Aelita: Queen of Mars

General Information:

Year Released: 1924 Country: Russia Director: Jakov Protazanov IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0014646 Literary Source: Alexei Tolstoy, Aelita

Aelita: Queen of Mars is a stunning portrayel of an interplanetary future. Although this film is quite comic, it exemplifies the shift from humor to realism in science fiction film that was happening throughout the 1920's, as it also conveys a serious tone. Great attention is paid to the set design, costumes and overall style of this film, which is futuristic and becomes highly influential to the design and style of films that come after it.

The Promise of Science: Space Travel

The first film to explore the solar system beyond the moon is Aelita. This film takes place in an interplanetary future where the lovely (and oppressive) Queen Aelita rules the planet Mars. A Moscow engineer has recurring dreams of her, and builds a rocketlike space ship that he can use to find her. A group of men travel to Mars, where they encounter a full-blown society of Martians led by the Queen.

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