2018 Philip K. Dick Film Festival
The 2018 Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival has announced its full lineup of critically acclaimed films, exclusive premieres, panel discussions and virtual reality installations. Screening in the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens in New York, the festival will
2018 Darrell Awards Finalists
The annual Darrell Awards support Midsouth Literacy by recognizing the best published Science Fiction, Fantasy and/or Horror in Short Story, Novella, Novel, Young Adult & Other Media formats. The 2018 Darrell Awards finalists are: William C. Dietz – Seek and
Remembering Oscar-Winning Composer Miklos Rozsa
By Steve Vertlieb: Miklos Rozsa remains among the most revered composers in film history. The three-time Oscar winner for Best Original Score For A Motion Picture was a pioneering musician who, along with Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Erich
Pixel Scroll 1/27/18 Vaster Than Pixels And More Scroll
GOOD NEWS FOR A CLARION WEST STUDENT. George R.R. Martin is funding another scholarship at a writing workshop, as he explains in “Worldbuilding in Seattle”. Every great story requires interesting characters, an engrossing plot, evocative prose, an important theme…
Review of “The Dog Must Die”
By Martin Morse Wooster: How do you judge an sf play by an 18-year-old? That’s the problem I had when I saw The Dog Must Die, a play by Madison Middleton, a high school senior from Washington, DC. Her play
Pixel Scroll 1/26/18 The Pixel Scroll Shadow Jury
HE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM. Marissa Lingen praises the ConFusion committee’s handling of her report about a highly contentious audience member who tried to commandeer more than one panel at the con — “It’s not your turn, sir.” Here are
2017 Ursa Major Awards Nominations Open
Nominations for the 2017 Ursa Major Awards have begun and will continue until February 15. Click here to participate. To be eligible, a work must include a non-human being given human attributes (anthropomorphic), which can be mental and/or physical (for
Cats Sleep on SFF: The Witch Who Came In From The Cold
Simon Bisson’s cat Bentham naps on The Witch Who Came In From The Cold by Lindsay Smith, Max Gladstone, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Ian Tregillis, and Michael Swanwick. (Quite a crowded pillow…) Photos of other felines resting on genre works are
Pixel Scroll 1/25/18 Side Effects Of Pixel Can Include Enlarged Mt. TBRs
CELEBRATING A HALF CENTURY OF BRITISH COMICS FANDOM. Rob Hansen also sent a link to Blimey! The Blog of British Comics where you can get a free download of Fanscene, “a monster (300+ page) one-off fanzine done to celebrate
Speaking of Hopkins
By John Hertz: In a note celebrating the 40th anniversary of File 770 (January 6th) and 10th of File770.com (January 15th), I mentioned Gerard Manley Hopkins and even quoted him, but I didn’t bring him to you (or should that
Cats Sleep on SFF: The Fifth Elephant
NickPheas shared a photo of “Fuschia, my girlfriend’s cat really, on one of our duplicate Pratchetts” — The Fifth Elephant. Photos of other felines napping on genre works are welcome. Send to mikeglyer (at) cs (dot) com
A Collection of Contrary Opinions
Compiled by Carl Slaughter: ANTI-MARVEL 10 people who hated working on Marvel movies 10 actors who said no to Marvel CINEMA SINS Cinema Sins takes on the most beloved science fiction movie of all time Cinema Sins takes on Your
The Philly Pops “Star Wars Concert” and Music of John Williams
By Steve Vertlieb: Shelly and I together with the always delightful conductor of The Philly Pops, Michael Krajewski, in his dressing room following the recent Star Wars concert and John Williams program at The Kimmel Center on Saturday, October 21,
Pixel Scroll 1/24/18 You Can Get Anything You Want At Filer’s Pixel Rant
WORLDCON 76 MEMBERSHIPS SPONSORED FOR MEXICANX FANS, CREATORS. Artist John Picacio, a Worldcon 76 guest of honor, and John Scalzi, are funding four memberships — GOOD NEWS: As Artist GoH of @worldcon2018, I’m pleased to share that this Monday,
Dallas Mayr (1946-2018)
Dallas Mayr, who wrote under the name Jack Ketchum, died January 24 announced Horror Writers Association President Lisa Morton: HWA is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dallas Mayr. Under the name Jack Ketchum, Dallas produced some of
Pacific Rim Uprising – Official Trailer 2
Pacific Rim Uprising in theaters March 23. The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising. John Boyega
Escaping from Omelas
By Hampus Eckerman: There are many stories that we read that we will always remember. Often because we read them at the right time, during our own golden age of Science Fiction and Fantasy. For some stories it is the
