For me, there are a few certain elements that need to be used in a Sci-Fi story for it to work. There are plenty of crap books and films in the genre, but to do something truly great you need to abide by a few golden rules.
When you think about masterpieces such as; ‘Blade Runner’, ‘2001’, ‘Silent Running’ or ‘Terminator’ they have all got a really clever story. But that is only one part of it… another important factor is that the audience can associate with what is going on. It is easy enough to write about something that is fantastical, futuristic or magical but you need to ‘keep it real’ to some degree. If a film only concentrates on making everything in it ‘high-tech’ then human emotions and relationships can soon become lost in a haze of machinery and laser beams. The future may well give us flying cars and interstellar travel but humans will not change.
Many modern Science Fiction movies use classic tales of the genre as a starting point. For example, ‘Equilibrium’ worked so well because it borrowed so heavily from classics like; ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and ‘1984’. As long as you use another story in an obviously respectful way then it is alright to borrow. But films that blatantly copy others will only end up being laughed at for their lack of imagination…
The greatest Science Fiction is the same as the best tales from any genre. If they can make us think about something or raise our awareness of a problem then they have succeeded. Think back to the best movies you have seen or books that you have read and you’ll realise that the majority of them gave you food for thought. Learning is something that we all enjoy; even if we do not realise it.
One last thing, I have just comprehended that I have been staring at my computer screen for the last few days spending time on the Twin Peaks forum I think it is time for an alteration, these and more updates coming soon!
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