[Photo credit: Pasadena Museum of History]
“Watch the Skies” is an illustrated presentation that explores the history of science fiction movies, from early 20th-century films to contemporary works. The event will be held at the museum’s location at 470 W. Walnut Street in Pasadena.
Smith plans to discuss the evolution of science fiction movies, highlighting the shift from minimal scientific accuracy and “mad scientist” tropes to more nuanced narratives. He will explore why science fiction films were scarce for the first 50 years of cinema despite their popularity and profitability.
“My goal is to help people understand science fiction movies a little bit better, but also to put them into the context of movies in general,” Smith said. He aims to provide context about the genre and suggest films for viewers to explore.
The presentation will cover notable works, including the 1930s British film “Things to Come,” based on H.G. Wells’ writing. Smith describes the film as unusual for its time, portraying science positively unlike many contemporary films.
“Most of the science fiction and horror movies of the 1930s were almost anti-science fiction, in that the plots were about science gone wrong, or super-scientists doing something evil,” he said. “‘Things to Come’ was a fairly rare exception.”
The talk will also address why some favorite horror movies, such as “Frankenstein” and “Alien,” are considered science fiction. Smith will examine the challenges of adapting classic science fiction literature to film, even with modern special effects capabilities.
“My hope is to provide the current generation of movie viewers with a little more context about science fiction movies, a few suggestions about ones to watch, and a little better understanding of why some of them are no longer well known,” he said.
Smith emphasizes that filmmakers create movies for contemporary audiences, which can affect how well they age. “A movie is made for the audience that the filmmaker sees around him or her, at the time the movie is created,” he explained.
Admission to the event ranges from $10 to $15. The museum galleries will open at 6 p.m., an hour before the presentation, so that guests can view exhibits beforehand. Due to limited seating, advance reservations are encouraged.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://pasadenahistory.org/events/watch-the-skies-history-of-science-fiction-movies/.
