This book, ‘Futuristic’ by Mark Voger, has a long sub-title, ‘Rockets, Robots And Rayguns Of Space Age Pop Culture’. What it really is a look at the interpretation of the future from the 1950s-70s. As such you have a comparison to what we actually have. Voger, from the back of the book, looks at films, Tv, toys, comicbooks and merchandise from America. Where possible, he also incorporates interviews he’s done over the years to flesh out TV SF shows. If you’re of a particular age, then you’re going to hit on things you should be familiar with.
The way this book is written is a briefing of history at the time before looking at the various culture interpretations of the future which obviously dominates the book. Its also probably a demonstration of how much we remember and have affection for early SF shows and films compared to history.
With the look at ‘Lost In Space’, I’ve finally seen a photo of Bob May, the actor inside the show’s Robot, although no one reveals why it never got a more personal name. There’s a look at and with mini-interviews of cast from most of the American SF TV series. Interestingly, British shows ‘Space Patrol’ (called ‘Planet Patrol’ in the USA) and ‘Fireball XL5’ get a mention but not ‘Thunderbirds’.
One of the things I do with any non-fiction book is look for a key selling points that should attract you in. There’s enough so far but when it comes to merchandise with 28 pages, most of which are just pictures of them, some of your jaws will drop and probably attempt to hunt down and some as pure junk in equal measure. Most of which I can’t recall being available in the UK. The exception is Matt Mason and I’ve still got him and some of his equipment. Shame, from overuse, his arms aren’t so bendy anymore. Some of these are the toys we had endless plays with and stirred the imagination.
Generally, I tend to read each book for about an hour before a rest. With the film section, that went to 90 minutes intense reading as he covered SF films of all sorts from the 1950s to the early 1970s. There’s a bit more detail on some B-movies I didn’t know much about which I will have to dig around for which is always a good sign. Oddly, the only one he appears to have missed is ‘X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes’. Voger does point out the odd flaws but not why they became cult favourites. I mean, wouldn’t you want an Interositor?
Obviously, there is a look at an obscure film called ‘Star Wars’ from 1977 with intervals but not with the usual suspects. I agree with actor Dave Prouse about the choice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader’s voice. It was all about deepness not about the colour of the actor. Few people at the time knew him on the international stage. The number of films spun from its success includes a couple I’ve never heard of.
Oddly, the end of the book is more a whistle tour of name films, although Voger missed out the ‘Back To The Future’ trilogy, especially as third film was actually in two futures. I’m not so much picking fault, just hitting on things I know and checking. If anything, I suspect Voger could do a second book, post the first ‘Star Wars’ film and show how ‘accurate’ the future was made from them.
There’s certainly enough to read here and test your own knowledge or just to learn. From Voger’s perspective, ‘The Jetsons’ was probably the most accurate on everything but flying cars. Me, an observer, the animated series, just took everyday items and took them to the next level. In many respects, so much of what we have today follows a similar pattern, except we never thought computers would be a home tool. Apocalyptical futures were a thing but no one dreamt of global warming. Keep watching the films.
GF Willmetts
November 2026
(pub: Twomorrows Publishing, 2025. 191 page illustrated indexed large hardback. Price: $49.95 (US). ISBN: 978-1-60549-177-6)
check out website: https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=95_96&products_id=1855&zenid=ugaqo5kk4ak3pm3phhgekaph12
Join the conversation (0)