Fantasy is *not* Sci-fi, and visa-versa, grrr! - Scifi-Meshes.com

Silverblade-T-E · 10-01-2007, 03:45 AM

Why the hell is it, here in the UK anyway, I keep seeing fantasy films classified as "sci-fi" in the damned TV listings in magazines/newspapers?

FFS, Lord of the Rings is *NOT* Sci-fi! Gandalf didn't pull the Lightsaber of Smeagol Lube out, ya know!

It was Glamdring, the orc-lopping sword.

I generally preffer fantasy to sci-fi, but like, the genres are very different with little real crossover. Star Wars IS a cross over, like it or not, it's as much fantasy as sci-fi, despite what bloody Lucas tried to retcon it in the recent films..and made a mess of 'em...damn you for ruining my childhood joy, you evil swine!

...Jar Jar Binks...the "Flumph" of the Big Screen, grrrr!

Anyway: why do folk seem to have this trouble comprehending the difference? It's pretty simple, for goodness sake.

**Dr-Timelord** · 10-01-2007, 04:52 AM

uh....chill dude

why not go watch that action-comedy Predator?

universaltim · 10-01-2007, 05:05 AM

Ah, it's okay. He's just venting his frustrations. To be honest, I've been wondering the same thing myself for years. Now, I like both scifi and fantasy (however I do lean more towards scifi), but I wish that the two were considered separate genres. The same thing goes for horror. Put them all into their own categories. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them, but sometimes I'm in the mood for one, and all I can get is the other.
It's sort of like apples and oranges. Yes, they're both fruit, but they are still two different things.
Then I go home and realize that none of them will ever be considered separate, and I just sigh, and continue on with living my life. Oh well.

Silverblade-T-E · 10-01-2007, 11:33 AM

Universaltim,
yeah it's just that we live in a era where stupidity is "cool" and overall standards have slipped into the "dumb" zone, as the media panders to the lowest common denominator, so we get this kind of thing

Dr-Timelord,
ah but Predator is fun!

Remove Arnie and the minigun it would be more "sci-fi" but less "fun"

biotech · 10-01-2007, 11:47 AM

I think you can probably thank fantasy for the lack of new sci fi novels from first time authors, with the double whammy of Harry Potter and Lord of the rings, spaceships are out and wizards are in, and the shelves are full of tales of magic.

**Alec Trevelyan** · 10-01-2007, 12:13 PM

I believe the latin phrase you were searching for was "vice versa," i.e. "with position turned."

Nutsy · 10-01-2007, 12:38 PM

My favorite one was a Info bit for Sg1 was in The Guardian Guide sevral years ago... "The brave team of time travlers step through the portal to visit other dimentions..."

Cough!!!!!

And no it wasnt one of the episodes where danial jackson uses the mirror or anything like that.

**Freak** · 10-01-2007, 01:23 PM

Fantasy falling to the sci-fi category does not both me as much as horror falling into it. How the hell dose some nut case killing everyone class as sci-fi? In my book it doesn’t. Okay horror and fantasy cross over all the time, but very really crosses with sci-fi.

When AvP 2 comes out you will see that it will be billed as a Sci-fi horror. It a not a horror film, just because there is an alien going around killing people and bursting out of peoples chests.

Don’t even get me started on the Scream trilogy. It not a ****ing horror, it a ****ing thriller!!. You know a, who done it!!

**SandmanNinja** · 10-01-2007, 01:35 PM

I've seen more and more book shops 'lumping' Fantasy and Horror into Science Fiction.

I can only think that with so many 'mundane' works (How To's, Cook Books, Travel Guides, etc), that the 'Other' is a collection of odds-n-ends.

I think Fantasy really out-sells Science Fiction (sadly).

I follow a lot of newsgroups and mailing lists for (hopeful) writers and I hear this lament a lot.

I am in a very small town in Rural Victoria in Australia. Our biggest bookshop has a LOT of square feet of floorspace yet only 3 bookshelves are for "Science Fiction", and those are littered with Fantasy books. The most common Science Fiction book on it are Star Treks and some Visual Guides to the Star Wars Universe (which looks pretty darn cool).

**Martocticvs** · 10-01-2007, 04:01 PM

Well fantasy and scifi are actually pretty closely related. If you think about it, were you to take a typical fantasy story, and for my example I will take Lord of the Rings, and replace the overtly fantasy elements (rings, orcs, elves, etc) with advanced technology and aliens (the ring becomes a very advanced and poweful weapon, sauron a deposed alien interstellar despot with plans to reconquer his empire, etc) then you can quite easily morph one into the other. The underlying stories often follow similar paths. Obviously a fantasy story is not a scifi story (except in certain genre spanning exceptions), but the links are there even so.

10-01-2007, 03:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Silverblade-T-E SFM Guru Realname: Steve Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Scotland, Cthulusville Age: 40 Posts: 315	*Fantasy is not* Sci-fi, and visa-versa, grrr!** Why the hell is it, here in the UK anyway, I keep seeing fantasy films classified as "sci-fi" in the damned TV listings in magazines/newspapers? FFS, Lord of the Rings is NOT Sci-fi! Gandalf didn't pull the Lightsaber of Smeagol Lube out, ya know! It was Glamdring, the orc-lopping sword. I generally preffer fantasy to sci-fi, but like, the genres are very different with little real crossover. Star Wars IS a cross over, like it or not, it's as much fantasy as sci-fi, despite what bloody Lucas tried to retcon it in the recent films..and made a mess of 'em...damn you for ruining my childhood joy, you evil swine! ...Jar Jar Binks...the "Flumph" of the Big Screen, grrrr! Anyway: why do folk seem to have this trouble comprehending the difference? It's pretty simple, for goodness sake.
	--------------------------- www.silverblades-suitcase.com "Orcs in Spaaaaaaaace!"

