#41 – Blockbuster Films Part I: The Rise of CGI – A Reader's History of Science Fiction
In the 1980s and '90s, blockbuster films became a staple of Hollywood and of science fiction, and their rise went hand in hand with the development of CGI technology. In this episode, we explore the ways CGI has contributed to sci-fi over the years. Movie recommendation: Jurassic Park Sheldon Hall on the origin of the term "blockbuster." Documentary on the making of Independence Day. Other movies discussed: Terminator 2: Judgment DayIndependence Day Avatar
John W. Campbell was the controversial longtime editor of Astounding Science Fiction who single-handedly directed the course of science fiction in the 1940s, a time that is not called the “golden age of sci-fi.” However, I argue the golden age continued through the 1950s as writers who got their start under Campbell began publishing on their own.
Book recommendation: Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement.
Robert Silverberg on the golden age.
The Internet Speculative Fiction Database’s “Most-Viewed Short Fiction.”
Cory Doctorow on Campbell.
My essay on “The Cold Equations.”
Other books mentioned:
The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle
Science Meets Fiction 