Introduction

The basic tenets of science fiction films - even though they are often not clearly depicted - is closely related to societal change. The science fiction of today is different in almost every aspect as the science fiction from eighty years back. It is almost a taboo trying to compare The Destination Moon from 1950 to Interstellar from 2014, although they are all about space exploration. This insinuates that the genre of science fiction, much like any other genre, evolves and takes different patterns in regards to its themes, content, and subject. This evolution has been fueled by different factors including: political, economic, and social change; technological advancements; and even literary influence from the same or different genre. Nonetheless, there remains some recurring patterns within this genre that defines its basic nature, even with the evolution and complete change. Most science fiction films from different times and eras share certain themes and subject matter even though certain aspects of their story have completely changed. Identifying such connections and patterns is eminent in understanding the genre deeply while also appreciating factors that influence the change. For the same reason, this paper seeks to make a detailed examination of recurring patterns, themes, and subject in the genre of science fiction. The paper also considers the literary influences on the genre, the impact of social and economic forces, the variations and changes within the genre, the impact of certain individuals, as well as the international variations and influences on the genre.

Recurring Pattern in the Genre

As had been earlier explicated, the genre of science fiction has enormously changed over the years since its inception into films. However, even though it might seem overly simplistic, these kinds of films have remained close to their tenor and themes over its course of evolution. For one, most of the characteristics of science fiction films have remained intact and so has some of the thematical characteristics of the same. As the name suggests, these films are usually scientific, imaginative, and visionary. Since its inception into films, science fiction has always been characterized by the three physiognomies (Telotte, 2001). Even with these deep-rooted characteristics, science fiction films have maintained some patterns of what message is portrayed in the narration.

For one, these films have often portrayed the sinister as well as the dangerous nature of knowledge and how man's knowledge in certain things could lead to the ultimate destruction of humanity and civilization. This is portrayed in the earliest science fiction films such as Frenkeistein (1931) and The Island of Lost Souls (1933); which showcases the threatening idea of the loss of personal individuality due to the nature of mankind's thirst for knowledge. This ideology has also been evident in the films that followed these; including ideas concerning space related conspiracies in Capricorn One (1977), the eff ects of hum cloning and genetic engineering in Gattaca (1997),  as well as the  existence  of  lab-bred viruses and diseases in 28 Days Later (2002). This pattern has been a defining characteristic of science fiction films across several eras in the history of the genre.

What  is more,  science  fiction  films  have  the tendency  of  expressing  the  potential threat posed by technology towards destroying humankind through Armageddon-like  events - some of which we may have brough on ourselves. More often than not, this theme of man's ultimate destruction is presented in these films from different causes such as Earth-destroying disasters  in  The Day  the Earth  Stood  Still  (1951), wars  between  worlds  in  Deep  Impact (1998),  and  even  machine  destruction  of  mankind  in  The Matrix  (1999). This  notion  of human  destruction  constantly  changes  depending  on  the  contemporary  problem  facing  a society but the idea remains the same. For instance, at the dawn of the 21st century and the awakening of artificial intelligence, some scientific film writers worried that machines would one day take over humans as in The Matrix (1999). Later on, when the idea of climate change and its effects started being evident on the face of the earth, many worried that it would one day render earth uninhabitable and unable to produce food - forcing us into the outer space - such as depicted in Interstellar (2014).

Some of these patterns have made science fiction films become one of the most popular genres in all films. King, Krzywinska and Wood (2000) have contended that this is so since the genre develops new "dimensions and frontiers that redefine the human sphere of operation" (p. 1) while challenging the basic definition of what it actually means to be human. Sensually, this is a basic theme to the genre of science fiction - which can sometime predict the actual future based on the current situations. Some films (such as Planet of the Apes (1974)) might even criticize certain contemporary issues and thus seek to bring about change in the same manner. Therefore, in as much as the genre is constantly changing with the society, certain thematical patterns actually define it and maintains its natural fabrics.

Literary Influences on the Genre

Science fiction is evidently not one of the oldest form of narrations but its history closely aligns with the history of science fiction in literary works. Most science fiction films traces their roots to literature as some are directly based on a written narration. Looking back in time, the first ever film to be considered a science fiction was La Voyage dans la Lune of 1902. Contrariwise, the first ever literary work to be considered a science fiction was the Mary Shelley's Frankenstein of 1818 - nearly a century before the first film. Therefore, this is not the common question of the chicken and its egg and which one influences the other - the answer is clear.

What makes science fiction books interesting is not the fact that they reflect the science of their time but that they demonstrate the influence that literature has on scientific discovery in itself.  Certain books like the Man in the Moone by Francis Godwin inspired ideas such as heliocentric and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life existing. For this same reason, the literature work inspired thoughts concerning life forms that are out of this world being adopted into the film industry. Even more provocative is the bold ideology that was first published in the book The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish. This narration introduces the ideology of parallel worlds with weird creatures that resembles the ones on earth. Although her work was criticized for a while, it did not take long for other forms of literature and film narrations to adopt such ideology of talking extraterrestrial creatures and parallel worlds being accessible from within the earth.

Literary works have had a substantial influence into both the world of scientific revolutions as well as the films of the same nature. However, fans and writers of the written narration often refute the film version of the genre claiming that its plot is overly simplistic and it leaves several things out. All readers will claim that the book is always better than the film version of the same.

