sontag susan 1966 1967 the imagination of disaster

8/22/2019 Sontag Susan 1966 1967 the Imagination of Disaster

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SCIENCEFICTIONA

COLLECTION

OF

CRITICAL

ESSAYS

EditedbyMarkRose

Scanned & Proofed By MadMaxAU

****


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ContentsIntroduction

byMarkRose

1.BackgroundsStartingPoints

byKingsleyAmis

ScienceFictionandLiterature

byRobert

Conquest

TheRootsofScienceFiction

byRobertScholes

2.TheoryOnthePoeticsoftheScienceFictionGenre

byDarkoSuvin

TheTimeTravelStoryandRelatedMattersofSFStructuring

byStanislawLem

GenreCriticism:

ScienceFictionandtheFantastic

byEricS.Rabkin

3.Approaches

OnScienceFiction

byC.S.Lewis

TheImaginationofDisaster

bySusanSontag


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HowtoPlayUtopia:

SomeBriefNotesontheDistinctivenessofUtopianFiction

byMichaelHolquist

TheApocalypticImagination,ScienceFiction,andAmerican

Literature

byDavidKetterer

ScienceFictionandtheFuture

byJohnHuntington

NotesontheEditorandContributors

SelectedBibliography

****


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TheImaginationofDisasterby

Susan

Sontag

1

ThetypicalsciencefictionfilmhasaformaspredictableasaWestern,and

ismadeupofelementswhich,toapracticedeye,areasclassicasthesaloon

brawl,theblondeschoolteacherfromtheEast,andthegunduelonthedeserted

mainstreet.

Onemodelscenarioproceedsthroughfivephases.

(1)Thearrivalofthething.(Emergenceofthemonsters,landingofthe

alienspaceship,etc.)Thisisusuallywitnessedorsuspectedbyjustoneperson,a

youngscientistonafieldtrip.Nobody,neitherhisneighborsnorhiscolleagues,

willbelievehimforsometime.Theheroisnotmarried,buthasasympathetic

thoughalsoincredulousgirlfriend.

(2)Confirmationoftheherosreportbyahostofwitnessestoagreatactof

destruction.(Iftheinvadersarebeingsfromanotherplanet,afruitlessattemptto

parleywith

them

and

get

them

to

leave

peacefully.)

The

local

police

are

summonedtodealwiththesituationandmassacred.

(3)Inthecapitalofthecountry,conferencesbetweenscientistsandthe

militarytakeplace,withtheherolecturingbeforeachart,map,orblackboard.A

nationalemergencyisdeclared.Reportsoffurtherdestruction.Authoritiesfrom

othercountriesarriveinblacklimousines.Allinternationaltensionsare

suspendedinviewoftheplanetaryemergency.Thisstageoftenincludesarapid

montageofnewsbroadcastsinvariouslanguages,ameetingattheUN,andmore

conferencesbetween

the

military

and

the

scientists.

Plans

are

made

for

destroyingtheenemy.

1TheImaginationofDisasterbySusanSontag.FromAgainstInterpretationbySusanSontag(NewYork:Farrar,

Straus&Giroux,1966),pp.20925.Copyright1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966bySusanSontag.Reprinted

withthepermissionofFarrar,Straus&Giroux,Inc.


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(4)Furtheratrocities.Atsomepointtheherosgirlfriendisingravedanger.

Massivecounterattacksbyinternationalforces,withbrilliantdisplaysofrocketry,

rays,andotheradvancedweapons,areallunsuccessful.Enormousmilitary

casualties,usuallybyincineration.Citiesaredestroyedand/orevacuated.Thereis

anobligatory

scene

here

of

panicked

crowds

stampeding

along

ahighway

or

abig

bridge,beingwavedonbynumerouspolicemenwho,ifthefilmisJapanese,are

immaculatelywhitegloved,preternaturallycalm,andcalloutindubbedEnglish,

Keepmoving.Thereisnoneedtobealarmed.

(5)Moreconferences,whosemotifis:Theymustbevulnerableto

something.Throughouttheherohasbeenworkinginhislabtothisend.The

finalstrategy,uponwhichallhopesdepend,isdrawnup;theultimateweapon

oftenasuperpowerful,asyetuntested,nucleardeviceismounted.Countdown.

Finalrepulse

of

the

monster

or

invaders.

Mutual

congratulations,

while

the

hero

andgirlfriendembracecheektocheekandscantheskiessturdily.Buthavewe

seenthelastofthem?

****

ThefilmIhavejustdescribedshouldbeinTechnicolorandonawidescreen.

Anothertypicalscenario,whichfollows,issimplerandsuitedtoblackandwhite

filmswithalowerbudget.Ithasfourphases.

(1)Thehero(usually,butnotalways,ascientist)andhisgirlfriend,orhis

wifeandtwochildren,aredisportingthemselvesinsomeinnocentultranormal

middleclasssurroundingstheirhouseinasmalltown,oronvacation(camping,

boating).Suddenly,someonestartsbehavingstrangely;orsomeinnocentformof

vegetationbecomesmonstrouslyenlargedandambulatory.Ifacharacteris

pictureddrivinganautomobile,somethinggruesomeloomsupinthemiddleof

theroad.Ifitisnight,strangelightshurtleacrossthesky.

