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Old themes but with an uplift in presence for ’90s Science Fiction

Ts

(Romanian)

The year 1992 was rich in quality film productions, such as Howards End (a film adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel that won the jury and the audience, winning several Oscars), Unforgiven (directed and played by Clint Eastwood, a tough and introspective western that won Oscars), The Crying Game (an Irish psychological thriller that caused numerous discussions due to a surprising final twist), without forgetting A Few Good Men (a legal drama starring Tom Cruise, which addressed themes such as loyalty, honor, and military justice), Malcolm X (a biography of the African-American activist Malcolm X, directed by Spike Lee, which was praised for Denzel Washington’s performance and the complex approach to a controversial character) or Bram Stoker’s Dracula (a dark and visually spectacular film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, directed by Francis Ford Coppola).

And from the point of view of “science fiction”, it seems to be a year of “waiting” or adapting to the massive advances in special effects present in cinema or television films, the technological boost brought to the image at the beginning of the 90s showing a latency of manifestation.

Thus, for 1992, the most appreciated achievement was “Alien 3”, the third film in the famous Alien franchise, but a film that polarized the opinions of critics and fans.

Directed by David Fincher in his feature film debut, the film presents the return of the iconic character Ellen Ripley, played again by Sigourney Weaver. Set in a dark and claustrophobic context (the action takes place in a planetary prison), the film explores themes such as fatalism, religion, and human nature in an extreme context, with Ripley confronting her own demons and brutal society.

Many fans considered Alien 3 to deviate too much from the formula established by the first two films (especially the one directed by Ridley Scott), offering a darker and more personal vision of the franchise. The film’s ending generated much debate, with some considering it tragic and moving, while others saw it as unsatisfying.

Additionally, much of the film was reshot, which led to a tumultuous production process and some inconsistencies in the story.

But, “overall”, we are talking about a film that can be classified into several subgenres of science fiction, due to its thematic complexity and narrative elements, having to do with Horror Sci-Fi (this subgenre is the most obvious, due to the presence of the xenomorph alien creature, which represents a constant and terrifying threat to the characters, the horror elements being accentuated by the dark atmosphere, the violent sequences and the continuous tension), Body Horror (the film explores the concept of “body horror”, through the brutal transformation of the hosts into xenomorphs and through the themes related to identity and otherness, the characters’ bodies being invaded and deformed by an external force, and this theme is present throughout the entire film), Gothic Science Fiction (the dark, claustrophobic and religiously accented atmosphere of the film also places it in the gothic science fiction subgenre, through elements such as the isolated monastery, the complex characters and the themes related to destiny and death that contribute to this classification), and Post-apocalyptic (although not a post-apocalyptic film in the classic sense, Alien 3 presents a marginalized society, in a hostile and isolated environment, describable as an end-of-the-world atmosphere that contributes to its post-apocalyptic character).

Another notable film is “Intruders”, an interesting production that combines elements of horror, science fiction, and the paranormal, whose story is represented by the intrusion of extraterrestrial entities into a small American town, causing chaos and panic.

As events intensify, a group of people try to unravel the mystery behind these apparitions and find a way to defend themselves, with the film creating an atmosphere of suspense and tension, exploring the fear of the unknown and alien invaders.

Intruders is an ambiguous film, that leaves many questions unanswered and encourages multiple interpretations, the line between reality and imagination is blurred, and the viewer is invited to form their own opinion about what is happening.

This ambiguity makes the film difficult to classify into a single subgenre, but we can identify a few elements that could place it as a Psychological thriller (this is probably the most appropriate classification, the film focuses on the protagonist’s mental disorders, his distorted relationship with reality and his deep fears, the supernatural elements being presented more as a manifestation of the disturbed psyche than as an external force), Horror (although it is not a pure horror, it contains elements specific to this genre, such as the atmosphere of tension, disturbing images and the fear of the unknown) or Soft science fiction (some elements of the film, such as scientific experiments and advanced technologies, can also place it in this subgenre, which focuses more on the impact of science on society and the individual than on the exploration of outer space or the distant future).

Another acclaimed film is “Rachel’s Dream”, a story about wishes and virtual reality, a 1992 British TV film, part of Channel 4’s Video Fantasies series, combining elements of science fiction, fantasy, and drama.

The film takes us to a near future where technology has deeply penetrated everyday life, with the protagonist, Rachel, discovering that through a digital display board, she can bring the images on it to life. Thus, she creates an imaginary friend who helps her navigate the complexities of adolescence and the world around her.

Thus, the film explores uniquely the relationship between man and technology, as well as the power of desires and imagination, addressing themes such as identity, friendship, love, and responsibility in a sensitive and mature way.

For those who discover it, Rachel’s Dream is a pleasant surprise, offering an original vision of the future, the film being one of the first appearances of the famous actress Kate Beckinsale, who played Rachel.

This film falls into several subgenres of science fiction, but also of fantasy, this being Dystopic (the film presents a not exactly optimistic future, where technology has invaded all aspects of life, and society seems to be about to suffocate under its own complexity), Cyberpunk (the elements of advanced technology, such as giant screens and complex interfaces, bring it closer to the cyberpunk aesthetic, but with some delimiting elements represented by the lack of elements of rebellion and specific cyberpunk subcultures that differentiate it from this classic subgenre), Fantasy (the possibility of bringing characters to life on the screen and fulfilling their desires through technology gives the film a touch of fantasy, being a story about the power of imagination and the desire to change the world), without forgetting Coming-of-age (in parallel with the elements of science fiction and fantasy, the film also explores the theme of maturation, self-discovery and responsibility, the protagonist, Rachel, confronting moral dilemmas and having to make important decisions that will shape the future).

