The Eight Track Ka^Set

Let me Introduce a fact we all come in from the stars on a Plan in that it is a brand,

for on the Outer Realm the trip is grand with the touch of the dust that parts the stay,

for on the great Impact of the landing film the eyes blink in the Play oh watt a Day!!

Former from the hugging breezed as the took is a chance at The Fates,

by the Alarm in the Team timers it is the factor of the problem solving the tray,

on the service to the burst outright to that first breath of Fresh Air in the rein,

a Thunder on the lightning striking save to the Mind goes the Math in the addition.

Thought at pensive in the degree of the Shine for the Sun is a trued Leader by lane,

there about the Moon is a Shadow of the tightening to classify the change,

for up to the down in the Arch of the feat the life is on the found in coming on the Cry,

for instant the request and big boom you will have in the Arms a shield talking strong.

Brisk are the Natures to catalyst of song the tremble of the Xylophone playing Tambourine,

the drum on the Violin in the fiddle of the Cello at the horn of the clash of the Trumpets sport,

a flute to the Harp that Saxophone of a Tale in the ride at the landing of the exclusive,

for life is rare to the Unique of the character in the giggle of the Fair a simple Circus at Worlds a Part.

So talent that Ukulele to the squeeze box of the strand if that is what claps your see that vibrant be a flea hop do,

for as the guitar stays to string the Song heard is the strap of Means that hikes it up to Talk a beam,

mark that angle while I bring the ladder climb of all in Clutch for ask the Miser if the coin is conversation at the loin,

if vibration breaks the bounce to only death by over trounced than joint that elbow with a Daoist,

that state to bring forward moved with the platter on the groove with recordings that did prove,

the Inner Eye does speak of dueled to trade the anchor for the soothed.

The Broncs

Tiger the fact to the bull born it back to the rate of the doubled Up jump from A Rail on tribal,

to cost of that clam on the muscle at land the grit in the fiber is streaming a stand withheld in Chaos,

on the sperm sail sand to the oracle ran a dragon for breakfast at dinner in gland,

the traveling coarse to the detail brush is the vocal embellish that sings like a Thrush,

for the copper tone put is for the mud on the suite that does not know to pick out the Frog,

subject retainer on Cupid of rein Nerd is left Sing the Cent Troll with The Web mixing sent,

a bridge to that saddle on the swinging in rapture is in the Barker at the corner of Span,

a directional produce to basket the ear Coarse for in the garden the evening Cried Snake.

On the coil of Birth to this Thing that called earth from Dirt touching sample it's all an exam,

terra the firm with 'All' at strict to the Order tact B.D.S.M. as an Ancient by sorter,

circle from line to the Text in the Sign an Infinite being on the Operations of Lime,

squeeze to the squish no that can't Tree yet right under that the Apple does leave,

on the trail of system to auto by Masque is the Cobra a type on the 'X' in the traced.

For in the big drawers that charge to the sky did The Watch beget version or a sell your at chore,

in Brain touch the spot tame is the death in the Think of the Thought that it's Sane,

on the mental capacity that Naturals Ability with note to the Cause bye design on Manned nope,

for the shake of the head to the agreement in plan can the file be gree Valanced bye Dale,

a mountain approach with letter to coach be wisdom not harried as that is deaths dance,

in pattern relieved the cycle repeats with the candor of apex setting Apathy Canned.

Tighten the string with know shadow for etch on the stretch to the sender the Sun line is Junk,

the ships that can't move from the stuck in the pram have a shock on admissions of the sight of the Kong,

there in the after of the bright lights to flash a memory difference is sorting the found,

in arms that do hold to the founder of salve are not in the hips but the receptions of grand,

the hands that will safe the keep with the truth that the hugs are the temper that relax into stand.

On the course of the journey with the entire come in the chance that the darkest are lit by a Pan,

the mystery whistles the carriage came laugh with a touch on the simple the smile is cost,

for a bigger entry to the after before is the worry of scoring a sender demands,

to scope with the Majesty of a cheek to cheek grin is the best of the piece that traveled the ray,

a shooter of cosmic in with the mile that precious environment either loved or god dammed,

in the hold to the trajectory of shelter to skull it is the nest step that environments pull.