10-01-2007, 04:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dr-Timelord Resident Time Lord Realname: M. Shaw Join Date: May 2006 Location: Scotland Age: 24 Posts: 1,750	uh....chill dude why not go watch that action-comedy Predator?
	Star Trek: Original Series - Season Four (animated)

10-01-2007, 05:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
universaltim SFM Guru Realname: Timotheus Universalis Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Way over there Posts: 251	Ah, it's okay. He's just venting his frustrations. To be honest, I've been wondering the same thing myself for years. Now, I like both scifi and fantasy (however I do lean more towards scifi), but I wish that the two were considered separate genres. The same thing goes for horror. Put them all into their own categories. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them, but sometimes I'm in the mood for one, and all I can get is the other. It's sort of like apples and oranges. Yes, they're both fruit, but they are still two different things. Then I go home and realize that none of them will ever be considered separate, and I just sigh, and continue on with living my life. Oh well.
	All I ask, the heaven above, and the road below me. -Robert Louis Stevenson

10-01-2007, 11:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
Silverblade-T-E SFM Guru Realname: Steve Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Scotland, Cthulusville Age: 40 Posts: 315	Universaltim, yeah it's just that we live in a era where stupidity is "cool" and overall standards have slipped into the "dumb" zone, as the media panders to the lowest common denominator, so we get this kind of thing Dr-Timelord, ah but Predator is fun! Remove Arnie and the minigun it would be more "sci-fi" but less "fun"
	--------------------------- www.silverblades-suitcase.com "Orcs in Spaaaaaaaace!"

10-01-2007, 11:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
biotech SFM Oracle Realname: Rich Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hull, Yorkshire, England Age: 39 Posts: 3,718 Blog Entries: 2	I think you can probably thank fantasy for the lack of new sci fi novels from first time authors, with the double whammy of Harry Potter and Lord of the rings, spaceships are out and wizards are in, and the shelves are full of tales of magic.
	Constellation class starship : Rick Sternbach concept runabout BSG Viper old school : BSG Colonial Movers now with updates!

10-01-2007, 12:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Alec Trevelyan Awake and Dreaming Realname: Nate Howe Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, MA Age: 24 Posts: 1,416	I believe the latin phrase you were searching for was "vice versa," i.e. "with position turned."
	It's not a habit, it's cool, I feel alive... www.nhowephotography.com

10-01-2007, 12:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
Nutsy SFM Obsessed Realname: Simon Join Date: May 2006 Location: Never Never Ever Forever Land Age: 26 Posts: 1,332	My favorite one was a Info bit for Sg1 was in The Guardian Guide sevral years ago... "The brave team of time travlers step through the portal to visit other dimentions..." Cough!!!!! And no it wasnt one of the episodes where danial jackson uses the mirror or anything like that.

10-01-2007, 01:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
Freak Project Lead on SFM Film Realname: Dean Join Date: May 2006 Location: London, UK Age: 28 Posts: 8,024 Blog Entries: 7	Fantasy falling to the sci-fi category does not both me as much as horror falling into it. How the hell dose some nut case killing everyone class as sci-fi? In my book it doesn’t. Okay horror and fantasy cross over all the time, but very really crosses with sci-fi. When AvP 2 comes out you will see that it will be billed as a Sci-fi horror. It a not a horror film, just because there is an alien going around killing people and bursting out of peoples chests. Don’t even get me started on the Scream trilogy. It not a **ing horror, it a **ing thriller!!. You know a, who done it!!
	*“Well, I guess wiping out 2 billion people sort of qualifies as a dick move.”* - Guerrilla TH&B Project: Fighter 2 \| Ships of the Naraka Empire \| Ships of the Commonwealth of Solaris

10-01-2007, 01:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
SandmanNinja Senior Member Realname: Joel Callahan Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ballarat, Victoria Australia Age: 43 Posts: 469	I've seen more and more book shops 'lumping' Fantasy and Horror into Science Fiction. I can only think that with so many 'mundane' works (How To's, Cook Books, Travel Guides, etc), that the 'Other' is a collection of odds-n-ends. I think Fantasy really out-sells Science Fiction (sadly). I follow a lot of newsgroups and mailing lists for (hopeful) writers and I hear this lament a lot. I am in a very small town in Rural Victoria in Australia. Our biggest bookshop has a LOT of square feet of floorspace yet only 3 bookshelves are for "Science Fiction", and those are littered with Fantasy books. The most common Science Fiction book on it are Star Treks and some Visual Guides to the Star Wars Universe (which looks pretty darn cool).
	-SandmanNinja "...I have no mouth and I must scream!"

10-01-2007, 04:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
Martocticvs Moderator With Rocks In Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southampton Age: 25 Posts: 1,286	Well fantasy and scifi are actually pretty closely related. If you think about it, were you to take a typical fantasy story, and for my example I will take Lord of the Rings, and replace the overtly fantasy elements (rings, orcs, elves, etc) with advanced technology and aliens (the ring becomes a very advanced and poweful weapon, sauron a deposed alien interstellar despot with plans to reconquer his empire, etc) then you can quite easily morph one into the other. The underlying stories often follow similar paths. Obviously a fantasy story is not a scifi story (except in certain genre spanning exceptions), but the links are there even so.
	Military-Meshes Admin \| prdobson.com Current Project: Cheyenne-class Starship \| (Klingon Bird of Prey - on hold) \| (Deep Space Nine - on hold) DIMIDIVM·FACTI·QVI·COEPIT·HABET

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate View Forum Leaders Search Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read