Adventures in Space: Exploring the Cosmos in Sci-Fi Cinema
Science fiction in popular culture has flourished since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as a means to reflect on the implications of technological change as well as a way to imagine the future. In this 3-part series, University of Maryland Professor Oliver Gaycken will survey the history of science fiction and consider how it has been expressed in cinema, focusing on two stellar examples of the genre: Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Ridley Scott’s The Martian (2015). Both films represent a strain of sci-fi cinema that uses film as an extension of science itself, providing, within a fictional framework, rigorous and plausible examination of scenarios arising from the field of space exploration. We will consider the sources of the films’ images of humans in space as well as the question of how these images have changed over time.
Series Events
Full Series Pass
Purchase tickets to all sessions and receive a discount.
Tickets: $55 / $45 Avalon members
Buy Series PassTue, Jun 7, 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Session 1, a two hour multimedia lecture, will provide an overview of the science fiction genre, starting with its origins in the Industrial Revolution in the mid-nineteenth century before turning to notable examples of sci-fi in film. Specific attention will be paid to films that attempt to incorporate scientific accuracy in regards to human space exploration, setting up discussion for the films 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Martian, which will be discussed in the two subsequent sessions.
Tickets: $25 / $20 Avalon members
Session 2: 2001: A Space Odyssey Screening and Discussion
Tue, Jun 14, 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Director Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece is one of the most visually stunning and influential films ever made. An imposing black structure provides a connection between the past and the future in this enigmatic adaptation of a short story by revered sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke. When Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and other astronauts are sent on a mysterious mission, their ship’s computer system, HAL, begins to display increasingly strange behavior, leading up to a tense showdown between man and machine that results in a mind-bending trek through space and time. Despite initially receiving mixed reactions from critics and audiences, 2001: A Space Odyssey garnered a cult following and eventually became the highest-grossing North American film of 1968. It was nominated for four Academy Awards and received one for its visual effects. 1968, G, 161 min, in English
Tickets: $18 / $15 Avalon members
Session 3: The Martian Screening and Discussion
Tue, Jun 21, 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Ridley Scott’s adaptation of the best-selling novel by Andy Weir was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Matt Damon), and Best Adapted Screenplay. When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney (Damon), presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of supplies, the stranded visitor must utilize his wits and spirit to find a way to survive on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring him home, while his crew mates hatch their own plan for a daring rescue mission. Also starring Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig and Chiwetel Ejiofor. 2015, PG-13, 144 min, in English
Tickets: $18 / $15 Avalon members
Series Curator
Oliver Gaycken is Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and Film Studies at the University of Maryland College Park. He received his BA in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He previously has taught at York University (Toronto) and Temple University.