Crate to the barrel an Apple or Orange in the juice is the drink on the close,

does the Skunk make you laugh and run from the idea or is the reality that sense to the show,

is the same in exact of the cat on the track if the paint is of matching to be on the Nose,

for in the steeple of chase on the leap is the Dali Lama on lamplit or causing the flown,

did the present in reach branch with the tack by explaining the Buddha did buddy on sat,

if Confucius was ear ring an China said now does the mystic that throw the flowers the Reign,

walk to the barefoot at the Concert read framed is the microphone test different of exact on the came.

Croquette Gone Cricket

As there are Ten Men standing while the 11th opinion holds to agreement of the Ninth a held,

for as the 9 hits the Eleven with fraction of the gree it is the told of the angle that sets The Tenth degree,

on the ripe in the Vine of the grape to the fact it is not the Hold to wrath but a path touched Objection,

for on the Falls in the calendar to the daze On the Sun not all sneeze at the light but sum dumbed,

from the Shades at the bridge the Nose is the counter bids of the cycle in the Hide as a sheltered strong,

storm the Nature strength end ask the Odd as inking of comprehending delivers signal to the Caste.

In a moat of dig the Swamp to a water ore the stilt shall shake place of movement beneath a stick on saw,

soak to saturation of know the open lo as in the aspect of the Three it is a triad Homed.

Keep the dungeon on the climb for down is Up to be the sign at which is What in darkest lined,

leather to the Bacon friend is burnt with Crispy on the lens for as the size considers death is all but trend,

bury with the Staff at base in all the Mat to turn the Tell to sake a converse with the clever Bends,

a tramping attitude with no cents in the boot is marking on the Lace of worm drinking bright the Tooth,

jagged edgy offer is this Thing that It's out to send as crisis in the Channel kenned is paying on the slot,

gamble for the Truth bye reason of the belt Money on the case it is Bach for tougher to the Clock.

Should the cable Vision tuck with no change on Idea of truck than shells the battery,

at the charge of an eclectic on T.V. the Box of crate that Faces plight is only buying Sell,

trump the Purchase with know Quest asking of the tickle Viced will path the road to shrilled,

how obvious must the Scent be on the perfume of the rent guided by the Noise.

Acoustics with a Set an Con will tribe to match the Carrion for table on the Vultures gone,

the flight of task with Watch the hear the jump from every other lear is strongly disagreed,

put to Soap of document the story of the At of stick is the Carrot of the desk ink that catches lime.

Flour with the organic Cow the liquid on the butter now spreading jam with peanut fill,

blend the Apricot to Spit The pit the Figurine that broke with kit is Crockery on Hippo's slip,

a bite with yawning off to known for in Expression it's a tone with Interruptions skill,

answer should the Human lone to the Ankle on the stone that is the River running,

a creek over the banks that Sand in the Flashing flooding say that purpose has a Film bleating.

Shepherds that are unaware as the dogs are barking share in the Silence of the Heeler breed,

round about to curl well across the top of woolly swerve the flockers are the fledged,

shave the coat to bring a Shoal on the able of the Cold is the Abraham at stillings of the Sold.

The altering of curtain Sleep that rest in the ever key is the Cage that math at duck liters to the sill,

drank of Pitch the talends gift to Politician on the byte yet informing of the clause,

written Speech with ache in knee is it the Jerk or of the pant that Twitch that sets the Phonic,

on dialect with articulate can the fabric know of lace The Cobbler with a slam,

shingle putting Place to pan in the Hands of grander scans will do the tangle just like Tanned.

A small to charged Change at tar is the Elephant on the car or the coffee Cain,

for with the Whipper snapping trapped does the Mouse on trotting last go to Wares of tap,

with the beat of traveling glassed a Ceiling on the Crater blast made Volcano sealed,

still to ground the Meteor found for as the Ocean once a farm of rocks and sumps and rings,

for journey of the Shipping Lanes followed Stars not just land that shined the Chorus ponged.