(2)After

following

the

things

tracks,

or

determining

that

It

is

radioactive,

or

pokingaroundahugecraterinshort,conductingsomesortofcrude

investigationtheherotriestowarnthelocalauthorities,withouteffect;nobody

believesanythingisamiss.Theheroknowsbetter.Ifthethingistangible,the

houseiselaboratelybarricaded.Iftheinvadingalienisaninvisibleparasite,a


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doctororfriendiscalledin,whoishimselfratherquicklykilledortaken

possessionofbythething.

(3)Theadviceofwhoeverfurtherisconsultedprovesuseless.Meanwhile,

Itcontinues

to

claim

other

victims

in

the

town,

which

remains

implausibly

isolated

fromtherestoftheworld.Generalhelplessness.

(4)Oneoftwopossibilities.Eithertheheropreparestodobattlealone,

accidentallydiscoversthethingsonevulnerablepoint,anddestroysit.Or,he

somehowmanagestogetoutoftownandsucceedsinlayinghiscasebefore

competentauthorities.They,alongthelinesofthefirstscriptbutabridged,

deployacomplextechnologywhich(afterinitialsetbacks)finallyprevailsagainst

theinvaders.

****

Anotherversionofthesecondscriptopenswiththescientistheroinhis

laboratory,whichislocatedinthebasementoronthegroundsofhistasteful,

prosperoushouse.Throughhisexperiments,heunwittinglycausesafrightful

metamorphosisinsomeclassofplantsoranimalswhichturncarnivorousandgo

onarampage.Orelse,hisexperimentshavecausedhimtobeinjured(sometimes

irrevocably)orinvadedhimself.Perhapshehasbeenexperimentingwith

radiation,or

has

built

amachine

to

communicate

with

beings

from

other

planets

ortransporthimtootherplacesortimes.

Anotherversionofthefirstscriptinvolvesthediscoveryofsome

fundamentalalterationintheconditionsofexistenceofourplanet,brought

aboutbynucleartesting,whichwillleadtotheextinctioninafewmonthsofall

humanlife.Forexample:thetemperatureoftheearthisbecomingtoohighor

toolowtosupportlife,ortheearthiscrackingintwo,oritisgraduallybeing

blanketedbylethalfallout.

Athirdscript,somewhatbutnotaltogetherdifferentfromthefirsttwo,

concernsajourneythroughspacetothemoon,orsomeotherplanet.Whatthe

spacevoyagersdiscovercommonlyisthatthealienterrainisinastateofdire

emergency,itselfthreatenedbyextraplanetaryinvadersornearingextinction

throughthepracticeofnuclearwarfare.Theterminaldramasofthefirstand


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secondscriptsareplayedoutthere,towhichisaddedtheproblemofgetting

awayfromthedoomedand/orhostileplanetandbacktoEarth.

****

Iamaware,ofcourse,thattherearethousandsofsciencefictionnovels(their

heydaywasthelate1940s),nottomentionthetranscriptionsofsciencefiction

themeswhich,moreandmore,providetheprincipalsubjectmatterofcomic

books.ButIproposetodiscusssciencefictionfilms(thepresentperiodbeganin

1950andcontinues,considerablyabated,tothisday)asanindependent

subgenre,withoutreferencetoothermediaand,mostparticularly,without

referencetothenovelsfromwhich,inmanycases,theywereadapted.For,while

novelandfilmmaysharethesameplot,thefundamentaldifferencebetweenthe

resourcesof

the

novel

and

the

film

makes

them

quite

dissimilar.

Certainly,comparedwiththesciencefictionnovels,theirfilmcounterparts

haveuniquestrengths,oneofwhichistheimmediaterepresentationofthe

extraordinary:physicaldeformityandmutation,missileandrocketcombat,

topplingskyscrapers.Themoviesare,naturally,weakjustwherethescience

fictionnovels(someofthem)arestrongonscience.Butinplaceofanintellectual

workout,theycansupplysomethingthenovelscanneverprovide sensuous

elaboration.Inthefilmsitisbymeansofimagesandsounds,notwordsthathave

tobe

translated

by

the

imagination,

that

one

can

participate

in

the

fantasy

of

livingthroughonesowndeathandmore,thedeathofcities,thedestructionof

humanityitself.

Sciencefictionfilmsarenotaboutscience.Theyareaboutdisaster,whichis

oneoftheoldestsubjectsofart.Insciencefictionfilmsdisasterisrarelyviewed

intensively;itisalwaysextensive.Itisamatterofquantityandingenuity.Ifyou

will,itisaquestionofscale.Butthescale,particularlyinthewidescreen

Technicolorfilms(ofwhichtheonesbytheJapanesedirectorInoshiroHondaand

theAmerican

director

George

Pal

are

technically

the

most

convincing

and

visually

themostexciting),doesraisethemattertoanotherlevel.

Thus,thesciencefictionfilm(likethatofaverydifferentcontemporary

genre,theHappening)isconcernedwiththeaestheticsofdestruction,withthe

peculiarbeautiestobefoundinwreakinghavoc,makingamess.Anditisinthe


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imageryofdestructionthatthecoreofagoodsciencefictionfilmlies.Hence,the

disadvantageofthecheapfilminwhichthemonsterappearsortherocketlands

inasmalldulllookingtown.(Hollywoodbudgetneedsusuallydictatethatthe

townbeintheArizonaorCaliforniadesert.InTheThingFromAnotherWorld

[1951]the

rather

sleazy

and

confined

set

is

supposed

to

be

an

encampment

near

theNorthPole.)Still,goodblackandwhitesciencefictionfilmshavebeenmade.

