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A Brief Introduction to 90s Science Fiction

Ts

(Romanian)

In episode 13 of this series, we discuss the “rage” of adolescence in the 80s.

Well, from many points of view (including “academic”), the ’90s represent the final period of this adolescence, with the transition into the early but full maturity of “science fiction”.

A statement that, in this episode, I will argue…

The 1990s were a prosperous and varied time for science fiction, with subgenres flourishing and influencing literature and cinema (to which science fiction television series would be added).

Yes, strange as it may seem, the sci-fi subgenres prominent in the 90’s didn’t “diversify” much in this decade but instead went “young adulthood”.

So, the “main developments” of this decade, from the point of view of “science fiction”, were represented by:

• Cyberpunk (exploring themes such as advanced technology, social inequality, modified bodies, and virtual realities, in a dystopian and “quite” urban future), rooted in 80s literature, consolidating its position in the 90s, influencing or being influenced by films such as (for example) “Blade Runner” and “The Matrix”.
• Space Opera continued to be a popular (favorite) subgenre, with shows like “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and movies like “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” which explored themes like space exploration, alien encounters, and interstellar conflicts.
• Hard Science Fiction (which focuses on scientific realism and the exploration of technological consequences) also had a major presence in the 1990s, via novels such as those by Greg Egan that explored complex themes of physics and astrophysics.
• The Post-Apocalyptic has been explored in numerous films and novels, offering a vision of the world after a catastrophic event, be it nuclear, pandemic, or ecological.
• Uchronia (the subgenre, which is based on the idea that a key historical event could have had a different outcome, and from there, the entire history would have unfolded in an alternative way), gained popularity, with novels such as “Fatherland” by Robert Harris, which imagines a scenario in which Nazi Germany won World War II, like Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle.

Yes, one can also remember Biopunk (subgenre that focuses on biotechnology and genetics, exploring themes such as cloning, genetic engineering and scientific ethics), Feminist Science Fiction (writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia Butler influenced this subgenre, exploring gender roles, power, and identity in a sci-fi context) or Science Fiction Queer (the subgenre has started to gain visibility, exploring themes such as gender identity and sexuality within some sci-fi worlds), but these are far from becoming significant.

And, why not, there will be manifestations of the youth of “science fiction” …

The 90s were certainly a golden period for science fiction literature, marked by a thematic diversity and a daring exploration of the future, among the science fiction novels of this standout Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992, another masterpiece of cyberpunk, which depicts a future where virtual reality and the Internet have become an integral part of everyday life), Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars (1992, the first part of an epic trilogy about the colonization of Mars, exploring the aspects social, political, and ethical aspects of this ambitious enterprise), etc. (details will “come” through future episodes).

But it can be noted (repeatedly) that nothing else than that the “engine” of the ’90s is the technological advance in the “real world” …

Yes, the “background” of the development of this ensemble is based on the technological advance (including that in “everyday life”) that inspires new themes and subjects for science fiction, world events such as the Cold War and economic crises, but, above all, the fact that “ science fiction” had reached that “critical mass” where it could intersect with other genres, such as horror, thriller, and fantasy, giving rise to hybrid subgenres.

Then there would be the reality that the 90s were a golden period for science fiction films (not only for literature or other “correlations”), the increase in the number of productions in this genre becoming significant, but the power of this creative flow is also inspired by the accumulation of a mass criticism of quality science fiction novels…

But, from the “visual” point of view, there was something else, invisible: accessibility and improvement of special effects.

In the 90s, the development of computer technology and the appearance and improvement of computer graphics allowed the creation of spectacular and believable visual effects, which were previously difficult to achieve or expensive, marking a kind of transition and explosion period for special effects in cinema and television.

Furthermore, one can also discuss a steady and significant decrease in production costs (associated with the creation of special effects) as the technology became more affordable, allowing more producers to venture into the science fiction genre.

In some detail, the 90s marked the transition from traditional special effects (mechanical and optical) to digital, computer-generated ones, a radical change that opened new horizons for the creators of films and series, allowing them to create new worlds (including aliens) and fantastic creatures with unprecedented realism.

So computer-generated images (CGI) have become increasingly sophisticated and accessible, allowing the creation of complex and spectacular visual effects, to which is added the fact that many of the traditional techniques of creating special effects have been replaced or improved through digital technologies, special effects becoming an essential component of the cinema or television experience.

Should I mention the fact that special effects have made action sequences increasingly spectacular and dynamic? And not only for the “science fiction” genre…

And, why not, another asset would be represented by the success of reference films, in a kind of “domino effect”.

Movies like “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and “Jurassic Park” were huge box office successes, proving that audiences are hungry for well-made sci-fi films, a success that attracted new investors and boosted the production of films in the genre.

Added to this is the popularity of science fiction television series whose “presence” has begun to compete with the sacred monsters that founded this “visual” “science fiction” trend.

What popularity was “in the background” of the development of cinema networks and home video that made sci-fi films more accessible to a wider audience?

So, in a way, all the technological progress of those times…

Then why not, the 90s were a golden age for video games, and science fiction was one of the most popular genres.

Subgenres that dominated the scene (in this case) such as Cyberpunk (heavily influenced by movies like “Blade Runner” and “The Matrix”, cyberpunk gave rise to games like “System Shock” and “Syndicate”, which explored dark virtual worlds, corrupt corporations, and advanced technology), Space Simulators (games like “X-Wing” and “Wing Commander” allowed players to pilot spaceships and explore vast galaxies), Real-time Strategy (RTS) (games such as “Dune II” and the “Command & Conquer” series offered intense strategic experiences, set in science fiction universes), First-person Shooters (games such as “Doom” and “Quake” popularized the FPS genre and introduced science fiction elements, such as mutant monsters and futuristic weapons) or RPGs (games like “Fallout” and “Baldur’s Gate” combined RPG elements with post-apocalyptic or fantasy-science fiction settings).

Science fiction video games have helped popularize the genre among a wide audience, and many sci-fi games have been at the forefront of technology, introducing new graphics engines and game mechanics, influencing movies, series, and even literature.

So, to wrap up, I’ve described the final set of current “science fiction” childhoods, and I’ll go (in future episodes) into the necessary detail, as I think I’ve already gotten you used to.

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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