Visions of the Future: The 1970s- Trapped Between the Darkness and the Light

The cultural upheaval that characterized the 1960s continued into the 1970s. Revolution and war affected more and more of an increasingly globalized war. While the United States discontinued their participation in the Vietnam War, tensions mounted in the middle east. This led to much violence, and an oil crisis that affected much of the western world, and motivated increased ecological awareness. Social life in the west became atomized, as opposed to the more communal nature of 1960s culture, bringing about what author and journalist Tom Wolfe has dubbed, the “Me Decade”.

Computer technology continued to develop throughout the seventies, especially bolstered by the continuing development of the integrated circuit, or “microchip”. Acclaimed physicist Stephen Hawking proposed his theories about black holes, and the boundaries of the universe. Also, the world’s first space station program, Salyut, was launched by the Soviets in 1971. The United States’ first space station, Skylab, was put into orbit in 1973.

Science Fiction:

Literature-

In 1970, Larry Niven, an acclaimed science fiction author, who had already proved himself through his short fiction, and his work on television shows such as The Outer Limits, published Ringworld. This quirky space adventure told the tale of a two-hundred-year-old man on his journey outside of known space. Niven later added onto this universe with four sequels and four sequels. Ringworld received the Nebula award in 1970, and the Hugo and Locus awards in 1971.

Sci-fi veteran Arthur C. Clarke published Rendezvous With Rama, the story of human explorers sent to investigate an alien ship in earth’s atmosphere, in 1973. It is considered one of his best works, and won the Hugo and Nebula awards for the year of its publication. The same year, Thomas Pynchon published Gravity’s Rainbow. It is a complex tale about a mysterious device implanted in a WWII rocket, that deals with issues both of physics and metaphysics.

The Nebula Award winner for Best Novel in 1974 was Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Dispossessed, which she set in a complex universe full of societies mirroring the clashing political ideologies of earth.

In 1979, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. published Slaughterhouse-Five, which recounted and fictionalized some of his experiences fighting in World War Two. The nonlinear tale is told from the perspective of Billy Pilgrim, a man having flashbacks on his life, while he believes he is trapped in an alien zoo. It takes a postmodern perspective on the significance of life, death, and evil.

Magazines-

In 1972, Ben Bova, who had been running the magazine since John W. Campbell’s death in 1971, officially became editor of Analog Science Fact and Fiction. In 1973, Indiana State  University began publication of Science Fiction Studies, one of the first academic journals on the subject of science fiction. The John W. Campbell Award was established in 1973 in memory of the great science fiction editor. Asimov’s Science Fiction began publication in 1974, and continues to be one of the most illustrious markets in the genre to this day.

In 1979, Darko Suvin published his groundbreaking work on the philosophy of science fiction, Metamorphoses of Science Fiction, in which he describes the nature and purpose of a true science fiction story.

Radio-

In 1978, the award winning radio drama The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy was first broadcast on the BBC The quirky, comedic story of a hapless survivor of the late human race as he is dragged on an intergalactic voyage with a motley assortment of aliens and robots, lasted for two series on the radio. Author Douglas Adams later converted his story into a “trilogy” of five novels. It has also been adapted into a television series, a film, and even a video game.

Television-

Science fiction television became wildly popular in the 1970s, with sensations like Star Trek, Star Wars, and Doctor Who bringing the genre great popularity. The quantity of sci-fi shows skyrocketed. Unfortunately, the quantity sometimes came at the expense of quality.

In 1973, three television movies about about an injured astronaut named Steve Austin, who is rebuilt with bionic implants were aired. These were followed up by the five season television show, The Six Million Dollar Man, starring Lee Majors, and its 1976 spinoff, The Bionic Woman, starring Lindsay Wagner. The entire series was based off a 1972 novel called Cyborg, by Martin Caidin.

1973 was also the year that Star Trek’s first spinoff series was broadcast. Star Trek: The Animated series lasted for two seasons, and starred the entire original crew,(minus Walter Koenig, who ended up writing an episode), as their cartoon counterparts. It brought back favorite writers such as David Gerrold and D.C. Fontana, and even brought on acclaimed sci-fi writers like Larry Niven. The Animated Series holds the distinction of being the first Star Trek series to win an emmy, for “How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth”.

Battlestar Galactica, a series aesthetically inspired by Star Wars, first aired in 1978. It is the story of humanity’s struggle to find a new homeworld as they battle the alien-robots, the Cylons. It was created by Glen Larson, who was a Mormon, and some of his theology can be seen reflected in elements of the story. The original series, starring  Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict, was followed up by the less successful Galactica 1980, and a very popular 2003 remake.