Butabiggerbudget,whichusuallymeansTechnicolor,allowsamuchgreaterplay

backandforthamongseveralmodelenvironments.Thereisthepopulouscity.

Thereisthelavishbutasceticinteriorofthespaceshipeithertheinvadersor

oursrepletewithstreamlinedchromiumfixturesanddialsandmachineswhose

complexityisindicatedbythenumberofcoloredlightstheyflashandstrange

noisestheyemit.Thereisthelaboratorycrowdedwithformidableboxesand

scientificapparatus.Thereisacomparativelyoldfashionedlookingconference

room,where

the

scientists

unfurl

charts

to

explain

the

desperate

state

of

things

tothemilitary.Andeachofthesestandardlocalesorbackgroundsissubjectto

twomodalitiesintactanddestroyed.Wemay,ifwearelucky,betreatedtoa

panoramaofmeltingtanks,flyingbodies,crashingwalls,awesomecratersand

fissuresintheearth,plummetingspacecraft,colorfuldeadlyrays;andtoa

symphonyofscreams,weirdelectronicsignals,thenoisiestmilitaryhardware

going,andtheleadentonesofthelaconicdenizensofalienplanetsandtheir

subjugatedearthlings.

Certainof

the

primitive

gratifications

of

science

fiction

films

for

instance,

thedepictionofurbandisasteronacolossallymagnifiedscalearesharedwith

othertypesoffilms.Visuallythereislittledifferencebetweenmasshavocas

representedintheoldhorrorandmonsterfilmsandwhatwefindinscience

fictionfilms,except(again)scale.Intheoldmonsterfilms,themonsteralways

headedforthegreatcity,wherehehadtodoafairbitoframpaging,hurling

bussesoffbridges,crumplingtrainsinhisbarehands,topplingbuildings,andso

forth.ThearchetypeisKingKong,inSchoedsacksgreatfilmof1933,running

amok,firstintheAfricanvillage(tramplingbabies,abitoffootageexcisedfrom

mostprints),

then

in

New

York.

This

is

really

no

different

in

spirit

from

the

scene

inInoshiroHondasRodan(1957)inwhichtwogiantreptileswithawingspanof

500feetandsupersonicspeedsbyflappingtheirwingswhipupacyclonethat

blowsmostofTokyotosmithereens.OrthedestructionofhalfofJapanbythe

giganticrobotwiththegreatincineratingraythatshootsforthfromhiseyes,at

thebeginningofHondasTheMysterians(1959).Or,thedevastationbytherays


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fromafleetofflyingsaucersofNewYork,Paris,andTokyo,inBattleinOuter

Space(1960).Or,theinundationofNewYorkinWhenWorldsCollide(1951).Or,

theendofLondonin1966depictedinGeorgePalsTheTimeMachine(i960).

Neitherdothesesequencesdifferinaestheticintentionfromthedestruction

scenesin

the

big

sword,

sandal,

and

orgy

color

spectaculars

set

in

Biblical

and

RomantimestheendofSodominAldrichsSodomandGomorrah,ofGazainDe

MillesSamsonandDelilah,ofRhodesinTheColossusofRhodes,andofRomeina

dozenNeromovies.GriffithbeganitwiththeBabylonsequenceinIntolerance,

andtothisdaythereisnothinglikethethrillofwatchingallthoseexpensivesets

cometumblingdown.

Inotherrespectsaswell,thesciencefictionfilmsofthe1950stakeup

familiarthemes.Thefamous1930smovieserialsandcomicsoftheadventuresof

FlashGordon

and

Buck

Rogers,

as

well

as

the

more

recent

spate

of

comic

book

superheroeswithextraterrestrialorigins(themostfamousisSuperman,a

foundlingfromtheplanetKrypton,currentlydescribedashavingbeenexploded

byanuclearblast),sharemotifswithmorerecentsciencefictionmovies.But

thereisanimportantdifference.Theoldsciencefictionfilms,andmostofthe

comics,stillhaveanessentiallyinnocentrelationtodisaster.Mainlytheyoffer

newversionsoftheoldestromanceofallofthestronginvulnerableherowitha

mysteriouslineagecometodobattleonbehalfofgoodandagainstevil.Recent

sciencefictionfilmshaveadecidedgrimness,bolsteredbytheirmuchgreater

degreeof

visual

credibility,

which

contrasts

strongly

with

the

older

films.

Modern

historicalrealityhasgreatlyenlargedtheimaginationofdisaster,andthe

protagonistsperhapsbytheverynatureofwhatisvisiteduponthemnolonger

seemwhollyinnocent.

Thelureofsuchgeneralizeddisasterasafantasyisthatitreleasesone

fromnormalobligations.ThetrumpcardoftheendoftheworldmovieslikeThe

DaytheEarthCaughtFire(1962)isthatgreatscenewithNewYorkorLondonor

Tokyodiscoveredempty,itsentirepopulationannihilated.Or,asinTheWorld,

TheFlesh,

and

The

Devil

(1957),

the

whole

movie

can

be

devoted

to

the

fantasy

of

occupyingthedesertedmetropolisandstartingalloveragain,aworldRobinson

Crusoe.

