The Time Machine: HG Wells’ Legacy in 1960s Sci-Fi
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
As always there are spoilers ahead! You can follow the podcast on , and . HG Wells shadow is a long one and his seminal work on time travel was published in 1895. But well over a half a century later Hollywood was still hooked on Herbert (George Wells). The Time Machine was directed by George Pal and released 1960. From the turn of the century to the beginning of a new decade my amazing guests break down the themes and influences on this mid-century steampunk precursor. Keith Williams is a Reader in English Literature at the University of Dundee where he runs the...
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The Wasp Woman: Roger Corman’s Corporate Queen
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
As always there are spoilers ahead! Scroll down to read a brief synopsis of the film. The idea is to watch the film in advance before tuning in but apparently many of you listen without prep which is lovely albeit confusing! Next episode’s film is also listed below. Roger Corman began his career in film in 1950 and would go on to leave a huge mark on the industry by mentoring many filmmakers in the 1970s (Peter Biskind’s book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls is a great read if you’re interested!). The Wasp Woman from 1959 was produces and directed by Corman and rounds of the...
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The Tingler: Vincent Price, William Castle & 1959 Ballyhoo
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
Hello wonderful people! You can follow the podcast on , and . Thank you so much to Patreon subscribers! If you would like to support the podcast and get ad free versions you can subscribe for $3 or £3 a month at The idea behind the podcast is we all watch the film (with film choices and where to watch given in the show notes of the previous episode) and then you can listen to the podcast after two weeks and learn more about the film. It has been brought to my attention (thank you, Olivia!) that sometimes a synopsis might be very helpful...
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Teenagers from Outer Space: Aliens, Ray Guns & Gargons, Oh My!
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
You can follow the podcast on , and . Thank you so much to Patreon subscribers! If you would like to support the podcast and get ad free versions you can subscribe for $3 or £3 a month at As usual there are spoilers ahead! This film is silly. And I love that for me. I hope many of you will enjoy something much more lighthearted after the heavy topic of nuclear annihilation from the last episode. Teenagers from Outer Space (1959) was the work of Tom Graeff who wrote, produced, directed, edited and acted in the film. ...
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On the Beach: Atomic Apocalypse in 1959
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
As always there are spoilers ahead! Trigger warning for a lot of discussion of suicide with analysis of the plot along with a side of dark humour. If you would like to support the podcast and get ad free versions you can subscribe for $3 or £3 a month at You can follow the podcast on , and . If you want to watch the film before you listen you can check the Just Watch website to see where it is available in your region. On the Beach is available online to buy and rent from Apple and other sources in many places. I can’t believe I am almost done and dusted with this...
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The World, the Flesh and the Devil: Harry Belafonte, Race and Apocalypse
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*
As usual there are spoilers ahead!
You can follow the podcast on social media: Instagram, Threads and BlueSky.
You can support the podcast and get ad-free episodes on info_outline
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* If you would like to support the podcast and get ad free versions you can subscribe for $3 or £3 a month at https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* You can find the podcast on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. In 1992 Ishiro Honda sat down for his info_outline
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* You can find the podcast on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* As usual there are spoilers ahead! Somewhere in the late 1950s society began to come to terms with the idea of the teenager. Teens were heading to the cinema leaving younger siblings and parents at home. The Blob (1958) isn‘t a tale of rebellion or film warning about teenage delinquency but a thoroughly enjoyable time with a catchy theme tune. I have two wonderful guests to help us unravel this classic 1950s sci-fi. The Experts Roger Luckhurst is a Professor at Bi
I Married a Monster from Outer Space was released as part of a double bill (with The Blob) in 1958. The story focuses on newlywed couple Marge and Bill Farrell but unbeknownst to his new bride and the whole town Bill has been replaced by an alien on the eve of th
For full detailed show notes (without character limits) you can choose the episode on the watch page here: https://www.everyscififilm.com/watch
This is a special crossover episode with The Lorehounds podcast. To learn more about The Lorehounds and their extensive coverage of multiple TV series you can visit their website here.
Description
It has been 45 years since the first Alien (1979) film released in the cinema receiving lukewarm reviews. Perhaps the impact of a different kind of science fiction film was completely lost on film critics having to deal with the many clasher films of the 70s and a slew of Star Wars rip offs? But since then, Alien has cemented its reputation as a sci-fi film classic. Although there were many sci-fi horrors in the 1950s B-movies this film was different. There is no dashing hero, no damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, no bug eyed monster that takes away from the gritty realism of the film. This film set science fiction cinema on a different course.
The Experts
Roger Luckhurst is a Professor at Birkbeck, University of London. He specialises in literature, film, and cultural history from the 19th century to the present. He has written/edited a crazy number of articles and books including the BFI Film Classics book on Alien.
Jason Eberl is a Professor for Health Care Ethics at St Louis University with a special interest in biotechnology, human enhancement and the philosophy of human nature. He has also written extensively including a range of books that examine the philosophy of various mainstream media such as Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica.
Co-Host
David is one third of The Lorehounds and is joining as co-host for this special crossover episode.
Chapters
00:00 Intro to the show and Alien’s bad reviews
02:55 The Origins of Alien
06:22 Why was Alien such a success?
08:06 Alien’s departure from the slick sci-fi aesthetic
09:15 Truckers in Spaaaace! Grittiness and the late 1970s political landscape
17:13 The protagonist: breaking away from gender stereotypes
24:00 Giger’s art and the Xenomorph's life cycle
26:50 A lack of eyes, Charles Darwin and Francis Bacon
30:31 The ship and the alien
33:43 The other monsters: Ash the android and the company
39:39 The history of heads speaking the truth
41:12 The Company: The factory line, Joseph Conrad & Belgians in the Congo
46:17 Jones the cat
51:22 The Philosophy of Alien
53:38 Recommendations
58:02 Outro
NEXT EPISODE!
Next episode we have a discussion about a long-lost pioneer of science fiction literature from the late 19th Century. Robert Duncan Milne’s work had largely vanished despite a book drawing attention to him in 1980. Milne was born in Scotland and died in San Francisco just before the dawn of the 20th century. Much of his legacy and work is thought to be lost due to the huge earthquake in San Francisco in 1906. My two wonderful guests are working hard to have him and his work recognised.
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