Post by klep on Dec 18, 2017 7:50:46 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 12/18: Galaxy Quest
SCIENCE FICTION WEEK!
It's an accusation those of us who are fans of genre fiction I'm sure have faced countless times. "That stuff is just silly. It's just for kids. Why don't you watch something important instead? Nerd." We're told that the stories that interest us are frivolous; that they're too outlandish to have any meaning for those of us living in the real world. It hurts, but only in the way something that's based in truth can hurt. Genre fiction frequently is outlandish. Orcs, magic, spaceships, alien worlds, ray guns; this is all stuff beyond the realm of current possibility. How could it possibly have any relevance to our lives?
But text isn't the only thing about a story, it's arguably not even the most important part. The subtext of genre fiction - what it's telling us about ourselves - is what truly speaks to us. The window dressing of fantastic worlds and incredible characters gets us in the door, but it's the message that keeps us in the seat.
The heroes of Galaxy Quest are just the stars of some old schlocky Star Trek show. It's long been off the air, but it's attracted enough of a fandom that it has conventions and its stars are able to largely live off of the residuals, signatures, and appearance fees. They're resentful of how much it has consumed their lives, particularly Shakespearean actor Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman). The only one who seems to be having any fun is Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), the man who played the starship's commander, but that's only because he relishes the attention and the boost it gives to his ego. None of them care about the show or how much it clearly means to so many people.
And then they get abducted.
It turns out there's a race of beings out there who don't understand the concept of fiction or even falsehood. They stumbled upon transmissions of Galaxy Quest and, in time of great need, have turned to the show's cast for help. Again Jason reluctantly drags the cast along even after he realizes what has happened, wanting to cynically exploit the aliens' ignorance for an adventure. But as the true nature of the peril they face sets in, the crew find themselves scrambling first to survive, and then to grow into the roles they played on tv.
Because to our "heroes", Galaxy Quest was just a schlocky tv show, full of absurd plot contrivances, sexism, and more. But to their guileless abductors, it was something far more. The "historical documents" taught these aliens lessons in humility, courage, and bravery. They are in awe of the crew, but inspired by them as well. And as Jason turns to a group of fans for help in saving the day, they learn that their fans found that inspiration as well.
Science fiction is full of strange worlds, incredible technology, and bug-eyed monsters; situations we would never encounter. But the reason we love it so much is that it holds up a mirror to our society, teaches us about ourselves, and helps us to be better. That's what makes it such a great genre, and that's what makes Galaxy Quest the fan favorite that it is.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 12/25: It's A Wonderful Life
CHRISTMAS WEEK!
What film could we possibly choose for Christmas Week but the perennial classic It's A Wonderful Life? Join us next week in between presents, family, and food for a look at one of cinema's most enduring films. It's A Wonderful Life is available for purchase on Amazon Video, and it's probably on tv a few times before Christmas as well.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 12/14: The Disaster Artist
The Next Picture Show podcast concludes this week's pairing with the new The Disaster Artist, looking at the making of another terrible movie as a way of trying to understand its creator and its creation. Join us on Wednesday as we have a thread for The Disaster Artist, still in theaters.
SCIENCE FICTION WEEK!
It's an accusation those of us who are fans of genre fiction I'm sure have faced countless times. "That stuff is just silly. It's just for kids. Why don't you watch something important instead? Nerd." We're told that the stories that interest us are frivolous; that they're too outlandish to have any meaning for those of us living in the real world. It hurts, but only in the way something that's based in truth can hurt. Genre fiction frequently is outlandish. Orcs, magic, spaceships, alien worlds, ray guns; this is all stuff beyond the realm of current possibility. How could it possibly have any relevance to our lives?
But text isn't the only thing about a story, it's arguably not even the most important part. The subtext of genre fiction - what it's telling us about ourselves - is what truly speaks to us. The window dressing of fantastic worlds and incredible characters gets us in the door, but it's the message that keeps us in the seat.
The heroes of Galaxy Quest are just the stars of some old schlocky Star Trek show. It's long been off the air, but it's attracted enough of a fandom that it has conventions and its stars are able to largely live off of the residuals, signatures, and appearance fees. They're resentful of how much it has consumed their lives, particularly Shakespearean actor Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman). The only one who seems to be having any fun is Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), the man who played the starship's commander, but that's only because he relishes the attention and the boost it gives to his ego. None of them care about the show or how much it clearly means to so many people.
And then they get abducted.
It turns out there's a race of beings out there who don't understand the concept of fiction or even falsehood. They stumbled upon transmissions of Galaxy Quest and, in time of great need, have turned to the show's cast for help. Again Jason reluctantly drags the cast along even after he realizes what has happened, wanting to cynically exploit the aliens' ignorance for an adventure. But as the true nature of the peril they face sets in, the crew find themselves scrambling first to survive, and then to grow into the roles they played on tv.
Because to our "heroes", Galaxy Quest was just a schlocky tv show, full of absurd plot contrivances, sexism, and more. But to their guileless abductors, it was something far more. The "historical documents" taught these aliens lessons in humility, courage, and bravery. They are in awe of the crew, but inspired by them as well. And as Jason turns to a group of fans for help in saving the day, they learn that their fans found that inspiration as well.
Science fiction is full of strange worlds, incredible technology, and bug-eyed monsters; situations we would never encounter. But the reason we love it so much is that it holds up a mirror to our society, teaches us about ourselves, and helps us to be better. That's what makes it such a great genre, and that's what makes Galaxy Quest the fan favorite that it is.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 12/25: It's A Wonderful Life
CHRISTMAS WEEK!
What film could we possibly choose for Christmas Week but the perennial classic It's A Wonderful Life? Join us next week in between presents, family, and food for a look at one of cinema's most enduring films. It's A Wonderful Life is available for purchase on Amazon Video, and it's probably on tv a few times before Christmas as well.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 12/14: The Disaster Artist
The Next Picture Show podcast concludes this week's pairing with the new The Disaster Artist, looking at the making of another terrible movie as a way of trying to understand its creator and its creation. Join us on Wednesday as we have a thread for The Disaster Artist, still in theaters.