Anotherkindofsatisfactionthesefilmssupplyisextrememoral

simplificationthatistosay,amorallyacceptablefantasywhereonecangive


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outlettocrueloratleastamoralfeelings.Inthisrespect,sciencefictionfilms

partlyoverlapwithhorrorfilms.Thisistheundeniablepleasurewederivefrom

lookingatfreaks,beingsexcludedfromthecategoryofthehuman.Thesenseof

superiorityoverthefreakconjoinedinvaryingproportionswiththetitillationof

fearand

aversion

makes

it

possible

for

moral

scruples

to

be

lifted,

for

cruelty

to

beenjoyed.Thesamethinghappensinsciencefictionfilms.Inthefigureofthe

monsterfromouterspace,thefreakish,theugly,andthepredatoryallconverge

andprovideafantasytargetforrighteousbellicositytodischargeitself,andfor

theaestheticenjoymentofsufferinganddisaster.Sciencefictionfilmsareoneof

thepurestformsofspectacle;thatis,wearerarelyinsideanyonesfeelings.(An

exceptionisJackArnoldsTheIncredibleShrinkingMan[1957].)Wearemerely

spectators;wewatch.

Butin

science

fiction

films,

unlike

horror

films,

there

is

not

much

horror.

Suspense,shocks,surprisesaremostlyabjuredinfavorofasteady,inexorable

plot.Sciencefictionfilmsinviteadispassionate,aestheticviewofdestructionand

violenceatechnologicalview.Things,objects,machineryplayamajorrolein

thesefilms.Agreaterrangeofethicalvaluesisembodiedinthedecorofthese

filmsthaninthepeople.Things,ratherthanthehelplesshumans,arethelocusof

valuesbecauseweexperiencethem,ratherthanpeople,asthesourcesofpower.

Accordingtosciencefictionfilms,manisnakedwithouthisartifacts.Theystand

fordifferentvalues,theyarepotent,theyarewhatgetdestroyed,andtheyare

theindispensable

tools

for

the

repulse

of

the

alien

invaders

or

the

repair

of

the

damagedenvironment.

****

Thesciencefictionfilmsarestronglymoralistic.Thestandardmessageistheone

abouttheproper,orhumane,useofscience,versusthemad,obsessionaluseof

science.Thismessagethesciencefictionfilmsshareincommonwiththeclassic

horrorfilmsofthe1930s,likeFrankenstein,TheMummy,IslandofLostSouls,Dr.

Jekylland

Mr.

Hyde.

(George

Franjus

brilliant

Les

Yeux

Sans

Visage

[1959],

called

hereTheHorrorChamberofDoctorFaustus,isamorerecentexample.)Inthe

horrorfilms,wehavethemadorobsessedormisguidedscientistwhopursueshis

experimentsagainstgoodadvicetothecontrary,createsamonsterormonsters,

andishimselfdestroyedoftenrecognizinghisfollyhimself,anddyinginthe

successfulefforttodestroyhisowncreation.Onesciencefictionequivalentof


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thisisthescientist,usuallyamemberofateam,whodefectstotheplanetary

invadersbecausetheirscienceismoreadvancedthanours.

ThisisthecaseinTheMysterians,and,truetoform,therenegadeseeshis

errorin

the

end,

and

from

within

the

Mysterian

space

ship

destroys

it

and

himself.InThisIslandEarth(1955),theinhabitantsofthebeleagueredplanet

Metalunaproposetoconquerearth,buttheirprojectisfoiledbyaMetalunan

scientistnamedExeterwho,havinglivedonearthawhileandlearnedtolove

Mozart,cannotabidesuchviciousness.Exeterplungeshisspaceshipintothe

oceanafterreturningaglamorouspair(maleandfemale)ofAmericanphysicists

toearth.Metalunadies.InTheFly(1958),thehero,engrossedinhisbasement

laboratoryexperimentsonamattertransmittingmachine,useshimselfasa

subject,exchangesheadandonearmwithahouseflywhichhadaccidentally

gotteninto

the

machine,

becomes

amonster,

and

with

his

last

shred

of

human

willdestroyshislaboratoryandordershiswifetokillhim.Hisdiscovery,forthe

goodofmankind,islost.

Beingaclearlylabeledspeciesofintellectual,scientistsinsciencefiction

filmsarealwaysliabletocrackuporgooffthedeepend.InConquestofSpace

(1955),thescientistcommanderofaninternationalexpeditiontoMarssuddenly

acquiresscruplesabouttheblasphemyinvolvedintheundertaking,andbegins

readingtheBiblemidjourneyinsteadofattendingtohisduties.The

commandersson,

who

is

his

junior

officer

and

always

addresses

his

father

as

General,isforcedtokilltheoldmanwhenhetriestopreventtheshipfrom

landingonMars.Inthisfilm,bothsidesoftheambivalencetowardscientistsare

givenvoice.Generally,forascientificenterprisetobetreatedentirely

sympatheticallyinthesefilms,itneedsthecertificateofutility.Science,viewed

withoutambivalence,meansanefficaciousresponsetodanger.Disinterested

intellectualcuriosityrarelyappearsinanyformotherthancaricature,asa

maniacaldementiathatcutsoneofffromnormalhumanrelations.Butthis

suspicionisusuallydirectedatthescientistratherthanhiswork.Thecreative

scientistmay

become

amartyr

to

his

own

discovery,

through

an

accident

or

by

pushingthingstoofar.Buttheimplicationremainsthatothermen,less

imaginativeinshort,technicianscouldhaveadministeredthesamediscovery

betterandmoresafely.Themostingrainedcontemporarymistrustoftheintellect

isvisited,inthesemovies,uponthescientistasintellectual.


