and sandal" or peplum films were well received in the silent era and attained great popularity in the 1960s following the release of Hercules (1959), starring Mr. Universe Steve Reeves. A global craze for Bronze Age fantasy-adventures ensued and the heroic exploits of Hercules, Maciste, Samson and Goliath were soon a mainstay of American drive-ins and second-run theaters (though mainly disparaged by critics). By 1965, the genre was eclipsed by the spaghetti western, yet the 1960s peplum canon continues to inspire Hollywood epics. This filmography provides credits, cast and comments for dozens of films from 1908 through 1990.
Download or read book Soviet Science Fiction Cinema and the Space Age written by Natalija Majsova and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-04-28 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book interrogates the relations between nostalgias of today and past utopias in the context of the space age of the 20th century and its cinematic representations in the USSR and in post-Soviet Russia. Once an enthusiastic projection, then a promising and uncanny present, and eventually an assemblage of nostalgic signifiers, in the history of world cinema, this space age has been linked primarily to the genre of science fiction. Here, aspects of the space age such as humanity’s imminent expansion to space, interplanetary travel, contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, and intergalactic governance and economy were both celebrated and critically interrogated as cosmopolitan ideals and nation-branding strategies. This book presents the contemporary relevance of this genre as heritage and legacy, archive and canon, and a nest of forgotten ideals and warnings, as well as nostalgic anchoring points. The author analyzes over 30 Soviet science fiction films, foregrounding their structures of utopia and their evolution over time, in order to trace both their transnational positionalities, transmedial resonance, and impact on post-Soviet Russian films about the space age. Concepts, crucial to the understanding of space futures of the past, such as utopianism, otherness, liminality, and no(w)stalgia are activated to draw out the fictional tenants of the memory of the Soviet space age, and to establish the limits and potentialities of Soviet (exra)terraformative ambitions.
Download or read book Science Fiction written by Phil Hardy and published by White Lion Publishing. This book was released on 1995 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
