Science-Fiction Classics: The Stories That Morphed Into Movies

Science-Fiction Classics: The Stories That Morphed Into Movies
Though it is rich with Twilight Zone-esque images, sexual and racial stereotypes, and charmingly transparent plots, this anthology is surprisingly refreshing. After a full decade of cybermania and nanotech angst, Science Fiction Classics offers a trip through time to a more innocent, earnest age. It's amusing to see how mistrusting of science our forefathers were, even as they embraced it; but it's even more interesting to examine the roots of today's SF and wonder where the next generation will go with it. Science Fiction Classics allows us to graph science fiction's various incarnations--from dark, paranoid horror stories; drippy fairytales; and florid, pulpy SF to the more modern character-driven sagas; huge-scale space operas; and the aggro-techno seizures of the '90s. With few exceptions--one of which is "Farewell to the Master" on which The Day the Earth Stood Still is based--these stories are not works of art. In fact, some of them are downright hard to get through. What they are is a loosely focused prism through which we can examine the genesis of a genre. --Jhana Bach
Customer Review: Science fiction
This book has the original stories from which many of my favorite sci-fi movies from my youth were made. It's interesting to see how the stories were changed for the movies. In some cases they seem like totally different stories. The movies actually improved some of them. Most are grade B movies, but entertaining nonetheless.
Customer Review: Treasure trove for sci-fi buffs
I ordered this book, hoping it included EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING by Ray Nelson (basis for THEY LIVE). It does! The surprise is the other selections included, among which are the stories that inspired such films as, THIS ISLAND EARTH, THE THING , DEATH RACE 2000, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, and INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN. I especially recommend "The Alien Machine", "The Cosmic Frame", "Who Goes There?", and "The Racer". While none of these tales could be called a masterpiece of the genre, collectively they are a great read. Get this book!