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A Brief ’80s ‘Teenage Transition’

Ts

(Romanian)

We have reached the point where the “series” about the whole “Science Fiction” has three components of manifestation: the “Written Word” (the book), the “Screen” (the so-called television series), and the “Big Screen” (the so-called Cinema)…

And in the “ensemble” of manifestation that is formed, it can be said that the period of “adolescence” begins.

So in a way

1980 brings the movie to our “eyes” and minds:

• “Star Wars V — The Empire Strikes Back” (a clear contributor to the development of the new “Star Wars” universe, widely considered the best film of the entire saga, being considered a masterpiece of cinematography, this year also sees the publication of The Empire Strikes Back (novel) by George Lucas),
• “Flash Gordon” (an attempt to “test” a possible return of the success of some “ancient”, but successful “then”, comics, is considered to be a “cult film”, in which only the presence of “interpretive “ of the band “Queen” and a screen pass of some old “developments”, and which spawned many subsequent pop culture “memes”…),
• “Altered States” (a “return” of some old themes, based on the novel of the same name written by Paddy Chayefsky, a famous screenwriter who caused controversy by exploring psychedelic themes and borderline experiences of consciousness, well done and even with an extra alternative, with stunning visual effects “for the time”, director Ken Russell being known for bold visual approaches) and
• „Somewhere in Time” (o poveste de dragoste atemporală, poetică, „după” romanul “Bid Time Return” de Richard Matheson, care explorează ideea că dragostea poate transcenda timpul și spațiul, fiind „remarcabilă” interpretarea „noului Superman” în persoana lui Christopher (personajul Richard Collier) în „transcendența” sa către Elise McKenna (actrița Jane Seymour), intervenind și Christopher Plummer (care aduce o notă de mister în rolul lui William Dorr), dar destinată clar doar romanticilor și mai puțin SF-ului)…
• “Somewhere in Time” (a timeless, poetic love story, “after” the novel “Bid Time Return” by Richard Matheson, which explores the idea that love can transcend time and space, being “remarkable” the interpretation of the “new Superman” in the person of Christopher (the character Richard Collier) in his “transcendence” to Elise McKenna (the actress Jane Seymour), also intervening Christopher Plummer (who brings a touch of mystery as William Dorr, but intended only for romantics and less for sci-fi) …

From a TV series perspective (not to mention continuing series):

• The Ekkusu Bonba series, also known as X-Bomber (a Japanese tokusatsu puppet animation series that would run until 1982 with a total of 24 30-minute episodes that captured the imagination of children from the ’80, created by the famous mangaka Go Nagai, already known for works such as Mazinger Z and Devilman, standing out for a unique combination of action, science fiction and fantasy elements, spaceships and robots with innovative and memorable design, inspiring generations of mecha fans).
• The Battlestar Galactica series (from 1978) attempted to return through Galactica 1980 (which attempted to continue the epic story of the human fleet in search of a new home, the spin-off opting for a more family-oriented approach, focusing on the adventures of two teenagers who join the fleet), but the lack of audience “receptivity” (low viewership — many episodes were focused on interpersonal drama and character development, at the expense of the spectacular action sequences that made the original famous, plus the poorly developed plot, the story being considered fragmented and incoherent, with episodes that felt more like self-contained stories than part of a larger narrative arc, and, sadly, the reality that the show’s smaller budget led to a drop in the quality of the special effects, compared to the first season) causes the series to “cease” after only 10 episodes.

And, to continue the set of “Science Fiction” works of the beginning of the “decade ‘80”, from the point of view of the “written book” (and published), this year brings us the novels:

• Stephen King’s Firestarter (a psychological thriller that explores the story of a little girl with telekinetic powers and her struggle for survival),
• Dragon’s Egg by Robert L. Forward (a fascinating story about an intelligent civilization of tiny beings living on the surface of a neutron star).
• The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five by Doris Lessing (a dystopia exploring interpersonal relationships in a rigid and stratified society).
• The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe (which is the first volume of the “Book of the New Sun” series, a masterpiece of science fiction dark fantasy that takes you on a dark and complex journey).
• And why not, one might also remember The Brave Little Toaster (novel) by Thomas M. Disch, Deathwing Over Veynaa by Alan Dean Foster, Good News (novel) by Mary Doria Russell, The Keeper of the Isis Light by James Schmitz, Lord Valentine’s Castle by Robert Silverberg.

So, one can “discuss” a kind of passage, or transition in the next decade, with “general” manifestations that continue the already known “lines” (approach, chiseled, but with some more or less memorable “additions”, adding “new layers of complexity”), reflecting both past influences and anticipating future trends.

Thus one can reach a kind of conclusion about the general theme that dominated this year in science fiction literature and cinematography, which is “marked” by:

• Time travel (fascination with time manipulation continued to be a popular theme, exploring both the consequences of time paradoxes and the possibility of changing the past).
• Artificial intelligence and robots (based on the “technological boom” of the times, questions about the nature of intelligence and the relationship between man and machine have become increasingly pressing, with many sci-fi works exploring topics such as artificial consciousness, robot uprisings, and the impact of AI on society).
• Space colonization (the dream of conquering space and finding new worlds remained a central theme, but the focus shifted beyond simple space adventures, exploring the social and political aspects of colonization).
• Dystopias and totalitarian societies (anxieties about the future have led to an increase in interest in dystopian scenarios, where technology and political power are used to control and suppress the population).
• Confrontation with extraterrestrials (contact with extraterrestrial civilizations remained a popular theme, but approaches became more complex, exploring both the possibility of friendship and conflict with other life forms).
• Ecology and climate change (in the context of increasing awareness of environmental issues, some sci-fi works have begun to explore the consequences of human activity on the planet and possible catastrophic scenarios).

So science fiction in the 1980s offered a complex and multifaceted picture of the future, reflecting both the hopes and aspirations of humanity, as well as the fears and uncertainties, by exploring themes such as technology, society, ethics, and the environment, these works helping to shape the perception our future and have influenced generations of creators and readers.

“Inspiration” will bring, in a short time, manifestations such as the evolution of the Star Trek franchise, from the exploration of space to the approach of more complex themes such as interspecies relations, the identity, and nature of humanity, or the emergence of themes.

Or the debate-like manifestation of AI, via the Terminator franchise (which will explore in detail the concept of artificial intelligence and the war between humans and machines), or the “debates” of “Blade Runner”, “RoboCop”, etc.

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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