Are there enough 'Science Fiction' style motifs within FIREFLY?
POSTED BY: TheSomnambulist
UPDATED: Tuesday, June 1, 2010 05:22
VIEWED: 9854
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Quote:
Originally posted by beatupplenty:
Then in the 1960's and 70's the definition changed to "the good old stuff"-"adventure stories set in space".
Actually, in novels, Space Opera has got a bit trendy now (like a derelict area of town which has suddenly been colonized by wine bars and trendy bistros
). One of the landmark "New Space Opera" novels is Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks, which features:
- A morally ambiguous main protagonist who is fighting a war against a (in his opinion) oppressive force (although arguably he's actually working for the bad guys - although you're not obliged to cheer for the Culture).
- A run-down ship crewed by a bunch of minimally competent petty criminals.
- Quite a lot of dry wit
- A plot which is ultimately more about the protagonist's character than big dumb objects blowing up (although some big dumb objects get seriously blown up).
Oh, and there's a train in it, too. Definitely recommended to Browncoats.
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Hey Beatupplenty... I suppose I'm more curious about the motifs that suggest sci-fi rather than the concept of the show as a whole. I think the problem is entirely my own doing because I described Firefly to her as a sci-fi show, however little did I know that it would be pointed out to me that the elements that define that description [sci-fi show] are somewhat sparse....
You see Apollo 13 is a solid adventure story set in space but is it science fiction? It's based on actual events so it's just regular fiction. Therefore can a show merely set in space be defined as science fiction when space habitation is now science fact... ?
Would you like to see some cartoons? http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shinygoodguy:
That 500 years in the future thing would be another hint. I immediately think of Star Wars ...
SGG
Tawabawho?
Perhaps you are confused.
A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
Not sometime in the future.
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
You see Apollo 13 is a solid adventure story set in space but is it science fiction? It's based on actual events so it's just regular fiction.
Apollo 13 is fiction???
Which part?
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The non fiction part...
Would you like to see some cartoons? http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com
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Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
Apollo 13 is fiction???
Which part?
All the bits the screenwriters made up to fill the gaps in the records and eyewitness accounts of the real events. Or where they did have records and eyewitness accounts of the real events, but they were boring.
If it makes a good movie, its fiction (I hate the idea of shows billed as "drama/documentaries": if its drama, its been dramatized its not a documentary!)
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You are on a roll. Well, let's see:
Star Wars - set a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away. Which speaks of another time and place. Another time and place where space ships travel at light speed in hyperspace.
Sci-fi kinda stuff, no?
Although SW is set in the past (long time ago) it is another galaxy (far away), so it could very well be in the future, well into the future, as far as us humans are concerned here on earth. This is never depicted in any of the trilogies, it's just something that came to mind (my warped mind).
I think of SW because Firefly is set in another galaxy far away, has desert-like planets out in the rim (much like Tatooine) and is pretty much a revisionist view of space travel, civilization and culture as depicted in the movies.
What SW did was combine the western (Han Solo, as gunslinger) and sword & sorcery genres (Obi Wan, as wise old wizard; Darth Vader, as the black knight). SW was also a saturday matinee movie cliffhanger. Joss took the western concept and spun it on it's ear.
He gave us a world that seemed familiar, much like SW, but turned it slightly so that we would identify more closely to the characters (that could be me up in that tin can called Serenity.
They are set in different times but have much to offer in common than not. Gleaming cities in the core, dusty rough & tumble out in the rim, with no shortage of interesting charcters.
Besides we're talking about sci-fi here. Oh the possibilities.
SGG
Tawabawho?
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Hey Shiny...
Just wondering do you see Sci-fi as needing to be set in the future? Only I've always had this idea of writing a sci-fi story set in the 17th century where aliens invade the planet. Do you think this still sci-fi ?
Would you like to see some cartoons? http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com
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Originally posted by ImNotHere:
Quote:
If it makes a good movie, its fiction (I hate the idea of shows billed as "drama/documentaries": if its drama, its been dramatized its not a documentary!)
Yes I agree. There's a trend here on british TV to do those awful dramas with supposed documented fact.
Would you like to see some cartoons? http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com
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Only I've always had this idea of writing a sci-fi story set in the 17th century where aliens invade the planet. Do you think this still sci-fi ?
Hey Sleepy,
Most definitely, without question it's sci-fi.
Right now I'm listening to a classic rock & roll station as I dash off this note to you. It's David Bowie's contribution to sci-fi in song form, but sci-fi nonetheless -
Space Oddity (Major Tom, to ground control).
So sci-fi knows no bounds; if you could think it, the possibilities are endless. Look at what brought us here. For a long time for me it was Flash Gordon and Commando Cody, but Lucas, and now Joss, as well as others, have shown the way. There are no limits.
The baseline is science, tempered only by our imagination. So write away my friend.
SGG, your friendly neighborhood sci-fi Geekinator.
Tawabawho?
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