Importance of Social and Economic Forces on the Genre

There are several factors that affect the content aired in science fiction films. Such factors including social and economic forces influence the direction that science fiction narrations take. Social factors have a deep influence on both the subject and thematical contents of a science fiction film. Several science fiction films tend to illustrate the current situation of a society while others tend to predict the eventual outcome based on the current situation of the world. For instance, the early part of the 21st century was filled with several films of this genre were concerned with climate change and its effect on both plants and animals. Films like Interstellar predicted that man will have to occupy extraterrestrial habitats in order to maintain its specie if climate change does not change.

Additionally, certain science fiction films tries exploring social debates that the society may be engraved in but does not understand or is still divided. Planet of the Apes (1974) significantly  exploited  the  controversial  issue  of  racial  and  ethnic  discrimination,  while challenging the basic idea that human beings are far more superior than anything on the planet. More controversial is the social debates raised and discussed within the 2015 film Circle, which challenged several societal views based on arguments from various sides. Other films - such as The Demolition Man (1993) - were released based on the political situation at the time at which they were written and released.

Economic situations in a society also tend to dictate the direction in which certain science fiction films will escalate towards. The Hunger Games (2012) was blatant in explicating the class division as well as the gap between the rich and the poor while also highlighting the role of the media in the same. Based on the current economic situation of a society, certain films are likely to be accepted more than others; making film writers consider this in their production. Therefore, social and economic forces are quite important and influential in the genre of science fiction.

Variations and Changes within the Genre

As had been earlier expounded, the genre of science fiction - much like any other genre - is influenced by several factors including, but not limited to economic and social factors. Such factors that influence its evolution leads to variations and changes of the films produced in the genre over a long period of time. The history of civilization and the changes that arises in the same is directly intertwined with the genre of science fiction. Generally, science fiction films closely follow the situations that affect the society and thus change along with them.

The earliest science fiction films were more of war-oriented as others specifically explored the anxiety of cold war such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). This was basically due to the cold war that was evident between major superpowers in the world after the Second World War. Thereafter in the sixties, science fiction films became more optimistic with saving the planet and the effects of not doing so. Therefore, science fiction films were more engraved with predicting the doom of the world and the destruction that we would bring on ourselves due to lab-based viruses and other technologically harmful ordeals. Later on, at the awakening of technology and computers, science fiction films began exploring the potential and threats related to the same field. Therefore, there emerged cyber-related films such as Hackers (1995) as such films elevated the ranks of computer geeks of the time, even showcasing them as geniuses. Later on, there were worries that machines would overtake human civilization at the development of artificial intelligence. This sparked developments of films like The Matrix (1999) and! Robot (2004). Moreover, with more space exploration intensifying in the later decades, several interstellar exploration films took charge; including Prometheus (2012) and The Martian (2015) - explaining the rigors of space and time travel. This insinuates a continuous change and variation in the content aired by science fiction films.

Impact of Particular Individuals on the Genre

Science fiction films influences the real world in various ways. This film genre affects how science is perceived, thus influencing research and knowledge in the same field; while also influencing both learners and teachers in the same sense. Some have contended that science fiction films have improved their knowledge in a certain piece of information as some have appreciated the genre for improving their creativity and reasoning skills. Well, so many is attributed to the genre without mentioning the brains behind such genius works of art. Developing science fiction films could be exemplified as both a science and an art in that it requires skills from both disciplines in order to come up with an acceptable result. Several individuals have been quite exemplary in the same field, who have thus made a huge impact I the genre.

Even science fiction films attribute their large industry to a small and feeble background. Certain individuals propelled the idea of science fiction films until they became acceptable to viewers. One of such works is the first ever science fiction film - Le Voyage dans la Lune - created by Georges Melies in 1902. What is more, certain ideas were never a part of the world of science until they were coined by one writer. One of such individuals include Karel Capek, who first came up with the idea of robots in 1921 and was later acknowledged by almost all the science fiction films of her time and the times that followed. This was even espoused in the works of famous science fiction authors such as Isaac Asimov, whose works were widely known. Other celebrated individuals in the field of science fiction include; Stanley Kubrick, Fritz Lang, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Christopher Nolan to mention but a few. Such names will forever be placed on the walls of the hall of fame in the world of science fiction films.

International Variations and Influences in and on the Genre

Many have argued that science fiction films mainly thrive in the western world - the Hollywood. However, the rest of the world have a key role in the advancement of science fiction films. It is notable, the difference between science fiction films all across the globe. While most European science fiction films focus on artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life, other science fiction films from Asia focus on political issues and a more globalized society. This insinuates a great disparity in this category of films. However, ideas from other parts of the world could be used by other writers from different sections all-together in order to develop a form of new idea in the other part of the world. What is more, certain events from various countries - such as political unrests or cyber-terrorism - can trigger the development of films from other regions of the world that might critique or condone the situation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that science fiction films have changed and evolved over the years. Nonetheless, there are certain recurring pattern, themes, and subject matters that define science fiction films and are not affected by change in time. Such patterns include; the danger of knowledge to humans and the world, the potential threat of technology, and predication of the future based on the current status quo. This paper has also explored the literary influences on the genre, denoting the importance of literary works to science fiction. Social and economic forces affecting the change in genre as well as the variations experienced within the genre were explored. What is more, it is clear that certain individuals have driven the direction of science fiction towards an admirable future, foe which purpose they shall be remembered. Lastly, it was noted that there is a big difference between several films in the genre of science fiction across the globe due to different ideologies and status of living. Nonetheless, situations and films from other areas may affect or have a tremendous impact on the films produced by another region all-together.