The arrival of the sought gift to entry on the Look! than gain the process booked,

to the Frank in Sense to smoke Signals on the Mere in oil counting taste The Gold,

bite down hard on the coin for the Bag is treasure sewn to Pandora with the Chest at Being more than boing.

The Gain Shows Gamed

A Title History of the say this Concern of a personal witness to the Comp grout at the Scene,

in the mass of the collect it was The Anonymous charciture that ballasted my self to branch,

in the know reach I parked the state of Stand by the fact that A Cult is a cult in score,

should the Tablet fit the calculation of the Summation on first contact than the Chair sits to Spurn,

on subject Otalgia the CBS National News Play desk on the offshot to the 20/20 not but lever a burst,

on truth to fracture the barker on the sent Brained at the base Structure be a DEAD-On batch Mixed.

On taller in Published setting the Growling of My Bearings was drill,

at the screw bang Driver I clubbed the Shirts in control to bark Dirt,

for the instant to the Fragment a One Hour on the stool released Information by Testimony hose,

in the pore of the Speaker was Repeat to Repeater no change with the growth it's a Beeper,

on the Honk Honk to the Coffer on the nailed a Cycle to the Term demanded at Life,

I grabbed taught the tongue to speak on the Feet as stature is the best of Nature at it's Song,

grand that Piano Bar to the Napkin of their drool for the drips of ever honey were bittered back to swear.

Grate on the paddle for wholes Air the Stream on the Trail of the Hitch it's a Prison jobs at stair,

forced by the laws to gallant at the saws the particle of problematic called the text a store!!

Burden to the proof that Witness is Too Watch for on the Weekend clever the Articles is locked,

on the present channel for at least the letters thrown down to the rack to fire the hammer shown,

bank this off to that Three-Day Event of supply 'If' U-Want tube but at the paste remember its oh Cared,

as seat the slide to flipping chairs the working out of pews on stubbed an ankle with a Keep,

grain the conversation add the free donut salve and what do you have but a dinner with the grab.

A corner store that brings to toot the book upon you're back laden with the guilt that butters with a sill,

trades told that the bottom Feeders are in the silken slaggers lice all whilst the Whistle blows to sight,

in the Payphone of the booth that G.P.S. will put device the consistency of Mercury is plane as wriggled worth,

a swallowed worm to bath the hook with the poker stuck at ripe is Burning binds to propagate the g-d in share,

remind the Ocean of the Universe the care factor is criminal at shot for hone in Won a deed that basement in Wick Crop,

a concrete pass to the list of Credits on the act of Caught but in the sit of sat to Day it's Hour`ed by the Scotch,

a hip pocket Hopper in the darkest of the flight from Death marking on the Calendar a kill on daily bred,

these timely Introductions said that it's just a 'Malady' that temple of the bowing dread of disease at scot.

Toilet in with Bath Room Stalls back to the Futures cot A jail in the bird on guide to Cosmic on the fought,

now enter with the Justice Blind a microphone at bought one bandanna for the plug the other in the banter,

crowds to desk for in the technical of grounding Eclectic curt is in the Simple blotch,

repeat the Story stand to Story repeat the Story Cost,

a pricey peel that spreads with Deal the cards are the Poke stirred sought,

rambling lanes to Tramps and Vains that Hobo to the got,

a ripping off of more than done the raped begins with be gunned by every extra Hot,

in sheet to Mattresses it's the crotch that advertised the Feed.

Brake your brain to Mind the stork for At the Crane it is a fort of in the gang at Spike,

so shall the terminal be train in preparing for the turn is the call on dialing or death without the Corn,

walkers on the street Feat days are now kept by the Copper lined for NOW the handheld reams to gone,

in the storage of the seen it is a chase to whom growns strong for every number is a plate to know the crock herd read.