Marvel Comics’ The Hulk was brought to life on the small screen in 1978. The Incredible Hulk starred Bill Bixby as tormented scientist Dr. David Banner, and Lou Ferrigno as his big, green alter ego. One of the most memorable aspects of the show was its end theme music, “The Lonely Man Theme”, composed by Joe Harnell.

Movies-

As the “Space Age” coming to a close, the idealistic future people had imagined was not forthcoming. Many of the sci-fi movies of the 1970s reflected the bleak outlook on the future brought about by the Cold War, and other world crises.

The Andromeda Strain, released in 1971, was an alien invasion film. This time, however, the invaders were an alien virus that threatened to wipe out all life on earth. The story was based on the novel by Michael Crichton. It was directed by Robert Wise- who was famous for his work on Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as well as The Sound of Music- and starred Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, and Kate Reid as four scientists trying to stop the disease from destroying humanity.

Science fiction classic Logan’s Run came out in 1976. It was a dystopian story of a world that was nearly perfect- except for the part where citizens had to die at age thirty. The main character, Logan- played by Michael York- used to hunt down those who tried to escape their fate. On the eve of his own destruction, he sets out with a woman named Jessica- Jenny Agutter- on a quest for life outside the dome.

On May 25, 1977, a science fiction/fantasy film was released that provided a refreshing break from the bleak,apocalyptic fare, and made incredible advances in special effects technology. Neither science fiction nor cinema would ever be the same after George Lucas’ Star Wars, (later Star Wars IV: A New Hope). I’m not going to talk about the movie too much right now, because you’re going to hear an awful lot about it next week, when I blog through the Star Wars saga in preparation for Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens.

The same year as Star Wars came out, Steven Spielberg released Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a unique first contact movie in which aliens make contact with an ordinary worker through telepathic communication.

The Man of Steel appeared in his first feature length film in 1978, in the Richard Donner directed Superman. Superman/Clark Kent was played by Christopher Reeve; Lois Lane was played by Margot Kidder, and arch-villain Lex Luthor was played by Gene Hackman.

1979 saw the release of science fiction/horror thriller Alien, (directed by Ridley Scott), and the Enterprise crew’s big screen debut, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (directed by Robert Wise).

Many of these films would follow the example of Star Wars, creating franchises that continued into the 1980s and beyond.

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora

Visions of the Future: The 1960s- Opened Frontiers

The 1960s were a turbulent time. That is probably an understatement. From what people read in their newspapers and saw on their television screens, it looked like the whole world was falling to pieces. In the United States, at least, the Vietnam war and the continuing Cold War were raging on the outside, and the anti-war movement and civil rights struggles on the inside. The world was plagued by a rash of assassinations, and nuclear war continued to be a constant threat.

However, in spite of all this chaos, the arts and sciences continued to thrive. The 1960s saw an unprecedented explosion of music and popular culture, some of the icons of which continue to be popular to this day.

Exciting developments in space exploration seemed to be occurring daily. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first human being to visit outer space. The first real “Voyage to the Moon” was taken by “The First Men in the Moon”, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, in 1969.

Science fiction was slowly becoming reality, as the 1960s saw the introduction of The first working laser, industrial robot, geosynchronous communications satellite, and supercomputer.

Science Fiction:

Literature-

In the year 1960, Walter M. Miller Jr. published A Canticle for Leibowitz, a post apocalyptic story in the unique setting of a Catholic monastery. The novel follows Miller’s world thousands of years, as the earth rebuilds. The monks of the monastery preserve scientific knowledge until they believe the rest of the world is ready for it. A Canticle for Leibowitz is hailed as both a science fiction and literary classic.

The next year, Polish author Stanislaw Lem released Solaris, a philosophical tale of first contact that explores the limitations of the human race. As earth tries to make contact with a sentient planet, its people realize just how inadequate their methods of communication are for the task.

Dune, held to be one of the best-selling sci-fi novels ever written, was released by Frank Herbert in 1965. It is the epic tale of a young noble struggling to control an important planet under the feudal system. It was later continued in five sequels.

The next year, science fiction alumnus Robert Heinlein continued his illustrious career with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It presents a believable future history in which a lunar colony stages a revolt against Planet Earth. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress received the 1967 Hugo Award.

A new sci-fi and fantasy award was established in 1966- The Nebula Awards. Overseen by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, it recognizes the best in American science fiction short stories, novellas, novelettes, and novels. The category of scripts and screenplays was added in 1974. The first novel award was given to Frank Herbert’s Dune, and the first short story award to Harlan Ellison’s “‘Repent Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktock Man”.

