vintage

Vintage articles and footage from the science fiction archives.

Stereo and Crimes of the Future
"Jomkin suggests that there must evolve a novel sexuality for a new species of man." — Crimes of the Future Before he became the cinematic master of body horror, David Cronenberg was an experimental student filmmaker who turned out works very much in line with the same sort of fixations explored almost exclusively by J.G. Ballard, whose Crash he later adapted into a film, in 1997. His early films, his first two, Stereo (1969) and Crimes of the Future (1970), explore film technique in documenting the huge, yawning architectural environment of an unspecified hospital or research facility, relegating the performers of the film to almost being secondary actors in a drama defined by geometrical shape—relegating them to the roles of insectile life, pursuing strange, even inscrutable actions, ostensibly being filmed by the watchful, clinical, and coldly detached robotic eye of the viewer, who becomes the de facto research assistant to the director, who seems to have made this film by asking his performers to improvise within the framework of derangement. What was he exploring? one wonders. The environment itself dwarfs the humanity of the filmic subjects, overpowering them in its specter of geometrical dominance and dimension.
By Tom Baker3 months ago in Futurism
Life On Demand
Introduction Yesterday I was at a work conference and my dad called me four times. Now normally I could text and say I would call back later, and that would be Ok, but despite having a state-of-the-art phone, my dad doesn't read texts because he does not know how to.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 months ago in Futurism
Power On!
"The world is in transition! When I am finished, it will be a model of mechanical perfection!" —Lord Dread Note: The fanfic is strong with this one.
By Tom Baker3 months ago in Futurism
Tarot of The Holy Mountain (Part 1)
All pathways lead to the gate of initiation, at the foot of the Holy Mountain, the great, towering pinnacle of our hopes, dreams, and fears.
By Tom Baker4 months ago in Futurism
Wizards
Wizards is an animated film that is as old as I am. Mark Hamil lends his vocal skills, along with Richard Romanus, who was also in Heavy Metal (1981) as well as in Martin Scorcese's iconic American gangster pic Mean Streets *(1973), alongside Robert Deniro and Harvey Keitel. Before he died, Romanus, in other words, was in some classic films. Wizards is one of them, although we don't say it isn't a troubled ordeal fitting that term "classic" to it. Here's why.
By Tom Baker4 months ago in Futurism
The Silent Collapse of Ambition
I. The 'Digital Dystopia' Introduction We have been sold a beautiful lie. It has slick marketing, an endless stream of cheerful, sunlit Instagram posts, and a compelling name: Remote Work.
By Stefano D'angello4 months ago in Futurism
Textbook Assassin
To read my first essay on Videodrome, written six years ago, click here: The (Old) New Flesh "The cathode ray becomes the fallopian tube of the retina." — Brien O'Blivion, Media Prophet "In the future, everyone will be living in a TV studio." J.G. Ballard, 1982.
By Tom Baker5 months ago in Futurism
Midnight and the Sacred Bone; Or, Falling Through Space Like a Glittering Jewel, a Mote in the Eye of God
2001: A Space Odyssey is the intercession between the Divine Will, the Cosmic Consciousness, and the manifestation of that will on the material plane. It is a story, yet it is also a subconscious flickering of communication—a thing manifested because, in Heaven and Earth, all things that can be conceived, all permutations of “reality,” are rendered possible before we “experience” them in the solid, physical, three-dimensional “meat space” of our lives.
By Tom Baker5 months ago in Futurism
Star Trek TOS: "Arena"
Some people may wonder what the point is of writing about Star Trek. After all, volumes have already been penned about the classic science fiction series—really, a little beyond the designation “classic,” into the stratosphere of a term like “iconic.” Star Trek went boldly where no television science fiction series had gone before and changed the face of an entire genre.
By Tom Baker6 months ago in Futurism
Top 10 Future Inventions That Could Change the World.
Top 10 Future Inventions That Could Change the World Introduction Since the dawn of human civilization, inventions have shaped the way societies live, work, and communicate. The wheel, electricity, and the internet are just a few breakthroughs that redefined entire eras. But as technology continues to accelerate, the future holds even greater promises. From advanced artificial intelligence to space colonization, the coming decades could deliver inventions that will radically change our world. Below, we explore ten of the most impactful innovations that experts believe are on the horizon.
By Sayed Zewayed6 months ago in Futurism
Future-Proof Yourself in 2025: 10 Powerful Skills You Must Master to Stay Ahead
Introduction: Why 2025 Demands New Skills The world is changing faster than ever. Automation, artificial intelligence, global remote work, and digital entrepreneurship are redefining how people succeed. In 2025, it’s not just about working hard — it’s about working smart with future-proof skills. This guide reveals the 10 most powerful skills you must master to stay ahead of the curve, increase your earning potential, and thrive in any career path.
By KAMRAN AHMAD6 months ago in Futurism
Star Trek TOS: The Galileo Seven
"The Galileo Seven" is classic Star Trek, a nail-biter featuring a crash-landing by the away team on a hostile alien world—a nightmarish place where huge, shambling bear-creatures, seen only from behind, attack the stranded shuttle crew under the command of Spock. The heart of the episode lies in the interplay between Spock's will to command, his unshakable devotion to logic (here revealed not as innate, but as something he must consciously practice and struggle to maintain), and his need to “humanize” his leadership. Boma, the only Black man aboard the shuttle, takes exception to Spock’s seemingly callous, machine-like demeanor (he even uses that word as an insult). Inside, though, Spock shows insecurity: a constant battle between fear and logic, duty and compassion.
By Tom Baker6 months ago in Futurism