Seriously: where does Hollywood's singular fascination with depicting mankind's inevitable demise come from?
Way, way back in my college days, it seems to me I'd read a little something something that postulated one reason why storytellers so often dip into the well of Dystopia for another look, but I honestly don't recall where I may've read it. Genre magazines back in the day came and went with some regularity, and I suppose that's the great thing about the Information Superhighway these days: almost everything written can seemingly last forever ... or, at least, until that great EMP in the skies wipes out our technology once and for all ... which brings me back to the topic at hand ...
Personally, I think filmmakers have been especially fascinated with tales of doom because it allows them world-building beneath the bare bones of a budget: less and less cash is required for fancypants special effects while freeing up investment in better writers, certainly stronger talents, and potentially more interesting location shooting. Plus, I just have always believed that there's something deep within each of us -- storytellers, too -- that harkens back to the sheer will and determination Earthlings have displayed for centuries when it comes to simply surviving. Surviving anything. Each of us imagines a scenario wherein we have to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get back to basics. Thus, the end of the world as we know continues to fascinate us personally and professionally.
In any event, I stumbled across one more coming attraction that promises to explore said circumstances: the film is called "Tides." SciFi maven Roland Emmerich is attached as executive producer, and it appears to have a cast rich with awards nominees. IMDB.com lists the film's working title as "Haven: Above Sky" (???), but promotional materials -- trailer included -- certainly makes this look like "Tides" is the final choice.
Trailer is below.
Way, way back in my college days, it seems to me I'd read a little something something that postulated one reason why storytellers so often dip into the well of Dystopia for another look, but I honestly don't recall where I may've read it. Genre magazines back in the day came and went with some regularity, and I suppose that's the great thing about the Information Superhighway these days: almost everything written can seemingly last forever ... or, at least, until that great EMP in the skies wipes out our technology once and for all ... which brings me back to the topic at hand ...
Personally, I think filmmakers have been especially fascinated with tales of doom because it allows them world-building beneath the bare bones of a budget: less and less cash is required for fancypants special effects while freeing up investment in better writers, certainly stronger talents, and potentially more interesting location shooting. Plus, I just have always believed that there's something deep within each of us -- storytellers, too -- that harkens back to the sheer will and determination Earthlings have displayed for centuries when it comes to simply surviving. Surviving anything. Each of us imagines a scenario wherein we have to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get back to basics. Thus, the end of the world as we know continues to fascinate us personally and professionally.
In any event, I stumbled across one more coming attraction that promises to explore said circumstances: the film is called "Tides." SciFi maven Roland Emmerich is attached as executive producer, and it appears to have a cast rich with awards nominees. IMDB.com lists the film's working title as "Haven: Above Sky" (???), but promotional materials -- trailer included -- certainly makes this look like "Tides" is the final choice.
Trailer is below.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
-- EZ
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