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15th Jan '13 12:28:46 AM PaulA

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Literature.TheShapeOfThingsToCome

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''The Shape Of Things To Come'' is a 1933 SpeculativeFiction novel by Creator/HGWells, detailing mankind's struggles to survive and reach the future in the midst of global war and societal collapse. The novel was [[FilmOfTheBook adapted to film]] in 1936, and the title ([[InNameOnly and little else]]) was appropriated for another sci-fi film in 1979.[[note]]The novel also provided the title for an episode of ''Series/{{Lost}}'' and the closing sequence of ''Series/{{Caprica}}'', amongst other {{Shout Out}}s in popular culture.[[/note]]
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!Original Novel ''The Shape Of Things To Come''
The original novel prognosticates WorldWarII (though in the book the war lasts for a decade or more), which ends inconclusively but decimates all of civilization -- not helped by [[ThePlague a horrific plague]] which nearly effaces the human populace.

Wells then envisions a benevolent OneWorldOrder which comes in and, using its monopoly on the world's surviving transportation infrastructure, begins to rebuild society into a scientific {{utopia}}. After a century, the OneWorldOrder is peacefully overthrown, after which the utopia is apparently achieved.

!!The Novel provides examples of:
* AfterTheEnd
* BalkanizeMe: As an aftermath of the novel's version of WorldWarTwo, the effectiveness of many countries' governments to enforce their power faded in varying degrees, rendering many regions de facto autonomous.
** DividedStatesOfAmerica: For example Utah, where Mormonism was then declared the state religion.
* BlackShirt: Actual UsefulNotes/FascistItaly Black Shirts are still operating some time after the second Conference at Basra in 1978.
* ExtyYearsFromNow
* HistoryMarchesOn: Subverted when the book (more or less accurately) prognosticates the start of WorldWarII. Then double-subverted when the book's WWII goes on for over a decade and completely obliterates all of human society.
** TheGreatPoliticsMessUp
* NoBikesInTheApocalypse: Subverted in chapter 11 ''Europe in 1960'' wherein the ''Diary of Titus Cobbett'' is mentioned, written during Cobbett's bicycle ride through the [[AfterTheEnd completely devastated Europe]] of [[{{Zeerust}} 1958]].
* LiteraryAgentHypothesis: The book claims to be adapted from the notes of one Dr. Philip Raven.
* ThePlague
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Wings Over The World.

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15th Jan '13 12:24:44 AM PaulA

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Film.ThingsToCome

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!1936 Film ''Things To Come''
''Things To Come'' is a 1936 film based upon the novel. Adapted for the screen by Wells himself, the film follows a concept and plot similar to the book, and is seen mostly through the eyes of cynical but visionary John Cabal (Raymond Massey) or one of his descendants ([[IdenticalGrandson also Raymond Massey]]) and centered on a fictional English city called "Everytown".

The film is divided into three distinct segments of history (similar to the novel's division into discreet sections). The first, set in [[NextSundayAD 1940]] Everytown, juxtaposes the looming threat of war with a peaceful Christmas celebration, contrasting a bleak outlook with optimism for the future. And then the military is mobilized in response to an enemy incursion, and Everytown is devastated by bombers; the Second Great War has begun.

The war [[TimePassesMontage drags on for decades]], plunging human society into a MadMax-style AfterTheEnd state and unleashing a deadly, contagious and incurable [[ThePlague plague]]. When next we catch up with the residents of Everytown, in the then far-flung year 1970, it has become a shanty, all but overrun by plague-ridden citizens and ruled by a CorruptHick who has taken [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim an extremist method for dealing with said plague-ridden citizens]] -- in stark contrast to a young doctor who, despite the now primitive conditions, is striving for a cure. Into this arrives a stranger: John Cabal himself, who reveals that human society has not been completely wiped out and is in the process of rebuilding itself. The Corrupt Hick, however, is interested only in holding onto his own niche of power, and so Cabal must call down his military allies on the town.

Another [[{{Montages}} montage]] carries us farther into the future, showing mankind [[HardWorkMontage rebuilding his society]] into a [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas shiny plastic]] underground city. Now, in 2036, John Cabal's equally visionary great-grandson Oswald is spearheading mankind's [[HistoryMarchesOn first expedition to the Moon]]. However, a radical dissident opposes the expedition on the basis that human technology and knowledge are advancing too fast [[GoodOldWays (or something to that effect)]]. The dissident's plot to stop the launch fails, and Cabal [[PatrickStewartSpeech waxes on about mankind's eternal quest for knowledge]]. The End.