Then, according to the “critics”, it would be the film “Universal Soldier”, which represents another cornerstone in the science fiction cinema of the ‘90s.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film presents a futuristic vision of war and human nature, exploring the idea of ​​creating perfect soldiers, devoid of emotions and with superhuman physical abilities, a theme that has been and remains a popular theme in science fiction.

The confrontation between Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren), two soldiers transformed into “UniSols”, explores the tension between human and artificial identity, offering spectacular action sequences, with explosions, chases, and hand-to-hand combat (the special effects, although not at the level of today, are impressive for the period).

Universal Soldier spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, demonstrating the popularity of the concept, “generating” a successful franchise.

But we are talking about a film that falls under the category of Action Sci-fi (this is probably the most obvious classification), Cyberpunk (the elements of genetic modification, the creation of super-soldiers, and advanced technologies used in the film bring it closer to the cyberpunk aesthetic, but the lack of a dystopian urban environment and elements of rebellion differentiate it from this classic subgenre) and Philosophical (the film raises interesting questions about human nature, identity and ethics).

“Split Second” is a science fiction film with horror accents that takes you to an apocalyptic future of London, flooded and shrouded in fog. Directed by Tony Maylam and Ian Sharp, the film offers a gloomy atmosphere and a captivating plot.

In a future where London is partially flooded, Detective Harley Stone (played by Rutger Hauer) is tasked with capturing an extremely violent serial killer. As the investigation progresses, Stone discovers that the killer is no ordinary human, but a genetically modified creature (a monster, an amphibious being) capable of surviving both in water and on land.

Overall, Split Second is an action-packed film, with intense chase scenes and hand-to-hand combat, raising questions about the consequences of genetic manipulation and the limits of science.

So, we are talking about a film that combines several genres, represented by Cyberpunk (with a dystopian, flooded, and technology-filled future, Split Second approaches the cyberpunk aesthetic, elements such as the futuristic city, futuristic clothing and weapons contributing to this classification), Horror (the presence of a monstrous creature that feeds on human body heat brings the film into the horror zone, the dark atmosphere, violent sequences and constant tension emphasizing this aspect), Neo-noir (the film has elements characteristic of film noir, represented by a tough detective, a disturbing past, a complex investigation in a corrupt urban environment, light and shadow being used in a contrasting way to create a mysterious atmosphere), and, finally, Body horror (the creature in the film is born from a combination of science and nature, and the way it obtains its energy and kills its victims can be considered body horror).

“Fortress” is a science fiction film that takes us into a bleak and authoritarian future. Directed by Stuart Gordon, the film presents a world in which individual freedoms are severely restricted and private prisons have become a worrying reality.

The plot centers on John Henry Brennick (played by Christopher Lambert), a former army officer who is sentenced to a maximum security prison, simply called the Fortress. This prison is a highly secure place of detention, where inmates are constantly monitored and controlled by electronic implants. Brennick must find a way to escape from this prison to save his wife and unborn child.

We are talking about a film that falls into several subgenres of science fiction, represented by Dystopic (the film presents a totalitarian future, where the government controls the population by limiting the number of children and by incarcerating those who break the law, the closed and oppressive atmosphere of the Fortress prison contributing to this dystopian aspect), Action Sci-fi (in addition to the dystopian elements, it is an action film with many fight and chase scenes, the advanced technologies used in the prison, such as mind control devices and laser barriers, adding a sci-fi element to the action) and, obviously, Thriller (the plot of the film is full of suspense and tension, with the protagonist, John Brennick, having to find a way to escape from prison and save his wife).

And, for 1992, there would be more “science fiction” films, such as “The Lawnmower Man”, “Freejack”, “Nemesis”, “Duplicates”, “Trancers III”, “Homewrecker”… Each with its own “charm”… (plus, I apologize, the number of words that “make” this material very large, suffocates me by limitation)

In terms of “science fiction” television series, for 1992, only the short series “Mann & Machine” (9 one-hour episodes) stands out, an interesting combination of police investigations and SF elements, set in the not-so-distant future, combining elements of science fiction, police drama, and humor.

The story centers on two unlikely partners: a human police officer, Bobby Mann, and his robot partner, Sergeant Eve Edison. Together, they form a team of detectives investigating crimes in a world where technology has advanced significantly and robots have become an integral part of society.

The contrast between Mann’s human nature and Edison’s pure logic creates an interesting dynamic and offers a unique perspective on the investigations, with the interaction between Mann and Edison offering insight into how humans might collaborate with artificial intelligence in the future, given that society still faces the same problems as it does today.

But, in the end, we are talking about a television series that is distinguished by its innovative approach to the detective and science fiction genres, being assimilable to the Cyberpunk subgenre (the series explores a not-too-distant future, where technology has advanced significantly, where the lines between man and machine are blurred, the partnership between a human detective and a police robot being an emblematic feature of cyberpunk) and, by “extension”, it is, in fact, a film belonging to the Police Procedural genres (each episode presents a new case that the duo Mann and Edison must solve, using a combination of traditional investigative methods and advanced technology) and Character Drama (behind the detective cases, the series explores the complex relationship between the two protagonists and the impact of technology on society).

At the moment, this is episode 26, which deals, as you can already see, with the “image” part of the analyzed year (1992), and episode 27 will follow, which will deal with the written and video game parts.

Yes, for the moment… Because, in a “projection” of my organization, I will soon be able to increase the number of “parts” of an analyzed year… So…

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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