Futuristic Movie Settings

The wildly imaginative scenarios of future of elevated invisible highways buzzing with flying cars and ethereal virtual presences flourished in the 60s and there is a certain quality about these times' dream of the future that strikes a chord in everyone's heart. The melancholy and beauty of these dreamlike creations have survived not only in architecture, but also in fashion, product design and - most vividly so - in cinema. It is through cinema that the unique feel of this nostalgic breed of buildings could be experienced with the most powerful effect. But what is it about those futuristic landscapes created by cinematographers and other artists that fascinates us so much? I cannot really think of a better explanation for this than what Nicolai Ouroussoff said in 'Future Vision Banished to the Past' ardently opposing the proposed demolition of Nakagin Capsule Tower, an icon from the experimental 50s where radical concepts and brave explorations of future architecture sometimes actually made their way into reality: “...like all great buildings, it is the crystallization of a far-reaching cultural ideal. Its existence also stands as a powerful reminder of paths not taken, of the possibility of worlds shaped by different sets of values.” Looking back now it is interesting to note how these ideas maybe don't seem so ridiculous today - many of us live our lives online, connected to the web, some drive electric cars (but not yet ones that can fly!) and others live in self-sustaining buildings. Perhaps it is time to take retro-futurism seriously, as the ideas that it offers are not just light entertainment and special effects - I see ideas hidden in amongst these visions for the future that have happened, that might happen, that are hopeful and worrying too; for me this is the value of bringing these ideas to life on-screen and in front of the masses.