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Themessagethatthescientistisonewhoreleasesforceswhich,ifnot

controlledforgood,coulddestroymanhimselfseemsinnocuousenough.Oneof

theoldestimagesofthescientistisShakespearesProspero,theoverdetached

scholarforciblyretiredfromsocietytoadesertisland,onlypartlyincontrolofthe

magicforces

in

which

he

dabbles.

Equally

classic

is

the

figure

of

the

scientist

as

satanist(DoctorFaustus,andstoriesofPoeandHawthorne).Scienceismagic,and

manhasalwaysknownthatthereisblackmagicaswellaswhite.Butitisnot

enoughtoremarkthatcontemporaryattitudes asreflectedinsciencefiction

filmsremainambivalent,thatthescientististreatedasbothsatanistandsavior.

Theproportionshavechanged,becauseofthenewcontextinwhichtheold

admirationandfearofthescientistarelocated.Forhissphereofinfluenceisno

longerlocal,himselforhisimmediatecommunity.Itisplanetary,cosmic.

****

Onegetsthefeeling,particularlyintheJapanesefilmsbutnotonlythere,thata

masstraumaexistsovertheuseofnuclearweaponsandthepossibilityoffuture

nuclearwars.Mostofthesciencefictionfilmsbearwitnesstothistrauma,and,in

away,attempttoexorciseit.

Theaccidentalawakeningofthesuperdestructivemonsterwhohasslept

intheearthsinceprehistoryis,often,anobviousmetaphorfortheBomb.But

thereare

many

explicit

references

as

well.

In

The

Mysterians,

aprobe

ship

from

theplanetMysteroidhaslandedonearth,nearTokyo.Nuclearwarfarehaving

beenpracticedonMysteroidforcenturies(theircivilizationismoreadvanced

thanours),ninetypercentofthosenowbornontheplanethavetobedestroyed

atbirth,becauseofdefectscausedbythehugeamountsofStrontium90intheir

diet.TheMysterianshavecometoearthtomarryearthwomen,andpossiblyto

takeoverourrelativelyuncontaminatedplanetInTheIncredibleShrinkingMan,

theJohnDoeheroisthevictimofagustofradiationwhichblowsoverthewater,

whileheisoutboatingwithhiswife;theradiationcauseshimtogrowsmallerand

smaller,until

at

the

end

of

the

movie

he

steps

through

the

fine

mesh

of

awindow

screentobecometheinfinitelysmall.InRodan,ahordeofmonstrous

carnivorousprehistoricinsects,andfinallyapairofgiantflyingreptiles(the

prehistoricArcheopteryx),arehatchedfromdormanteggsinthedepthsofamine

shaftbytheimpactofnucleartestexplosions,andgoontodestroyagoodpartof

theworldbeforetheyarefelledbythemoltenlavaofavolcaniceruptionInthe


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Englishfilm,TheDaytheEarthCaughtFire,twosimultaneoushydrogenbomb

testsbytheUnitedStatesandRussiachangeby11degreesthetiltoftheearthon

itsaxisandaltertheearthsorbitsothatitbeginstoapproachthesun.

Radiationcasualties

ultimately,

the

conception

of

the

whole

world

as

acasualtyofnucleartestingandnuclearwarfareisthemostominousofallthe

notionswithwhichsciencefictionfilmsdeal.Universesbecomeexpendable.

Worldsbecomecontaminated,burntout,exhausted,obsolete.InRocketshipXM

(1950)explorersfromtheearthlandonMars,wheretheylearnthatatomic

warfarehasdestroyedMartiancivilization.InGeorgePalsTheWaroftheWorlds

(1953),reddishspindlyalligatorskinnedcreaturesfromMarsinvadetheearth

becausetheirplanetisbecomingtoocoldtobeinhabitable.InThisIslandEarth,

alsoAmerican,theplanetMetaluna,whosepopulationhaslongagobeendriven

undergroundby

warfare,

is

dying

under

the

missile

attacks

of

an

enemy

planet.

Stocksofuranium,whichpowertheforcefieldshieldingMetaluna,havebeen

usedup;andanunsuccessfulexpeditionissenttoearthtoenlistearthscientists

todevisenewsourcesfornuclearpower.InJosephLoseysTheDamned(1961),

nineicycoldradioactivechildrenarebeingrearedbyafanaticalscientistinadark

caveontheEnglishcoasttobetheonlysurvivorsoftheinevitablenuclear

Armageddon.

****

Thereisavastamountofwishfulthinkinginsciencefictionfilms,someofit

touching,someofitdepressing.Againandagain,onedetectsthehungerfora

goodwar,whichposesnomoralproblems,admitsofnomoralqualifications.

