Monsters from the ID

Does fiction inspire the science, or does science inspire the fiction? Monsters From the Id is a documentary that addresses this question. Going back to the classic sci-fi movies of the fifties and sixties, when the promise of an exciting new age permeated the world, the filmmakers look at the influence these films played on a future generation of scientists, and hears from those that went on to do great scientific work because of what they saw at the movies.

One of the theories put forward is that in those films it was the scientists that were the heroes who saved the day with their superior intellects, rather than with muscles and weapons that permeate today's movies. They propose that we need more films like those early classics to encourage a new generation of young people to become scientists in order to save our world.

The film also looks at the way sci-fi portrayed man's fears of invasion and loss of freedom at that time using, in particular, Forbidden Planet (where the title is taken from) to show that most of the terror comes from within man's own psyche.

If you have an enquiring mind, and are interested in the Real Science talks being held at the festival, then this is a great place to start getting your brain cells stimulated - and see fantastic clips from 1950s' sci-fi classics.

Monsters from the ID Trailer by SFLTV