In the years since Georges Méliès’s Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) was released in 1902, more than 1000 science fiction films have been made by filmmakers around the world. The versatility of science fiction cinema has allowed it to expand into a variety of different markets, appealing to age groups from small children to adults. The technical advances in filmmaking technology have enabled a new sophistication in visual effects.

This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, films, companies, techniques, themes, and subgenres. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about science fiction cinema.

In addition to substantial dictionary entries on notable elements of science fiction cinema, Booker (Univ. of Arkansas) provides a yearly chronology, introductory history, and thorough bibliography of the genre. The dictionary includes entries on significant films and on subcategories, actors and directors, themes, series, and studios within the field. This second edition significantly expands on the first edition (CH, Apr'11, 48-4206), including notable works up to late 2019, new entries on the growing superhero subgenre and works within it, and updates on the Star Wars franchise. Thorough cross-referencing draws connections between science fiction films, providing context and insight that distinguishes this book from more general film reference works. A well-organized bibliography, introduced by an analysis and history of science fiction cinema criticism, provides good avenues for further study and research on specific aspects of this field, such as the global nature of the genre. Though primarily a research tool, this volume work will be useful for media selection and film recommendations. . . Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. * Choice Reviews *

M. Keith Booker is Professor of English and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Arkansas. He is the author or editor of more than fifty of books on literature, popular culture, and literary and cultural theory.