Theimageryofsciencefictionfilmswillsatisfythemostbellicoseaddictofwar

films,foralotofthesatisfactionsofwarfilmspass,untransformed,intoscience

fictionfilms.Examples:thedogfightsbetweenearthfighterrocketsandalien

spacecraftintheBattleofOuterSpace(1959);theescalatingfirepowerinthe

successiveassaultsupontheinvadersinTheMysterians,whichDanTalbot

correctlydescribed

as

anon

stop

holocaust;

the

spectacular

bombardment

of

the

undergroundfortressofMetalunainThisIslandEarth.

Yetatthesametimethebellicosityofsciencefictionfilmsisneatly

channeledintotheyearningforpeace,orforatleastpeacefulcoexistence.Some

scientistgenerallytakessententiousnoteofthefactthatittooktheplanetary


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invasiontomakethewarringnationsoftheearthcometotheirsensesand

suspendtheirownconflicts.Oneofthemainthemesofmanysciencefiction

filmsthecoloronesusually,becausetheyhavethebudgetandresourcesto

developthemilitaryspectacleisthisUNfantasy,afantasyofunitedwarfare.(The

samewishful

UN

theme

cropped

up

in

arecent

spectacular

which

is

not

science

fiction,FiftyFiveDaysinPeking[1963].There,topicallyenough,theChinese,the

Boxers,playtheroleofMartianinvaderswhounitetheearthmen,inthiscasethe

UnitedStates,England,Russia,France,Germany,Italy,andJapan.)Agreat

enoughdisastercancelsallenmitiesandcallsupontheutmostconcentrationof

earthresources.

Sciencetechnologyisconceivedofasthegreatunifier.Thusthescience

fictionfilmsalsoprojectaUtopianfantasy.IntheclassicmodelsofUtopian

thinkingPlatos

Republic,

Campanellas

City

of

the

Sun,

Mores

Utopia,

Swifts

landoftheHouyhnhnms,VoltairesEldoradosocietyhadworkedoutaperfect

consensus.Inthesesocietiesreasonablenesshadachievedanunbreakable

supremacyovertheemotions.Sincenodisagreementorsocialconflictwas

intellectuallyplausible,nonewaspossible.AsinMelvillesTypee,theyallthink

thesame.Theuniversalruleofreasonmeantuniversalagreement.Itis

interesting,too,thatsocietiesinwhichreasonwaspicturedastotallyascendant

werealsotraditionallypicturedashavinganasceticormateriallyfrugaland

economicallysimplemodeoflife.ButintheUtopianworldcommunityprojected

byscience

fiction

films,

totally

pacified

and

ruled

by

scientific

consensus,

the

demandforsimplicityofmaterialexistencewouldbeabsurd.

****

Yetalongsidethehopefulfantasyofmoralsimplificationandinternationalunity

embodiedinthesciencefictionfilmslurkthedeepestanxietiesabout

contemporaryexistence.IdontmeanonlytheveryrealtraumaoftheBombthat

ithasbeenused,thatthereareenoughnowtokilleveryoneonearthmanytimes

over,that

those

new

bombs

may

very

well

be

used.

Besides

these

new

anxieties

aboutphysicaldisaster,theprospectofuniversalmutilationandeven

annihilation,thesciencefictionfilmsreflectpowerfulanxietiesaboutthe

conditionoftheindividualpsyche.


16/20

Forsciencefictionfilmsmayalsobedescribedasapopularmythologyfor

thecontemporarynegativeimaginationabouttheimpersonal.Theotherworld

creaturesthatseektotakeusoverareanit,notathey.Theplanetary

invadersareusuallyzombielike.Theirmovementsareeithercool,mechanical,or

lumbering,blobby.

But

it

amounts

to

the

same

thing.

If

they

are

non

human

in

form,theyproceedwithanabsolutelyregular,unalterablemovement

(unalterablesavebydestruction).Iftheyarehumaninformdressedinspace

suits,etc.thentheyobeythemostrigidmilitarydiscipline,anddisplayno

personalcharacteristicswhatsoever.Anditisthisregimeofemotionlessness,of

impersonality,ofregimentation,whichtheywillimposeontheearthiftheyare

successful.Nomorelove,nomorebeauty,nomorepain,boastsaconverted

earthlinginTheInvasionoftheBodySnatchers(1956).Thehalfearthling,half

alienchildreninTheChildrenoftheDamned(1960)areabsolutelyemotionless,

moveas

agroup

and

understand

each

others

thoughts,

and

are

all

prodigious

intellects.Theyarethewaveofthefuture,maninhisnextstageofdevelopment.

Thesealieninvaderspracticeacrimewhichisworsethanmurder.Theydo

notsimplykilltheperson.Theyobliteratehim.InTheWaroftheWorlds,theray

whichissuesfromtherocketshipdisintegratesallpersonsandobjectsinitspath,

leavingnotraceofthembutalightash.InHondasTheHMan(1959),the

creepingblobmeltsallfleshwithwhichitcomesincontact.Iftheblob,which

lookslikeahugehunkofredjelloandcancrawlacrossfloorsandupanddown

walls,so

much

as

touches

your

bare

foot,

all

that

is

left

of

you

is

aheap

of

clothes

onthefloor.(Amorearticulated,sizemultiplyingblobisthevillainintheEnglish

filmTheCreepingUnknown[1956].)Inanotherversionofthisfantasy,thebodyis

preservedbutthepersonisentirelyreconstitutedastheautomatizedservantor

agentofthealienpowers.Thisis,ofcourse,thevampirefantasyinnewdress.