But that's the Way the pattern sways as No Winner is the leaves,

in this edit on the Frame it guilds the live to ever Form,

the wagon on the truth of crawls does not the 60's key,

for even in the Heroine the people died to come back round by friendly expert not teased,

a known to fast that decking back for One injection colds the sack but strike with what A Kind,

in type the Flop of Houses growl to bell the Fallen on the Cell that paddles back to Live,

unlike that shadow Industry in burial of the gathering it is not the same but Tracks,

to Tattoo the needy flu and contract in the arsenic root with introduction subbed,

that Tale of the double letter minuet of minus slash for that is Honest lugged at the Alpha of the bet in Won to three the added debt to drinking with a feathered Fret packing tremble with the bet,

a tremendous state of A^A just mention like the cartoon of the most in recent on the jugged at Still,

a photo stop to running block to Interpret would be Pre summed to the Hollywood on the dumbed.

Know one believes until you seethe and than the Innocent begin to treat the At of same to former spun,

in the test of Radio on the Antenna goes arm strong for oddly in the Rabbit horn a Satellite is upper Pour`n.

Dawner's Pass`T

For The Love Of Big Brothers Torture

So should 'The Blob' ascribe to the self which Movie shall 'Ewe' help

a theater at Hand to vice the tremendous on decision,

now you see me now you 'Can' on the reel of the Slam,

a dunker for the Spoiler on the futures of Know,

for that is greatest gift of the Hollywood bold in a Show.

Take it blue Screen go to Home in the Box of officer grown,

there is about a certain Flout that Violins the reason Now,

book the production to the Directors Chairs a Cable Dish or copper Lair,

for an Actor is only the Headliner of drone Dares,

much to the same in the Exacts ask James Blunt he's falling Pass.

Rail the pardon to the Age of Scene for on the Bigs it's a Jook Machine,

that automatic typed in Sing by the Ways of truth and means,

down touch the base for it's Pyramid Mi a song for the beating and the Rhyming Ki,

a Ka^ick^Knee to the grab of the basic at the eyes in the skull not the scabs on the Feat.

For the Pick-It tense to that sake in the 30's watching talk Off as The Radio crotched a boogie,

in the shoes of the Country that show spooked to Truth taken at actual it woke at the Root,

bouncing from difference to the attentive in Here a crowd for the Jumpers and a Cycle for steer,

these Streets afford the avenue more's to discuss what has halted at the table of Gibraltar's,

a rock in the anchor on operations in Thought a wisdom to consider the World you're Knot.

In the string with a tie to the Loopers on signed Contracts are invested by Whom is duh boot,

for in the example of only ears to the Grounds the Goods of Los Angeles brought San Franciscans a sound,

on the echo of the Ancient in the Call for the land Odin was often at the dimples of Sand,

in the fear on the Foggy Christmas each stay that Nest in the Mast was a shivering displayed,

up with the Sales down with the Clears brings us to date as the History of speared,

arch with the tablet as the Kindles explain shift to Erase and Swipe the big Game,

rinse with the Applied than pay for the Side as in the Wine Barrel it's the time in the Line.

As the Vine is of picking put Humanity at brain fire in the sky is a chemistry at Pi,

the laboratory of systematic studies as Signs belt to The Face Book of running the bind,

in question of role to whom is the Told how the Bell rings with an encouraged by ding,

dong at the Which of the War Locks to Tribe in that Vast Orson's the Flame Fired sacked!!

You must scrabble to Won for that balance is of Ton,

at the trucking of the patch to the Pods talking latch,

a Ship with the Pipes bagging Bodies with the Sites,

great Hours on the Mighty of Creature Features nights,

every Thing starts with Sum things It's called The All American Apple Pie a.k.a. big Brother.

War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast Causes Panic!!

On Sunday, October 30, 1938, millions of radio listeners were shocked when radio news alerts announced the arrival of Martians. They panicked when they learned of the Martians' ferocious and seemingly unstoppable attack on Earth. Many ran out of their homes screaming while others packed up their cars and fled.

Though what the radio listeners heard was a portion of Orson Welles' adaptation of the well-known book, War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, many of the listeners believed what they heard on the radio was real.

The Idea

Before the era of T.V., people sat in front of their radios and listened to music, news reports, plays and various other programs for entertainment. In 1938, the most popular radio program was the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" which aired on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. The star of the show was ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy.

Unfortunately for the Mercury group, headed by dramatist Orson Welles, their show, "Mercury Theatre on the Air," aired on another station at the very same time as the popular "Chase and Sanborn Hour." Welles, of course, tried to think of ways to increase his audience, hoping to take away listeners from the "Chase and Sanborn Hour."

For the Mercury group's Halloween show that was to air on October 30, 1938, Welles decided to adapt H. G. Wells's well-known novel, War of the Worlds, to radio. Radio adaptations and plays up to this point had often seemed rudimentary and awkward. Instead of lots of pages as in a book or through visual and auditory presentations as in a play, radio programs could only be heard (not seen) and were limited to a short period of time (often an hour, including commercials).

Thus, Orson Welles had one of his writers, Howard Koch, rewrite the story of War of the Worlds. With multiple revisions by Welles, the script transformed the novel into a radio play. Besides shortening the story, they also updated it by changing the location and time from Victorian England to present day New England. These changes reinvigorated the story, making it more personal for the listeners.

The Broadcast

On Sunday, October 30, 1938 at 8 p.m., the broadcast began when an announcer came on the air and said, "The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the Air in The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells."

Orson Welles then went on the air as himself, setting the scene of the play: "We know now that in the early years of the twentieth century this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own..."

As Orson Welles finished his introduction, a weather report faded in, stating that it came from the Government Weather Bureau. The official sounding weather report was quickly followed by "the music of Ramon Raquello and his orchestra" from the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York. Actually, the broadcast was all done from the studio, but the script led people to believe that there were announcers, orchestras, newscasters and scientists on the air from a variety of locations.

The dance music was soon interrupted by a special bulletin announcing that a professor at the Mount Jennings Observatory in Chicago, Illinois reported seeing explosions on Mars. The dance music resumed until it was interrupted again, this time by a news update in the form of an interview with astronomer, Professor Richard Pierson at the Princeton Observatory in Princeton, New Jersey.

The script specifically attempts to make the interview sound real and occurring right at that moment. Near the beginning of the interview, the newsman, Carl Phillips, tells the listeners that "Professor Pierson may be interrupted by telephone or other communications. During this period he is in constant touch with the astronomical centers of the world . . . Professor, may I begin your questions?"

During the interview, Phillips tells the audience that Professor Pierson had just been handed a note, which was then shared with the audience. The note stated that a huge shock "of almost earthquake intensity" occurred near Princeton. Professor Pierson believes it might be a meteorite.

Another news bulletin announces, "It is reported that at 8:50 p.m. a huge, flaming object, believed to be a meteorite, fell on a farm in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey, twenty-two miles from Trenton."

Sciences Knot Theory: How Not To Build A Future Society

Science fiction films have many warnings for us – not least, how the road to a perfect future society is fraught with peril. Quentin Cooper loads up the DVD player to see what lessons we can learn.

Science-fiction films sometimes offer us a future so bright we’ve got to wear shades. But mostly we’re deluged with visions of tomorrows far bleaker than today, from wildly unlikely “what if?” disaster scenarios through to entirely plausible but still scary extrapolations of the present.

Doris Day may be right when she sings in Que Sera, Sera that “the future’s not ours to see” – for instance, I’m betting no-one saw that Doris Day namecheck coming until I made it – but at least these movies can flag up general directions we might be best steering clear of.

So what can we learn for society and our species to survive? Here is my spoiler-heavy list of the top nine things science-fiction films claim to teach us.

1. Avoid androids and AI

Artificial creatures that look and behave a lot like us also look a lot like a heap of trouble. Some androids are made bad, such as the original Terminator relentlessly coming after us, or Ash in Alien, betraying everyone through its lack of humanity. Others soon get that way through malfunction or rebellion, like the gunslinger in Westworld which starts shooting to kill, or the replicants in Bladerunner willing to take human lives to extend their own.

All this draws not only on anxieties about increasing dehumanisation and creating intelligences greater than our own, but also on older fears – as seen in films like Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (alien spores duplicate townsfolk and replace them) or Invaders from Mars (aliens implant mind control crystals to take over locals) – about the enemy within that appear the same as we are, but who deep down are dangerously different.

Even if you take away their body and ability to move, something sentient still poses a threat. First, computers can oppress entire societies (simulating reality in The Matrix trilogy to keep the entire population subjugated, or outlawing art and emotion in Alphaville to control free thought); second, they can commit mass-murder (the supposedly humanity-protecting Red Queen in the Resident Evil films), or third, just leave you an emotional mess (the seductive sentient operating system in Her). Given enough time, machines may figure out how to pass themselves off as people (the “type 3” androids in Screamers), allowing them to do most of the above.

It’s a common theme that systems designed to protect us end up reaching the not entirely illogical conclusion that the greatest threat comes from people (in Colossus: The Forbin Project the US and Russian defence supercomputers join forces to take over the world.)

Again, we’re in the technophobic territory of being scared our creations will turn against us, part of that wider mistrust of science and scientists that goes back to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and beyond.

See also: Robo-Maria in Metropolis, robot Bill and Ted in their Bogus Journey, David in Prometheus, all The Stepford Wives, Tron, I, Robot, Demon Seed.

2. Machinery plus weaponry equals catastrophe

Whatever they look like, it’s a general rule that anything artificially intelligent is really inconvenient, if it is armed it’s probably disastrous, and if it’s in charge of nukes then it may well be apocalyptic.

From the Cold War onwards, cinema has often shown us the hazards of all-out atomic warfare (most famously the “reveal” at the end of the original Planet of the Apes) and atomic testing (the irradiated giant ants in Them!, or the sleeping monsters awoken in the original Godzilla). And according to many stories, we will face particular risks if nuclear weapons are governed by machines – whether it’s the supercomputer Joshua nearly launching global conflict in Wargames or Skynet going one better in the Terminator films and almost wiping out humanity.

The take-home message is that no nukes is good news, and no weapons in the hands of anything artificially intelligent is even better. (Discounting the fact that these malign machines rarely have actual hands.)

See also: On The Beach, The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Robocop, The Iron Giant.

3. Ban human cloning

At best you have to wade through the ethical quagmire of individuals raised only to be organ donors or cheap labour (Never Let Me Go, The Island, Moon); at worst you create a vast army and start a pan-galactic conflict (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones). In between this comes your genes sealing your fate (Gattaca’s genetically determined class system), manipulating DNA to create superhumans who then turn against us (Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan and  Into Darkness), and frightening fusions of humans and other creatures (Alien: Resurrection, The Fly).  And that still leaves genetically modified viruses, plants and animals.

We’ve only relatively recently become concerned about this kind of genetic tinkering simply because we have only recently become able to do it. Science is always advancing into the unknown, and the unknown can always be made scary. Given the resistance to work on crops – especially since the term “Frankenstein foods” was coined 25 years ago – it’s only to be expected that resistance to, and fear of, cloned people is far greater.

See also: The 6th Day, The Boys from Brazil, Rise of the Planet of the Apes remakes; Jurassic Park.

4. Control the state or it will control you

Science fiction’s predictive properties are highly debatable, but what it is good at is exploring present-day situations in a stripped-down way. So whenever future societies are seen on screen – whether the film is set just a few years from now or millennia, on Earth or among alien races on distant planets – they almost invariably echo or extrapolate what’s happening in the here and now. And although the politics vary, what’s consistent are the warnings about leaders and administrations becoming too powerful, bureaucratic and interfering.  

This year’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier deals with the theme of government agencies reacting to terror threats with increasing surveillance and an ever-greater armed presence. As a line in the film spells out, this approach risks “holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection”. It’s a nice point about losing freedoms in the name of preserving freedom.

Many films – such as Brazil or Fahrenheit 451 – are set within oppressive regimes. Some are even more totalitarian, keeping the population under control by dividing them (the alien ghetto in District 9, the slums for the masses on Earth and space station for the elite in Elysium), drugging them (THX 1138), distracting them (the titular mass entertainment of Death Race 2000 and The Hunger Games), or doing them in (in Logan’s Run everyone lives in a computer-controlled utopia, but life ends at 30).
See also: Serenity; Demolition Man; In Time.

5. Beware large corporations

With the honourable exceptions of Wayne Enterprises in Batman and Stark Enterprises in Iron Man, any big company in sci-fi is usually a bad one. And the bigger they are, the shadier they get. Particularly ruthless are Omni Consumer Products in Robocop controlling every aspect of life from basic goods to government, and the Soylent Corporation in Soylent Green who quietly decide to overcome food shortages by feeding the masses to themselves. But perhaps the ultimate in conglomerated evil is Weyland-Yutani in the Alien franchise: always willing to make sacrifices – “crew expendable” is the directive they send in the first film – to further its own ends.

All these blockbusters are of course made by big studios owned by multi-national corporations… so what, maybe, are they trying to tell us about the nature of big companies?

See also: The Buy-N-Large Corporation in WALL-E, Tyrell Corporation in Bladerunner; Cyberdyne Systems in the Terminator franchise.

6. One world – try to preserve it

Science fiction often depicts humanity as having spread out across the Universe. That may eventually be how our species can survive, plundering other worlds for resources like in Outland (mining titanium on Jupiter’s moon Io) and Avatar (picking a fight with peaceful blue aliens because they’re sitting on reserves of amusingly named mineral unobtanium).

But until that’s possible we need to stop making a pig’s ear of planet Earth or just look where we’ll end up. The driver may be the various nuclear apocalypses already mentioned, runaway climate change (The Day After Tomorrow, Waterworld), excessive pollution (WALL-E) or running out of natural resources (it’s oil shortages that send everyone crazy in Mad Max). But the lesson is always the same: mend our ways before we end our days.

See also: Silent Running, Godzilla vs Hedorah, Red Planet, The Core.

7. Watch the skies

Through no fault of our own, cosmic trouble can come looking for us. So if we keep on the lookout we might at least be marginally better prepared. It could be a full scale invasion from aliens that for no given reason have singled out Earth as ripe for conquest (Independence Day, Mars Attacks! to name but two), a rogue extra-terrestrial causing trouble (The Thing, Cloverfield, Super 8), our planet happening to be where aliens get into a scrap (Transformers, Alien vs. Predator) or just a raid on our planet for resources (in Cowboys vs Aliens they’re after gold, in  This Island Earth it’s uranium and scientists).

While there is no pressing reason to worry about extra-terrestrials muscling in on us, the odds are slightly less astronomical that we could collide with something from space. It could be an asteroid (Armageddon), comet (Deep Impact), meteor (err, Meteor) or rogue planet (When Worlds Collide). As they say in The Thing from Another World – watch the skies, keep watching the skies.

See also: Earth vs The Flying Saucers, Battlefield Earth, Village of the Damned, The Faculty.

8. Say no to superheroes

It’s admittedly unlikely, but if oddly garbed individuals with amazing powers and/or superior technology offer to help humankind in the future, it might seem to be a good thing. It isn’t. They mean well, but as Newton’s third law of motion pictures says, to every action hero there is an equal and opposite anti-hero. Before you know it the stars are spangled with even stranger looking villains, aliens and/or alien villains, and easily recognised landmarks are getting trashed (the Golden Gate bridge is a particular favourite). Disaster experts have calculated the damage to Manhattan in The Avengers would have cost $160bn to repair. So thanks Superman, Thor, X-Men, Fantastic Four, et al, but no thanks.

See also: Batman, Spiderman, Watchmen.

9. Stay put

Maybe all this space exploration is just plain bad for us. Not sending humans to the stars would mean no risk of anyone being terrified away from terra firma (Alien, Event Horizon), or bringing back nasty creatures (Alien: Resurrection, Lifeforce), or drawing attention to Earth so aliens attack it (Starship Troopers, assorted Star Treks, Apollo 18).

Unmanned missions can be just as imperilling, getting contaminated with extra-terrestrial microorganisms (causing deadly illness in The Andromeda Strain, or growing into weird creatures in Monsters) or being transformed by aliens so it threatens to wipe out Earth (the Voyager probe that becomes a sentient energy cloud in Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Even transmissions beamed out to make contact with friendly extra-terrestrials can attract the wrong responses (like the alien seductress keen to spawn in Species or the hostile alien fleet in Battleship).

Given all of the above, the take home message is that while the Universe may be teeming with larger than life life-forms, we should stay home and keep ourselves to ourselves.

See also: The Quatermass Xperiment, Titan AE.

Quentin Cooper

About the author:

Described by the Times as “the world’s most enthusiastic man” and the Daily Mail as someone whose “wit and enthusiasm can enliven the dullest of topics”,  Quentin is a broadcaster, film critic and author best known for presenting the UK's most listened to science programme, The Material World on BBC Radio 4 . It’s “quite the best thing on radio”, according to Bill Bryson. You can find him on Twitter at @materialworld

A Showns Throw

While in a deeper sleep that usual I woke to Mind in thought of condition,

no longer was I bothered by the reality of my situation of growth to cut,

the Upside Down reversal of Mohawk to jagged edge in appearance of state,

a kinder side of my accepting came to a poignant explanation of humors reality,

in touchstone of reflective carnal I had been just cause to the gum in my Hair.

To scissor the stuck press that had adhered its mass of lock gave case,

a razor blade to an edgy cut was moreover the realities of the the stick,

in that being understood an extreme on the smooth feel that striped my skull,

as my do was thick & rich just a tad bit short with only the need of a touch up,

in the mental comprehension I grabbed a Hat and on to The Continue I scoot.

Strange that a photograph in the extract gave light to the two in a photograph,

as the second is not going to mention the Attention to detail still of great importance,

for in the eventual of the Print in and of Itself the condition of the jaw counts,

a good set of Tweezers with the patience to pull out each peach fuzz from it's roots,

even on that caliber of weird the steady on the hand was I in the Scene of completions.

Brain borrow a moment to the escape or the foundation of a dream Mind status,

on the workings of cantered a certain to the tangle of a Fast Halt unless you're prepared by Training,

so in such a good rider is one whom has dedicated the many hour sum to technique on shine,

no barn Manager in the Stable to wrangle you as an Adult just the Hours of backward going Futures,

in the clock minute of sleep it is of interest that Human Beings translate to self explanation,

through dictation of familiars the express is a temper in the melt of supply,

on temple of the think in either horror or productive acceptance I got a cap and didn't even aware it.

Trunk chess with a multiple of treasures at the Collar of yoke,

in the hames of the connection to the cart or The Coach,

a foot Man with the step on the Cinderella approach,

is the Still a Pumpkin in the Magic of the thrilling Skill to the Garden of the Mint,

with a pleasure in the change can the Midnight strike the darkness light,

a Horseman by named Country in Australia was The Brumby by the breed,

hardy to the tenth stance of carriage that wild bred to withstand harsh conditions,

on the heard of Mountie the gang would Band to formalize a troop on the Run,

no chaos at the shot just the startle of the Whipper on the cracking-Fire of the Smalls,

to charge the Head strong leaders is to not disrespect the Founding of Tradition at the Cause,

with certain to the Tale of the text in the Sundries the advantage is to tell varied of The Wash.

A dry creek bed in the Desert of Man for the Fourth of the Sixth Thousandth Year`d clammed,

on the bake of shackled to these on Wards of dates it is earth on the dirt that Planets to the sell,

shall not the Oyster in the beauty of the muscle know the grit that enhanced the flavor by Saults,

could the Animals at such a percentage of loss represent the backing at flection of the beginning of sand,

is the Cave brawl to the spear Dag in the lock or the loss of points to the drawings on hand printing Walls,

does the cancer of mentality spread with no disease to the facial introduction of the wonder of deeds,

can the tumor that shows on the breast of the sow be of a Cow not a Moose but the human at goosed,

shall the share of the settle regard only the frame of the known Individual or is it spread like The Cape,

can the curl of technique to the admission of slick not be the both in the same to save not kill,

can life be of growth to the dying deep seed to relief for the Water that is fountains at See,

is the The Sage not a plant and the Seer not a shore to that comprehending defining the Rooster at the door,

shell the beach be of grains the littlest of score in the lay of the footwork does the ocean know more,

or is it just a better system that embraces the Fax that Mothers Nature is our pour in stouts to Holds.