British Science Fiction Cinema (Hardcover)

Bound by modest budget constraints and dwarfed by Hollywood's output, British sci-fi cinema has enjoyed a checkered past, overlooked by critics. Yet the sci-fi genre has produced some of the best British films, from the pre-war classic "Things to Come" to "Alien" - made in Britain by a British director. This text redresses the balance, exploring the diverse strangeness of British sci-fi from literary adaptations like "1984" and "A Clockwork Orange" to the pulp fantasies and creature features far removed from the acceptable face of British cinema. Through case studies of key films like "The Day the Earth Caught Fire", contributors explore the unique themes and concerns of British sci-fi from the post-war boom years to more recent productions like "Hardware", and examine the use of different sources, from TV adaptations like "Dr Who and the Daleks", to the horror/sci-fi crossovers produced by the Hammer studio and John Wyndhams cult novels "Day of the Triffids" and "Village of the Damned". How did budget restrictions encourage the use of the invasion narrative in '50s films?;And how did films such as "The Day the Earth Stood Still" reflect fears about the decline of Britain's economi