vintage
Vintage articles and footage from the science fiction archives.
Scientific Romances in the Atomic Age
The resolution to the War in the Pacific in 1945 threw a wholly new anxiety onto the shoulders of the world: the heretofore impossible spectre of actual global annihilation. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki culminated a trend begun with The Great War. In that first conflict, the "Christian Century" of infinite moral progress was crushed beneath the violence of technological warfare predicted by the likes of H.G. Wells, George Tomkyns Chesney, and the other 19th century writers of doomsday invasion stories. Often they predicted an apocalyptic outcome to the oncoming war, but humanity's execution was blessedly stayed in 1919. Even with advances in tank, aeroplane and explosive technologies, truly obliterating humanity was beyond humanity's power.
By Cory Gross9 years ago in Futurism
Reviewing 'The Guccione Collection' OMNI Magazine Auction
Bob Guccione was more than just the founder of OMNI magazine, beyond this, he was an artist and lover of all things science fiction and art. He collected a variety of pieces from some of the world's most renowned artists; names like H.R. Giger, Stanislaw Fernandes, and Jim Burns. Thanks to his love of sci-fi art and his celebrity status, Guccione was able to commission some of the most recognized science fiction artists to create pieces that were later featured in various OMNI magazine issues. Thanks to a partnership with EBTH, you can now own a piece of the Bob Guccione OMNI magazine collection.
By George Gott9 years ago in Futurism
Time Traveling Views from Stars
The White Queen in Through the Looking Glass made a regular morning habit of believing at least six impossible things before breakfast. There is one thing that simply cannot be done. It is impossible to travel backward in time. I have absolutely no faith that we might be able to transport ourselves back to the Crusades, the Ice Age, or even earlier I do not doubt that Einstein's relativistic time-dilation effect is valid; but that is a different thing.
By Conrad Morningstar9 years ago in Futurism
Irving Wallace Predictions of That Came True
Irving Wallace is a name from the past. If you are a Gen-X kid, you may have grown up in a world where every bathroom featured The Book of Lists, Wallace’s book (with kids Amy Wallace and David Wallechinsky—he had to take the old man’s Ellis Island name, huh?) that updated to The Guinness Book of World Records in the hip 70s. Why, just yesterday, before I wrote this article, I posted for friends Irving Wallace’s mind-blowing 1972 movie The Man, in which a fateful plane accident causes president pro tempore of the Senate James Earl Jones to become the President. A black President?! 1972 America’s collective mind is blown. Halfway between the Dr. Strangelove airplane and Darth Vader, JEJ is, of course, a magnificent voice and a majestic avatar of human dignity. Burgess Meredith—you know, Rocky’s trainer—plays the evil sculduggerous Southern teabagger who plots President Vader’s ruin.
By Matthew Wilder9 years ago in Futurism
Franz von Paula Gruithuisen's Venus Science Fiction
The fascinating story of Franz von Paula Gruithuisen, a German astronomer who became prominent early in the nineteenth century, has inspired sci-fi writers to ponder exploring distant worlds like Mars and Venus. His attempts at explaining the wonders of space were filled with promise of mystery and awe. He was a fairly good observer who concentrated on the moon and the planets, but his imagination was, somewhat vivid. For instance, he discovered what he believed to be an artificial structure on the moon and described it as a collection of dark, gigantic artistic ramparts.
By Izzy Erlich9 years ago in Futurism
The Mightiest Motion Picture of Them All
After several years of production, design and location shooting, Walt Disney released his first Hollywood produced live-action motion picture in 1954. If the advertising was to be believed, it was in fact the mightiest motion picture of them all. Considering that the film was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this is a credible claim.
By Cory Gross9 years ago in Futurism
Interview With Ralph Barnaby
In October of 1910, when he was just 17 years old, Ralph Stanton Barnaby played hooky from high school and went to the Second International Gordon Bennett Air Race at Belmont Park, Long Island. His older brother was at the park, working on the engine of one of the planes entered in the race. The plane was the Baby Grand–owned and designed by Wilbur and Orville Wright. For a week before the race, young Ralph helped his brother and the Wrights put the final touches on Baby Grand.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
To Preserve a Demon
Writer/editor Jason Davis has a special ambition -- to catalog, digitize, edit, correct, annotate and re-publish (or publish for the first time, in some cases) all of Harlan Ellison's writings. Twenty-six four-foot-wide drawers of typescripts, over 100 feet of paper if stacked, the lifework of a man who is easily one of the most influential and cantankerous authors of the 20th century. Jason is spearheading the Harlan Ellison Books Preservation Project, a grand undertaking "To create definitive versions of all Harlan Ellison's writings, fiction and non-fiction, to preserve in print for posterity."
By Joshua Sky9 years ago in Futurism
Behind the Scenes of 'Star Wars'
Carrie Fisher is the beautiful Princess Leia, the woman who inspires the rebellion against the evil Galactic Empire. Carrie is the main female in the Star Wars movies up until A New Hope, where she still maintains her presence. When Star Wars was first released, this was quite an achievement. In the previous two biggest-ever money-making films of the 70s, The Godfather and Jaws, women had very little to say about things. But in Star Wars Carrie, tough-willed and rarin' to go, is right in there with the men. In February 1978, Fisher and some other Star Wars fan favorites sat down with Roy Pickard of PhotoPlay magazine to discuss their experience on the set of the well-known space opera.
By James Lizowski9 years ago in Futurism
Greatest Sci-Fi Artists of All Time
When engaged with science fiction as a genre, we are transported by the visual work of great sci-fi artists. Without their work in bringing books to life, and making films a reality, the science fiction world would be impoverished. While literature provides us with the opportunity to imagine science fiction worlds on our own, the work of artists allows us to share that vision with other fans and those outside the genre. Science fiction owes a great debt to the greatest sci-fi artists of all time.
By James Lizowski9 years ago in Futurism
Must See Episodes of 'The Twilight Zone'
If you have never seen an episode of The Twilight Zone, then you cannot call yourself a true fan of television. The Twilight Zone is always among the top of any credible list of the best television shows in history. Created by Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone has 156 self contained stories that stick with an audience in a way no other show does. Some Twilight Zone episodes are great because of how creepy they are, while some episodes are great because of the powerful moral lessons they teach. While I recommend you watch the whole show, here are the best episodes of The Twilight Zone. Luckily they are all available on Amazon Prime and Hulu.
By Jason Schwartz9 years ago in Futurism
Universe Collecting
“People still read books! This generation has hope!” – Harlan Ellison I love science fiction because I collect universes. Each novel, each story, is another world unto itself. I started collecting, or hoarding, as some family members might call it, when I was ten years old.
By Joshua Sky9 years ago in Futurism
