Marcuse, Ellul, and the Science Fiction Film: Negative Responses to Technology

Matheson. T. J. "Marcuse, Ellul, and the Science Fiction Film: Negative Responses to Technology." SFS #58, 19.2 (Nov. 1992): 326-39.

Applies to ALIEN, COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, and FORBIDDEN PLANET the theories of Herbert Marcuse, esp. An Essay on Liberation, and Jacques Ellul's The Technological Society (see films under Drama and theoretical works under Background); finds ALIEN the closest to the pessimism of Ellul, showing the end-point of "the process of technological rationalization" in "an entrenched state of totalitarianism" implicit in technological advance. See for containment of the crew of the Nostromo "within a milieu totally dominated by a technology utterly indifferent to human welfare" (333). Cites as optimistic about technology WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), FANTASTIC VOYAGE, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, 2001, THE BLACK HOLE, HEART BEEPS (sic: two words in TJM), THE LAST STARFIGHTER, SHORT CIRCUIT, and the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy (337; notes 5 and 6, following H. Bruce Franklin in 6). See under Drama the films listed, and H. Bruce Franklin's "Don't Look . . ." essay under Drama Criticism.

(RDE, 09/III/93), RDE, Title, 26Aug19