!! The 1936 film provides examples of:
* AdaptationDistillation
* AfterTheEnd: Eventually morphs into a TropeCodifier for CrystalSpiresAndTogas.
* CoolPlane: The giant flying wings of Cabal's air force, Wings Over the World.
* CorruptHick: The "Chief" of Everytown in the second segment.
* DeadlyGas: Played straight during the war, but the 'gas of peace' only knocks people out, except for The Chief who conveniently dies of a heart attack.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: A [[AdamAndEvePlot young man and woman are sent to start life on a new world]]; the [[FreudWasRight seed of mankind]] shot into space from a [[NotCompensatingForAnything huge gun]]. Ummm...
* FilmOfTheBook
* GoodOldWays: The dissident, Theotocopulos, in the third segment, who opposes any and all advancement of human society, apparently purely on the basis that it '''is''' advancement.
* HistoryMarchesOn: As with the novel, double-subverted: the film predicts the onset of WorldWarII, which proceeds to go on for a couple decades.
* IdenticalGrandson: Raymond Massey plays multiple generations of the Cabal family tree. Other roles in the film are treated similarly.
* InfantImmortality: Averted. At the start of the film a child is marching the streets, playing Boy Soldier with his toy drum and pith helmet; after the city is bombed we see the boy among the rubble. Making it worse, he was the son of one of the main characters.
* MoodDissonance: The opening scene showcases people preparing for a joyous holiday while placards and billboards proclaim the threat of war. Even the carols on the soundtrack have a decidedly dark cadence.
* NextSundayAD: The first segment, set in 1940. The rest of the movie takes place ExtyYearsFromNow. 
* OneSidedBattle: Justified as The Chief's decrepit biplanes are no match for Wings Over the World.
* PatrickStewartSpeech: Cabal gives one to the audience at the end of the movie.
* ThePlague: The so-called "wandering sickness".
* RaygunGothic
* ScavengerWorld
* TimePassesMontage: Used to link the film's three segments. The first instance is combined with a war-themed ApocalypticMontage; the second blends with a HardWorkMontage.
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Invoked almost word-for-word by The Chief concerning the plague-ridden populace. The fact that he alone thought of this is apparently what begins his rise to power.

15th Jan '13 12:22:52 AM PaulA

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Film.TheShapeOfThingsToCome

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!1979 "Remake" ''H G Wells' The Shape Of Things To Come''
With the earth rendered all but uninhabitable due to the "[[{{Terminator}} Robot Wars]]" and resultant plague, humankind has colonized the moon with a [[NoNewFashionsInTheFuture tres-70s discotastic]] society. Enter Omus (JackPalance), who has overthrown an outlying drug-mining colony and who wants to be installed as [[CalvinAndHobbes president and dictator-for-life]] of the human race; to this end, he crashes a robot-piloted ore ship into the moon colony, warning that drug shipments (apparently necessary for human survival, due to ThePlague) will cease if he is not appeased.

There are only three people who seem to think that standing up to Omus is a good idea: John Cabal, an old colleague of the villain; his Skywalker-ish son Jason; and Jason's girl Kim, daughter of a senator. Adding to the mix is the robot pilot, whom Kim repaired and reprogrammed after the crash so as to become an ally -- and [[MagicFromTechnology gaining the ability to teleport]] in the process. These four brave souls steal an experimental starship (which looks suspiciously like the [[Franchise/StarTrek USS Enterprise]] after being hit with a steamroller) and set out on a series of mini-adventures to stop the Evil Omus once and for all.

!! The 1979 film provides examples of:
* AfterTheEnd: We will live on the moon.
* BrownNote: A high-frequency sonic weapon which can literally pierce your brain like a knife.
* CowTools
* EvilIsHammy: But what else could one expect from JackPalance?
* FollowTheLeader: Emboldened by... well, I'm sure you can guess.
* HeelFaceTurn: the RobotBuddy, after being rebuilt by Kim.
** FaceHeelTurn: Subverted
* HeyItsThatGuy: Barry Morse from ''{{Space 1999}}'' as John Cabal; but Jack Palance steals the show as Omus.
* HugeHolographicHead
* InNameOnly: Takes more cues from ''Franchise/StarWars'' than from its own namesake.
* LaResistance: Governor Nikki's little RedShirtArmy
* LoadBearingBoss: Shortly after Omus' defeat, his fortress collapses.
* MagicFromTechnology: after the RobotBuddy is repaired, it inexplicably develops [[TransportersAndTeleporters teleportation powers]].
* ThePlague
** InfantImmortality
* RobotBuddy
* SpaceClothes
** [[NoNewFashionsInTheFuture No New Hairstyles In The Future]] / SeventiesHair: Unlike her model [[Film/ANewHope Princess Leia]], Kim rocks the Farrah Fawcett look.

14th Jan '13 10:34:08 PM PaulA

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16th Dec '12 5:44:03 PM Scooter007

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