Thepersonisreallydead,buthedoesntknowit.Heisundead,hehasbecome

anunperson.IthappenstoawholeCaliforniatowninTheInvasionoftheBody

Snatchers,toseveralearthscientistsinThisIslandEarth,andtoassorted

innocentsinItCameFromOuterSpace,AttackofthePuppetPeople(1958),and

TheBrain

Eaters

(1958).

As

the

victim

always

backs

away

from

the

vampires

horrifyingembrace,soinsciencefictionfilmsthepersonalwaysfightsbeing

takenover;hewantstoretainhishumanity.Butoncethedeedhasbeendone,

thevictimiseminentlysatisfiedwithhiscondition.Hehasnotbeenconverted

fromhumanamiabilitytomonstrousanimalbloodlust(ametaphoric

exaggerationofsexualdesire),asintheoldvampirefantasy.No,hehassimply


17/20

becomefarmoreefficienttheverymodeloftechnocraticman,purgedof

emotions,volitionless,tranquil,obedienttoallorders.(Thedarksecretbehind

humannatureusedtobetheupsurgeoftheanimalasinKingKong.Thethreatto

man,hisavailabilitytodehumanization,layinhisownanimality.Nowthedanger

isunderstood

as

residing

in

mans

ability

to

be

turned

into

amachine.)

Therule,ofcourse,isthatthishorribleandirremediableformofmurder

canstrikeanyoneinthefilmexceptthehero.Theheroandhisfamily,while

greatlythreatened,alwaysescapethisfateandbytheendofthefilmtheinvaders

havebeenrepulsedordestroyed.Iknowofonlyoneexception,TheDayThat

MarsInvadedEarth(1963),inwhichafterallthestandardstrugglesthescientist

hero,hiswife,andtheirtwochildrenaretakenoverbythealieninvadersand

thatsthat.(Thelastminutesofthefilmshowthembeingincineratedbythe

Martiansrays

and

their

ash

silhouettes

flushed

down

their

empty

swimming

pool,whiletheirsimulacradriveoffinthefamilycar.)Anothervariantbutupbeat

switchontheruleoccursinTheCreationoftheHumanoids(1964),wherethe

herodiscoversattheendofthefilmthathe,too,hasbeenturnedintoametal

robot,completewithhighlyefficientandvirtuallyindestructiblemechanical

insides,althoughhedidntknowitanddetectednodifferenceinhimself.He

learns,however,thathewillshortlybeupgradedintoahumanoidhavingallthe

propertiesofarealman.

Ofall

the

standard

motifs

of

science

fiction

films,

this

theme

of

dehumanizationisperhapsthemostfascinating.For,asIhaveindicated,itis

scarcelyablackandwhitesituation,asintheoldvampirefilms.Theattitudeof

thesciencefictionfilmstowarddepersonalizationismixed.Ontheonehand,they

deploreitastheultimatehorror.Ontheotherhand,certaincharacteristicsofthe

dehumanizedinvaders,modulatedanddisguisedsuchastheascendancyof

reasonoverfeelings,theidealizationofteamworkandtheconsensuscreating

activitiesofscience,amarkeddegreeofmoralsimplificationarepreciselytraitsof

thesaviorscientist.Itisinterestingthatwhenthescientistinthesefilmsis

treatednegatively,

it

is

usually

done

through

the

portrayal

of

an

individual

scientistwhoholesupinhislaboratoryandneglectshisfianceorhislovingwife

andchildren,obsessedbyhisdaringanddangerousexperiments.Thescientistas

aloyalmemberofateam,andthereforeconsiderablylessindividualized,is

treatedquiterespectfully.


18/20

Thereisabsolutelynosocialcriticism,ofeventhemostimplicitkind,in

sciencefictionfilms.Nocriticism,forexample,oftheconditionsofoursociety

whichcreatetheimpersonalityanddehumanizationwhichsciencefiction

fantasiesdisplaceontotheinfluenceofanalienIt.Also,thenotionofscienceasa

socialactivity,

interlocking

with

social

and

political

interests,

is

unacknowledged.

Scienceissimplyeitheradventure(forgoodorevil)oratechnicalresponseto

danger.And,typically,whenthefearofscienceisparamountwhenscienceis

conceivedofasblackmagicratherthanwhitetheevilhasnoattributionbeyond

thatoftheperversewillofanindividualscientist.Insciencefictionfilmsthe

antithesisofblackmagicandwhiteisdrawnasasplitbetweentechnology,which

isbeneficent,andtheerrantindividualwillofaloneintellectual.

Thus,sciencefictionfilmscanbelookedatasthematicallycentralallegory,

repletewith

standard

modern

attitudes.

