I'm a big Red Dwarf fan. The sci fi concepts portrayed in it are literally out of this world. There are hardly any sci fi comedies though, on TV or in film. Can you think of any? I mean truly great, on a par with Star Wars, ET, the Alien Saga, Close Encounters, etc.
Are pruducers afraid to spend money on sci fi comedy, thinking it wont make that much money? Is it just because comedy is so difficult that adding sci fi concepts on top would make it impossible for most writers. Is it the sponsors? Is it us?
2006-11-29 10:18:57 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Movies
In my opinion, we don't take is seriously enough! I mean, why have the critics never noticed it is merely a scenery change - the stories are still the same genres they always are in fiction:
Comedy
Soap
Horror
Action/Adventure
Thriller
Romance
Historical and Sci-Fi are just two flip sides of the same coin. Do you want to set your story in the past, present or future, or alternate reality (fantasy)? Simple!
By that argument, there is absolutely no reason why comedy should not work within a Sci-Fi setting - it works in the Fantasy, I mean, some episodes of Buffy had me laughing out loud! The strength is in the writing, and the writing behind Red Dwarf was spot on.
If you want a comedy with the same epic strength as the films you mention though, you have a problem - look at normal comedy films. There is not the visual impact in a comedy that you have in an action/adventure - the emphasis is on the script. Therefore, comedies will never "appear" epic in nature, it's a problem with the comedy genre, and not with sci-fi in particular.
2006-11-29 23:58:33 · answer #1 · answered by cuddles_gb 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well Hitch-hacker's guide (to the galaxy) is a sci-fi comedy more than anything else. There's a lot of sci-fi book and films out there which are funny but which won't be classed as comedy because they're most of the time clever-funny so it'd make you laugh when you're watching/reading it but it'll make you think afterwards. The problem with sci-fi is that 90% of the stuff which gets famous enough for people who don't read sci-fi to hear about it is really bad so people who just read or watch the stuff everyone knows have this weird idea that it's all about aliens shooting each other. I think sci-fi comedy is possible and it does exist but the primary objective of a good sci-fi book/film should always be to make the reader think.
2006-11-29 10:30:26 · answer #2 · answered by Lenny. 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the momey spent on sfx for sci-fi's tend to deter comedy, as sponsers want money'sworth
Hyperdrive has been given a 2nd season, but rumour monkey told me it was casue they spent so much on the set for the first season they were committed either way.
Also comedy is is about the obvious, whereas a sci-fi show requires a lot of exposition to insure the audience can follow it.
If you look at red dwarf the sci-fi elements got stronger as the show progressed, knowing the characters had been embeddedd in the audience.
2006-11-29 22:30:31 · answer #3 · answered by comicbookrob 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We do not take science fiction too seriously, todays science fiction is often tomorrows fact.
Producers generally tend to be afraid to spend money on unproven genres, this is unfornate but understandable.
If a script writer came up with a comedy sci fi that was briliant enough and this briliance was clearly noticable in the script it would get produced. It will probably happen some time.
2006-11-29 10:34:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I most certainly take female Science Fiction authors seriously. Following is a partial list of writers I keep an eye out for; C. J. Cherryh. Sheri S. Tepper. Ursula Le Guin. Pat Cadigan. I skip about 60% of S. F. that appears on the shelves, or in the library, because it follows Sturgeon's law (that's Theodore Sturgeon, do a google for the author). How about you tell us what you think of female S. F. authors.
2016-05-23 03:08:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
2006-11-29 10:21:07 · answer #6 · answered by robtheman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would thoroughly recommend Men in Black & MIB 2. Really brilliant Sci-Fi Comedies.
2006-11-29 10:28:34 · answer #7 · answered by ispooky2 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i think it's mainly that people are concerned about making films too convoluted by combining genres, but also, most humor works just as well in a modern day setting is it does in a sci-fi setting.
someone above mentioned hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, but in my opinion, the movie was pretty much crap.
2006-11-29 10:28:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe I do.
There is this concept of non-interference in Star Trek series called the Prime Directive. It basically says there should be no interference with the natural development of any primitive society. No primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or alien races.
Strangely, when speaking with people who "just will never get it", I tend to keep my peace in observance to the Prime Directive. I mean, I prefer to listen and smile than spending my energy explaining the issue. People with low IQs are considered primitive society to me.
2006-11-29 10:30:20 · answer #9 · answered by papadaddy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hitch hiker's Guide, Evolution, Galaxy Quest, Spaceballs, the Fifth Element.
As far as being on par with ET or Star Wars, I would say only Fifth element and Hitch hiker's guide would qualify.
2006-11-29 10:26:57 · answer #10 · answered by Glenn N 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