At a time when media increasingly envelop human beings like an environment and constitute a fundamental condition of existence, understanding media has become central to questions of human survival. Imaginary media in science fiction film envision multiple possibilities of media form and function while revealing their far-reaching implications for human beings and society. Grounded in media archaeology, this study draws on Eric Kluitenberg’s archaeology of imaginary media and Erkki Huhtamo’s conception of media archaeology as topos study to examine thirty classic science fiction films. Using qualitative textual analysis, it identifies, categorizes, and compares recurring media forms, communicative relations, and spatial representations, and interprets their representational modes and cultural meanings. The analysis shows that imaginary media both reflect and transcend reality. At the level of visual landscapes, imaginary media articulate three principal possibilities: media may “invade” and transform the human body; enable communication among human beings, between humans and machines, and between humans and the “Other”; and become embedded in and reshape space at both micro and macro scales. At the level of meaning production, imaginary media resonate with Paul Levinson’s account of media evolution and offer an alternative perspective on the relationship among spectacle, media, and science fiction film. Imaginary media thus not only generate the distinctive visual appeal of science fiction cinema but also function as on-screen “thought experiments” through which such films enter into dialogue with those living in a mediatized society.

Authors:
Keyu Guo, Shanghai International Studies University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Guo Keyu is a doctoral student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Shanghai International Studies University. Guo's research primarily focuses on global communication, film and television culture, and media theory.

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