Societies in Space: Essays on the Civilized Frontier in Film and Television

Science fiction films and television programs about space travel have undergone a significant transformation since their inception. In contrast to the early depictions of small spaceship crews on exploratory missions, recent film and television portrayals depict much larger societies in space as well as the obstacles that arise with them.

This collection of essays examines many aspects of making space travel films, from the process of screenwriting to the impact of Greek myth on modern film, with illuminating commentary on contemporary problems including class distinction, racism, and sexism. Contributors to this volume, including several extensively published scholars and science fiction writers, analyze a wide variety of relevant science fiction films and television programs ranging from Star Trek, Silent Running, the Alien films and Japanese anime to more recent works like Battlestar Galactica, Avatar, Elysium, The Martian, Passengers, and Ad Astra.