Pixel Scroll 1/23/18 Always Scrolling Home
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED, I’LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED. (click on the date/time stamp to see the whole thread) Today is a lovely day to give some love to hardworking writers… A thread. — Marina
Cats Sleep on SFF: Cat Pictures Please & To Say Nothing of the Dog
Beth in MA sends two photos of Minnie: Wide awake beside Naomi Kritzer’s Cat Pictures Please and Other Stories — And snoozed out atop Connie Willis’ novel To Say Nothing of the Dog — Photos of other felines napping on
Music By James Bernard: Themes for A Tapestry of Terror
By Steve Vertlieb: James Bernard was the musical heart and soul of England’s premier horror picture studio, Hammer Films. Creating the symphonic pulse quickened by luminaries Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and the lovely Veronica Carlson in such films as Horror
Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018)
Ursula K. Le Guin died January 22 at the age of 88 reports the New York Times: [The] immensely popular author who brought literary depth and a tough-minded feminist sensibility to science fiction and fantasy with books like “The Left
Peter S. Beagle Named SFWA Damon Knight Grand Master
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has selected Peter S. Beagle as the 34th Damon Knight Grand Master for his contributions to the literature of Science Fiction and Fantasy. The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is
2018 Academy Award Nominees
The 2018 Oscar nominees were announced January 23. Click the link for the complete list. The awards will be presented during the televised ceremony on March 4. Nominees of genre interest are listed below. Best Picture Get Out The Shape
Neil Clarke Releases ToC for Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 3
Neil Clarke’s Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 3 will feature science fiction short stories/novelettes/novellas originally published in 2017. The cover art is by Chris McGrath. Table of Contents “A Series of Steaks” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, January
Pixel Scroll 1/22/17 How Do We Tell If A Scroll is Made of Pixels?
MOVING FORWARD. ScreenRant broke the news that Wonder Woman 2 will be the first film to adopt the Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines announced on Friday by the Producers Guild of America, prior to their annual awards gala. As
How to Comment on Jay Kay Klein Photo Identifications
JJ Jacobson, the Jay Kay and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian at the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy, tells how to use their recently-added Disqus capability to comment on photo identifications. JJ Jacobson: When we created the Klein
2018 Producers Guild Awards
The 2018 Producers Guild Award winners were announced at a ceremony on January 21. Works of genre interest scored quite a few awards.. The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: The Shape Of Water Producers:
Help Pick the 32nd Annual Asimov’s Readers’ Awards
Voting is open in the 32nd Annual Asimov’s Readers’ Awards. You’ve got a little time left to submit your online ballot — the form must be completed by February 1. From short stories and novellas to novelettes and poems –
2018 SAG Awards Largely Ignore SFF
At Sunday’s 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, nearly all of the many genre nominees lost. The two exceptions were in the movie and TV stuntwork categories: Motion Picture Awards Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion
2018 Razzie Award Nominees
The nominations for the 38th annual Razzie Awards, to recognize the worst films of the year, were announced today, a day before the Oscar nominees come out. There are genre works in most categories – usually the same ones. Frequently
Reminiscence for File 770’s 40th: Living the News of 1978
By Chip Hitchcock: At some ages any year may seem momentous, but 1978 still stands out in memory. I was a couple of years out of college, but still singing in Harvard’s summer chorus and signing books out to borrowers
Cats Sleep on SFF: The Spire
Enjoy the sight of Hampus Eckerman’s cat Vlad sleeping on The Spire. Photos of other felines napping on genre works are welcome. Send to mikeglyer (at) cs (dot) com
Pixel Scroll 1/21/18 Right Here In File City, Trouble With A Capital T, That Rhymes With P, And Stands For Pixel
COMPOSING SPACE OPERA. In this Twitter thread Cat Rambo captured the highlights of the Ann Leckie Space Opera class. Brian Aldiss on #spaceopera: “Science Fiction is a big muscular horny creature, with a mass of bristling antennae and proprioceptors
