From E.T. the Extraterrestrial and Back to the Future to Blade Runner and Alien, science fiction films have been achieving blockbuster status for decades. Moreover, some major studio releases, such as Star Wars, The Matrix, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as many low-budget films have become etched in film history as international cult classics.

Offering a broad historical and theoretical reassessment of this popular genre, Christine Cornea explores the development of science fiction in cinema from its very beginnings to the present day. Each chapter offers analyses of particular films, situating them within a wider historical/cultural context while also highlighting a specific key thematic issue. Cornea provides vital and unique perspectives on the genre, including discussions of the relevance of psychedelic imagery, race, the ''new woman of science,'' generic performance, and the prevalence of ''techno-orientalism'' in recent films. Enriching the book are new interviews with some of the main practitioners in the field, such as Roland Emmerich, Paul Verhoeven, Ken Russell, Stan Winston, William Gibson, Brian Aldiss, Joe Morton, Dean Norris, and Billy Gray. While American films are Cornea's main focus, she also engages with a range of pertinent examples from other countries and explains why science fiction lends itself well to transnational reception.

Among the many films discussed are The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Body Snatchers, Forbidden Planet, The Quatermass Experiment, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Demon Seed, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Wars, Altered States, Alien, Blade Runner, The Brother from Another Planet, Back to the Future, The Terminator, Predator, The One, Dark City, The Matrix, Fifth Element, and eXistenZ.