Recognize these? Great movies, non? Especially of the sci-fi variety.
But do you know whose stories they are based from? No?
Philip K. Dick. This man is a legendary science fiction author, but so often looked over. Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are probably more renowned science fiction authors, but they have only two or three movies based off their stories. Dick has alot more.
(Not to say Asimov and Clarke aren't good writers. They're awesome. Asimov's Black Widowers series is a great series of mystery short stories. Need to get my hands on more of them :D. Clarke is a great writer. I have an enormous anthology of his short stories. They are good. ^^)
Minority Report was based off a short story 'The Minority Report' which is only about 20 pages long. I watched the movie before reading it, and suddenly found that there was ALOT of stuff that the movie had made up. Obviously. Feature-length films wouldn't go for as long as this short story would.
Blade Runner was based off another short story 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. I haven't read it, unfortunately. But I've recently got my hands on two short story anthologies of his. And they are very, very good.
Collected together, it is easy to see why he was so good. Using sci-fi as a background to his characters and plot is what he excels at. I suppose I'm not good at analysing books or reviewing them, but he really writes well. Each of them are interesting, refreshing and introduce great twists, alot like Roald Dahl (who is also an awesome short story writer). Many science fiction writers write with technology in mind and who these advances aid our lives. But Philip Dick is different. He uses technology as if it was commonplace, and utilizes this to introduce more exciting twists, as can be seen in Minority Report.
There's a thing about science fiction I get a little down about. As a writer, I read others stories to gain more experience and hopefully improve the quality of my own writing. Ideas may also filter through. But from going through fictionpress.com (an internet site for authors to post up stories etc. I'm sure I've linked it before...), the sci-fi section, you see there is a lack of originality. There are only a few ideas that come up that change just little things. I think I like it better when I read classic author's take on them. Some examples:
-Apocalypse: This is a gigantic cataclysm of the Earth that happens for some random reason. Nearly everyone dies. Story of survivors surviving and revival of the Earth....usually one character roaming looking for other survivors..meeting friends, hostility from others...etc.
-Fatal infection: Some variant of a deadly disease kills 99% of the world's population. Some are immune. Story of survival.
-Experiments: Governments experiment on people...usually become mutants and have wow, awesome powers! Then they escape. Story of either the experiment running away, or the people tracking down a 'dangerous' experiment.
-Robots break loose: 'Nuff said. I, Robot is a great example by Asimov, but it just keeps going on and on and on! People don't know originality!
Truth be told, I understand that I might incorporate elements of these into my stories. But, I always strive for originality. That's what makes good stories. Clarkes 'White Hart' stories are about a man named Harry Purvis who continually comes up with stories about different machines that spring up around the country. They're original and very interesting to read.
/end sci-fi rant
But do you know whose stories they are based from? No?
Philip K. Dick. This man is a legendary science fiction author, but so often looked over. Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are probably more renowned science fiction authors, but they have only two or three movies based off their stories. Dick has alot more.
(Not to say Asimov and Clarke aren't good writers. They're awesome. Asimov's Black Widowers series is a great series of mystery short stories. Need to get my hands on more of them :D. Clarke is a great writer. I have an enormous anthology of his short stories. They are good. ^^)
Minority Report was based off a short story 'The Minority Report' which is only about 20 pages long. I watched the movie before reading it, and suddenly found that there was ALOT of stuff that the movie had made up. Obviously. Feature-length films wouldn't go for as long as this short story would.
Blade Runner was based off another short story 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. I haven't read it, unfortunately. But I've recently got my hands on two short story anthologies of his. And they are very, very good.
Collected together, it is easy to see why he was so good. Using sci-fi as a background to his characters and plot is what he excels at. I suppose I'm not good at analysing books or reviewing them, but he really writes well. Each of them are interesting, refreshing and introduce great twists, alot like Roald Dahl (who is also an awesome short story writer). Many science fiction writers write with technology in mind and who these advances aid our lives. But Philip Dick is different. He uses technology as if it was commonplace, and utilizes this to introduce more exciting twists, as can be seen in Minority Report.
There's a thing about science fiction I get a little down about. As a writer, I read others stories to gain more experience and hopefully improve the quality of my own writing. Ideas may also filter through. But from going through fictionpress.com (an internet site for authors to post up stories etc. I'm sure I've linked it before...), the sci-fi section, you see there is a lack of originality. There are only a few ideas that come up that change just little things. I think I like it better when I read classic author's take on them. Some examples:
-Apocalypse: This is a gigantic cataclysm of the Earth that happens for some random reason. Nearly everyone dies. Story of survivors surviving and revival of the Earth....usually one character roaming looking for other survivors..meeting friends, hostility from others...etc.
-Fatal infection: Some variant of a deadly disease kills 99% of the world's population. Some are immune. Story of survival.
-Experiments: Governments experiment on people...usually become mutants and have wow, awesome powers! Then they escape. Story of either the experiment running away, or the people tracking down a 'dangerous' experiment.
-Robots break loose: 'Nuff said. I, Robot is a great example by Asimov, but it just keeps going on and on and on! People don't know originality!
Truth be told, I understand that I might incorporate elements of these into my stories. But, I always strive for originality. That's what makes good stories. Clarkes 'White Hart' stories are about a man named Harry Purvis who continually comes up with stories about different machines that spring up around the country. They're original and very interesting to read.
/end sci-fi rant
1 individual(s) who care enough to comment:
crap you write so much
i cant even be stuffed to read all of that... even though i did anyway. :/
i think you should post up your 40/40 stories instead, yes?
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