In 1968, Philip K. Dick published Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, a post apocalyptic classic about androids, which explores what it means to be human. Then again, what else would you explore in a novel about androids? Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep served as the inspiration for the 1982 film, Blade Runner.

Magazines and Comics-

The science fiction magazine industry was in a period of change during the 1960s, with everything from titles to editors in flux. John W. Campbell changed the name of Astounding Science Fiction to Analog Science Fact and Fiction; Frederick Pohl took over as editor for Galaxy and If magazines; and Michael Moorcock was put in charge of New Worlds in Great Britain.

The ‘60s also saw the rise of many of the great superhero teams we know today, including: The Justice League (1960), The Fantastic Four (1961), The X-Men (1963), The Avengers (1963), and The Teen Titans (1964).

Movies-

In 1960, George Pal, who had previously produced H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, directed and produced the film adaptation of The Time Machine. It starred Rod Taylor, as the Time Traveler, and served as an exciting and culturally relevant romp into Wells’ predicted future.

Planet of the Apes, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Charlton Heston, and written in part by Rod Serling, came out in 1968. It explored themes of evolution, social acceptability of ideas, time travel, suspended animation, and post-human life, and launched a franchise which has spanned 47 years of film and television history.

The same year, an unusual collaboration between author Arthur C.Clarke and director Stanley Kubrick resulted in a film and a novel, both entitled 2001: A Space Odyssey. The story is an evolutionary history of mankind that explores humanity’s ultimate end and place in the universe. The movie, though slow-paced, and slightly psychedelic at times, is remembered for its realistic science, and groundbreaking special effects, and is considered by some to be one of the best science fiction films of all times.

Television-

If the 1930s were the decade when sci-fi magazines became popular, and 1950s were the decade when sci-fi broke into the film industry, then the 1960s were the decade when science fiction television came into its own. With new widespread access to the medium, television became an important conveyor of news, popular culture, and stories.

Most of the science fiction on television in the 1950s was in the form of anthologies, such as The Twilight Zone, (which ran until 1964), or children’s shows. It was in the 1960s that high quality, science fiction serials came into the mainstream.

In 1963, the BBC released the first episodes of a quirky family time travel show starring William Hartnell as an enigmatic character called “The Doctor”, Carole Ann Ford as his granddaughter Susan, and William Russell and Jacqueline Hill as their schoolteacher companions. The very first episode, “An Unearthly Child”, was aired twice, as its original release date was November 23rd, the day after U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Over the fifty years since its inception, Doctor Who has grown from a quirky evening seriall, to a staple of British pop culture, to a worldwide phenomenon. The show’s longevity is due in part to the clever decision to write the inevitable change of lead actors into the lore. When William Hartnell’s failing health led to his leaving the show in 1966, the authors decided that the Doctor’s race, the Time Lords, could renew their physical forms when they became damaged to the point of death. So, William Hartnell was replaced with Patrick Troughton. Today, the Doctor is on his twelfth ‘regeneration’, played by Peter Capaldi.

In January of 1966, established comic book hero Batman appeared on the small screen with his sidekick Robin in the satirical, pop art serial, Batman. This campy, moralistic show was incredibly popular, and brought several superhero and Batman tropes into the mainstream, including visible sound effects (Bam! Pow! Whamo! etc) during fight sequences, and Robin’s constant use of exclamations such as “Holy Remote Control Robot, Batman!” (There is a list of all of them on Wikipedia. You should look it up. It will brighten your day.)

Alright, guys. I’ve made it.

Later that same year, On September 8th, 1966, the first episode of a certain technicolor space exploration series aired. The episode  was called “The Man Trap”, and it starred William Shatner as Captain Kirk of the starship Enterprise, DeForest Kelley as the ship’s surgeon, and Leonard Nimoy, as the mysterious, pointy-eared first officer, Mr. Spock.

Star Trek, the creation of Gene Roddenberry, was a weekly exploration of themes about humanity through the bizarre and exciting adventures of the diverse, lovable crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. It changed forever the way the general public saw science fiction, and inspired generations of scientists, doctors, engineers and astronauts, as well as writers, and artists.

What started out as a show that was barely able to stay on the air three seasons through fan campaigns has evolved over the past forty-nine years into a franchise consisting of six television series, ten movies (alright, fine, twelve), and numerous novel, comic book, and video game adaptations. Obviously, I have much more to say about Star Trek, and I have plans to say it next year, as I blog through The Original Series in honor of the show’s fiftieth anniversary.

The next year, 1967, saw the debut of an influential British spy science fiction show called The Prisoner. It starred Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent trapped in a prison designed to look like a peaceful, (albeit slightly dystopian), village, and ran for 17 episodes.

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora