Comments on: The Quickfire Round, Redux.

By: Gap Gen

Gap Gen — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:46:58 +0000

Oh yeah, I think I remember the end of the film being subtly different to the book. It reminds me of the horrible argument that religious people make about science that you have to have faith at some level as you can’t outright prove anything. Which is technically true, but misses the point somewhat.

By: Hentzau

Hentzau — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:50:01 +0000

It’s less the depiction that annoys me, more that Contact correctly identifies the interesting part of first contact stories as being how the human race would deal with that scenario rather than the aliens themselves — and then completely fails to make any cogent statement about it whatsoever save some wishy-washy GOT TO HAVE FAITH equivalencies. The average episode of The Next Generation had a more mature approach to the concept than this ninety million dollar film does.

By: Hentzau

Hentzau — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:46:07 +0000

He had great ideas, but Arthur C. Clarke was honestly one of the worst sci-fi *writers* around.

By: Gap Gen

Gap Gen — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:09:15 +0000

It is a problem, though; how to depict aliens that are thousands or millions of years in advance of what humans have achieved thus far. Sure, books are generally better than films at this kind of thing (not needing to actually show futuristic tech helps, as what your props dept comes up with will inevitably be horribly anachronistic, even if like BSG it’s basically trying to be). But assuming people start uploading themselves, etc, I can’t see how thousands of years of advancement can produce something remotely recognisable to us today. Could be wrong, of course.

By: Gap Gen

Gap Gen — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:04:09 +0000

Blindsight, by Peter Watts (should be free online as an ebook) is very definitely worth a look. Also maybe worth reading the book Contact, although if you didn’t like the film chances are you won’t like the book either. Something like Arthur C Clarke’s Rama might be worth reading, too. And while it’s not technically what you’re after, I can’t recommend Ursula Le Guin enough.

The problem with a lot of hard SF is that the stuff that isn’t science or tech often blows. Arthur C Clarke’s books often feature awful character development, even if they’re mainly about the tech.

By: Hentzau

Hentzau — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:20:24 +0000

I hesitate to recommend Arthur C. Clarke, but I thought Starglider from Fountains of Paradise was a reasonable take on aliens doing exactly what we’d do given another few centuries of technological development.

By: Hentzau

Hentzau — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:14:32 +0000

As a film, certainly. Having a film about first contact with aliens climax with Jodie Foster talking to David Morse on a dream beach is such an incredible cop-out.

By: darren

darren — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:11:21 +0000

Seconded! I only saw it once, and I remember it being unfathomably dull.

Are there any scientifically sound films or books which deal with contacting aliens and which actually feature some damned aliens?

By: aosher

aosher — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:39:12 +0000

You can object to Contact on the grounds that it’s not very good, if you like.

By: Janek

Janek — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:41:13 +0000

Depends how technical you want it, really – I should imagine there’s a decent selection at mathsy graduate level, but for an easier pop-sci read you might struggle to find much. Although Wikipedia links to Colin Adams’ The Knot Book which looks quite friendly.