James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction is a must-watch for any fan of cinema, science fiction or otherwise, and while you’re not going to really learn very much new information but do hear from some experts in the genre or involved with it over the years.
James Cameron’s
Story of Science Fiction
(2018)
Genre(s): Documentary
RLJ Entertainment | NR – 257 min. – $34.97 | July 7, 2020
Date Published: 08/09/2020 | Author: The Movieman
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RLJ Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 4.0/5 |
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Synopsis: A uniquely intimate look of science fiction’s roots, futuristic vision and our fascination with its ideas through interviews by James Cameron with A-list storytellers, stars and others whose careers have defined the field, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Smith and Sigourney Weaver among many others. Cameron takes us on a journey of discovery and exploration, helping us understand where science fiction’s ideas come from – and where they’re taking us.
Quick Hit Review: Arguably there’s no bigger of influence on filmmaker, science fiction and more, than James Cameron and while I’m sure many question his longtime dedication to the Avatar sequels and development of the next level of technology, there is no doubt he’s a brilliant man and his previous involvement in documentaries, like Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep (and making appearances in numerous others). So it would seem a natural fit for him to have his own mini-series, which for any fan of cinema, was a treat to sit through. In any case, this Story of Science Fiction (which Cameron is an executive producer) brings together some of the top directors and personally interviewing them, which is intercut with insights by others involved with various projects from Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum for Independence Day, Keanu Reeves with The Matrix or even Mila Jovovich for Resident Evil. Beyond the stars, you get many in academia offering their insight into science fiction and its contribution to society. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.5/5 |
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This two-disc set is housed in a standard Blu-ray case and comes with a slip cover. Features include Extended Interviews (TRT 26:56) with Guillermo del Toro (4:04), George Lucas (3:29), Christopher Nolan (4:39), Arnold Schwarzenegger (3:09), Ridley Scott (4:18) and Steven Spielberg (2:38). |
VIDEO – 4.0/5 |
| RLJ Entertainment releases Story of Fiction onto Blu-ray and is shown with a 1080p high-definition transfer and a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio. I never caught this when it aired on AMC back in 2018 but I assume it looks on point, detail is decent during the interview segments which are set against a black background with blue lighting to give some depth. |
AUDIO – 3.5/5 |
| Each episode comes with a basic but suitable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track which, outside of the movie scenes shown, is fine for a series that is 90%+ filled with commentary by Cameron and the interviewees. |
OVERALL – 3.5/5 |
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Overall, James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction is a must-watch for any fan of cinema, science fiction or otherwise, and while you’re not going to really learn very much new information but do hear from some experts in the genre or involved with it over the years, makes this an entertaining mini-series. |