This program profiles writers of the 20s, 30s, and 40s, known as the Pulp Fiction-era. These writers created the iconic characters who live on today in our collective hearts and imaginations. It has even been estimated that 90-95% of the top blockbusters in Hollywood movies, were based on the stories from the Pulp Fiction-era.
Discover the true history of the era of pulp fiction and the golden age of science fiction, fantasy and adventure. Pulp fiction, named for the low quality paper on which the stories were printed, blossomed in the early twentieth century. After WWI and the Great Depression, audiences sought tales with strong heroes, exciting adventures and alien encounters. This entertaining documentary traces the golden years of pulps, beginning in the 1920's, by highlighting numerous writers including Erle Stanley Gardner and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Popular and prolific authors Ray Bradbury and Frederik Pohl recall the days of nominal pay, short deadlines, and the insatiable demand for copy. Special coverage is given to the original cover art that defined pulp, featuring beautiful women, space creatures and blazing weapons.
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction is an American television anthology series created by Lynn Lehmann, presented by Dick Clark Productions, and produced and aired by the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. Each episode featured five stories, all of which appeared to defy logic, and some of which were allegedly based on actual events. The viewer was offered the challenge of determining which are true and which are false. At the end of the show, it was revealed to the viewer whether the tales were true or works of fiction. The series was hosted by James Brolin in season one and later by Jonathan Frakes for the remainder of the series. The show was narrated by Don LaFontaine for the first three seasons and by Campbell Lane for the fourth and final season.
Masters of Science Fiction is an American television anthology series by the same creators as Masters of Horror. The show debuted on ABC on August 4, 2007 at 10PM for a run of four episodes. It was originally scheduled to run in six parts, but two episodes were removed from the schedule for undisclosed reasons. The show follows a similar format as Masters of Horror, with each hour long episode taking the form of a separate short film adaptation of a story by a respected member of the science fiction community, hence the Masters in the title. In December 2007, the show was picked up by Space in Canada. This then allowed the North American premiere of the missing two episodes. A Region 1 DVD of all six episodes was released on August 5, 2008. On February 12, 2012, the Science Channel began airing the episodes, under the title "Stephen Hawking's Sci-Fi Masters", beginning with the first domestic airing of the episode "Watchbirds". The show is hosted off-screen by physicist Stephen Hawking.
Explore the evolution of sci-fi from its origins as a small genre with a cult following to the blockbuster pop-cultural phenomenon we know today. In each episode, James Cameron introduces one of the “Big Questions” that humankind has contemplated throughout the ages and reaches back into sci-fi’s past to better understand how our favorite films, TV shows, books, and video games were born.
Science Fiction Theatre is an American science fiction anthology series that aired in syndication from April 1955 to April 1957. It was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv.
Pop Fiction is an American practical joke television series that debuted on March 9, 2008 on E!. The series is hosted by Peter Katona, and in the spirit of Punk'd, the show creates fake gossip for the paparazzi.
History as we generally know it is full of holes or half-truths, and a mother lode of juicy details have been lost, distorted, covered up or simply ignored along the way. Military Channel's new series, "AMERICA: FACTS VS. FICTION" is on a mission to set the record straight. Hosted by former Naval officer and actor Jamie Kaler (TBS' "My Boys"), "AMERICA: FACTS VS. FICTION" is a wake-up call about the surprising hidden facts behind the most familiar and beloved stories from our nation's and military's past, filling in the blanks, debunking the occasional myth, and exploring why we sometimes get our own history, well, slightly wrong. Examining the past with a fresh perspective, this all-new series reveals that the "story" of America is just that - and far more remarkable than we ever thought.
The series covers the life and work of leading science fiction authors of the last couple of centuries. It depicts how they predicted and, accordingly, influenced the development of scientific advancements by inspiring many readers to assist in transforming those futuristic visions into everyday reality.
The series heads to the very frontiers of space and science to produce the definitive television history of science fiction, told through its impact on cinema, television and literature, with the help of filmmakers, writers, actors, and graphic artists. Each episode will explore one of the enduring themes of science fiction: time travel; the exploration of space; robots and artificial intelligence; and aliens.
UK documentary series from 1998 examining the stranger aspects of reality. The series was resurrected a few years later under the same name, once again on Channel 5.
Best-selling author Sebastian Faulks presents a major four part series on the brilliance of the British novel and its characters.
Revealing anecdotes from some of Science Fiction's brightest stars give an entertaining insight into their best-known work.
Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible is an American documentary television series on Science which first aired in the United States on December 1, 2009. The series is hosted by theoretical physicist Michio Kaku and is based on his book Physics of the Impossible. In each episode, Dr. Kaku addresses a technological concept from science fiction and designs his own theoretical version of the technology using currently-known science. He also visits scientists developing technology related to the episode's concept.
Each episode will feature a piece of technology from pop culture, voted on by the online audience. From inventions such as Hoverboards and Pre-Cogs, to Replicants and Time Machines, Veronica will explore the possible or impossible connection between the invented tech and the real world.
Science Fiction Saiyuki Starzinger is an anime series aired in Japan from 1978 to 1979. It translates literally to "Science Fiction Journey to the West Starzinger". In the United States it is referred to as Spaceketeers and is part of Jim Terry's Force Five series. In the United Kingdom, it is referred to as Sci-Bots on VHS releases. In 2009, William Winckler Productions produced three all new English dubbed movie versions edited from the original series. Producer William Winckler, known for Tekkaman the Space Knight, wrote, produced and directed the English films, which are seen on broadband in Japan. A U.S. DVD release of the William Winckler films by Shout! Factory is scheduled for August 20, 2013.