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SETI Movies?
May 28th, 2009
So I guess I’m on a SETI kick right now as I’m reading Seth Shostak’s new book (which I will review soon). I was trying to think of all the books, movies, and TV shows that portrayed SETI in at least a somewhat realistic manner. I could not think of too many. When it comes to books and TV shows, I am far from a world expert as I don’t watch everthing and don’t read everything either. There aren’t that many movies, however.
I could only think of:
Contact
The Arrival (and sequel) (Sorry! A correction for my sleep-addled brain.)
Species (and sequels)
Contact was based on Sagan’s novel. Species sure has a lot in common with Fred Hoyle’s A for Andromeda. So there’s at least two novels for two movies already. I tried unleashing google, but didn’t find a lot in a few minutes of searching, which makes it a tough problem. Is SETI just a boring thing to make movies about? Is it too highbrow to attract crowds? I mean, a “wow” signal sure sucks ass compared to a giant spaceship floating over a city, especially for Hollywood.
Did I miss something here? Are there more decent SETI-based movies I’ve forgotten. Bonus points for comments also about TV or books.
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Independance Day has a brief few scenes in the beginning which I believe is supposed to be SETI – the dorky guys playing golf in the office when they recieve the signal of encroaching craft etc.
But hell, that could just be a RADAR station or something. Best I can come up with.
The Arrival?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115571/
I was just thinking The Arrival. I think that has some SETI stuff in it, if memory serves me.
The Awakening is supposed to be The Arrival. My brain defaulted here. Used to be like a steel trap. Not it is more like rubber…still powerful, but bouncy.
The Day the Earth stood Still with Micheal Rennie. As far as I know it’s never been remade.
*inserts fingers in ears, LA LA LA LALA LA LA LA LA LALA
The Arecibo Observatory played a major part in an episode of The X-Files. Doesn’t exactly qualify for your list, but hey!
Don DeLillo’s novel Ratner’s Star has a SETI-like premise, which allows him to have characters who exemplify the various schools of literary theory. And of course Charles Seffield’s Dark as Day involves future SETI.
I am very happy to hear about the TV and book references, too. Thanks!
(Dark as Day has been sitting in my to read pile for too many years now…)
I can’t think of any more movies.
As for books, I don’t think anyone mentioned Gunn’s The Listeners.
There’s Starman, of course. I think there was some mention of SETI in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well.
Try Starman and K-PAX