Megan Prelinger discusses aerospace industry ads from the golden age of science fiction—the 1950s and early 1960s—when the farthest reaches of imagination were fed by the technological breakthroughs of the postwar years. Her book Another Science Fiction presents nearly 200 entertaining, intriguing, and inspiring pieces of space-age eye candy.
The most interesting aspect of the interview-discussion is how the vision of the United States and its relationship to space exploration was an extension of the previous century's dogma of Manifest Destiny. Also of interest is the designer of the Mad Men series blurbs the book, wishing it had been available to him in the first seasons.
See the Lenny Lopate Show showpage, WNYC for a series of these recruiting ads' illustrations, aimed at the industry.
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2 comments:
I love this stuff. I scarfed up the Tom Swift books back then.
Design strategy for sci-fi movies and television hasn't changed all that much. The technology is better, but I'd say that the imagination is more in the details than any reconception of what things might be like.
I had no idea you were that sort of person as well.
" ... but I'd say that the imagination is more in the details than any reconception of what things might be like."
Alas, that is also the way most of the field remains in terms of story and character too. Which is why the field is in such a state of hysteria right now, particularly the older participants, whether pros or fans: the paradigm of white U.S. male engineer/soldier taking over, saving, redeeming the world(s) of the Other(s), solving every problem, being efficient, kicking ass, etc., not a true reflection of the world(s) as it/they are. In fact, some serious asskicking is being performed by women, in both technology and the military. And they are most Other there be.
Love, C.
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