The

theme

of

depersonalization

(being

takenover)whichIhavebeentalkingaboutisanewallegoryreflectingtheage

oldawarenessofmanthat,sane,heisalwaysperilouslyclosetoinsanityand

unreason.Butthereissomethingmoreherethanjustarecent,popularimage

whichexpressesmansperennial,butlargelyunconscious,anxietyabouthis

sanity.Theimagederivesmostofitspowerfromasupplementaryandhistorical

anxiety,alsonotexperiencedconsciouslybymostpeople,aboutthe

depersonalizingconditionsofmodernurbanlife.Similarly,itisnotenoughtonote

thatsciencefictionallegoriesareoneofthenewmythsaboutthatis,oneofthe

waysof

accommodating

to

and

negating

the

perennial

human

anxiety

about

death.(Mythsofheavenandhell,andofghosts,hadthesamefunction.)For,

again,thereisahistoricallyspecifiabletwistwhichintensifiestheanxiety.Imean,

thetraumasufferedbyeveryoneinthemiddleofthe20thcenturywhenit

becameclearthat,fromnowontotheendofhumanhistory,everypersonwould

spendhisindividuallifeunderthethreatnotonlyofindividualdeath,whichis

certain,butofsomethingalmostinsupportablepsychologicallycollective

incinerationandextinctionwhichcouldcomeatanytime,virtuallywithout

warning.

Fromapsychologicalpointofview,theimaginationofdisasterdoesnot

greatlydifferfromoneperiodinhistorytoanother.Butfromapoliticalandmoral

pointofview,itdoes.Theexpectationoftheapocalypsemaybetheoccasionfor

aradicaldisaffiliationfromsociety,aswhenthousandsofEasternEuropeanJews

inthe17thcentury,hearingthatSabbataiZevihadbeenproclaimedtheMessiah


19/20

andthattheendoftheworldwasimminent,gaveuptheirhomesandbusinesses

andbeganthetrektoPalestine.Butpeopletakethenewsoftheirdoomin

diverseways.Itisreportedthatin1945thepopulaceofBerlinreceivedwithout

greatagitationthenewsthatHitlerhaddecidedtokillthemall,beforetheAllies

arrived,because

they

had

not

been

worthy

enough

to

win

the

war.

We

are,

alas,

moreinthepositionoftheBerlinersof1945thanoftheJewsof17thcentury

EasternEurope;andourresponseisclosertotheirs,too.WhatIamsuggestingis

thattheimageryofdisasterinsciencefictionisabovealltheemblemofan

inadequateresponse.Idontmeantobeardownonthefilmsforthis.They

themselvesareonlyasampling,strippedofsophistication,oftheinadequacyof

mostpeoplesresponsetotheunassimilableterrorsthatinfecttheir

consciousness.Theinterestofthefilms,asidefromtheirconsiderableamountof

cinematiccharm,consistsinthisintersectionbetweenanaiveandlargely

debasedcommercial

art

product

and

the

most

profound

dilemmas

of

the

contemporarysituation.

****

Oursisindeedanageofextremity.Forweliveundercontinualthreatoftwo

equallyfearful,butseeminglyopposed,destinies:unremittingbanalityand

inconceivableterror.Itisfantasy,servedoutinlargerationsbythepopulararts,

whichallowsmostpeopletocopewiththesetwinspecters.Foronejobthat

fantasycan

do

is

to

lift

us

out

of

the

unbearably

humdrum

and

to

distract

us

from

terrorsrealoranticipatedbyanescapeintoexotic,dangeroussituationswhich

havelastminutehappyendings.Butanotherofthethingsthatfantasycandois

tonormalizewhatispsychologicallyunbearable,therebyinuringustoit.Inone

case,fantasybeautifiestheworld.Intheother,itneutralizesit.

Thefantasyinsciencefictionfilmsdoesbothjobs.Thefilmsreflectworld

wideanxieties,andtheyservetoallaythem.Theyinculcateastrangeapathy

concerningtheprocessesofradiation,contamination,anddestructionwhichIfor

onefind

haunting

and

depressing.

The

naive

level

of

the

films

neatly

tempers

the

senseofotherness,ofalienness,withthegrosslyfamiliar.Inparticular,the

dialogueofmostsciencefictionfilms,whichisofamonumentalbutoften

touchingbanality,makesthemwonderfully,unintentionallyfunny.Lineslike

Comequickly,theresamonsterinmybathtub.Wemustdosomethingabout

this.Wait,Professor.Theressomeoneonthetelephone.Butthats


20/20

incredible,andtheoldAmericanstandby,Ihopeitworks!arehilariousinthe

contextofpicturesqueanddeafeningholocaust.Yetthefilmsalsocontain

somethingthatispainfulandindeadlyearnest.

Thereis

asense

in

which

all

these

movies

are

in

complicity

with

the

abhorrent.Theyneutralizeit,asIhavesaid.Itisnomore,perhaps,thantheway

allartdrawsitsaudienceintoacircleofcomplicitywiththethingrepresented.

Butinthesefilmswehavetodowiththingswhichare(quiteliterally)

unthinkable.Here,thinkingabouttheunthinkablenotinthewayofHerman

Kahn,asasubjectforcalculation,butasasubjectforfantasybecomes,however

inadvertently,itselfasomewhatquestionableactfromamoralpointofview.The

filmsperpetuateclichsaboutidentity,volition,power,knowledge,happiness,

socialconsensus,guilt,responsibilitywhichare,tosaytheleast,notserviceablein

ourpresent

extremity.

But

collective

nightmares

cannot

be

banished

by

demonstratingthattheyare,intellectuallyandmorally,fallacious.Thisnightmare

theonereflected,invariousregisters,inthesciencefictionfilmsistoocloseto

ourreality.

****

sontag susan 1966 1967 the imagination of disaster

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