Editing Science fiction film (section)

===Scientific elements===
[[File:Dr. Strangelove.png|thumb|[[Peter Sellers]] as the titular character from ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]'' (1964)]]

While science is a major element of this genre, many movie studios take significant liberties with scientific knowledge. Such liberties can be most readily observed in films that show [[spacecraft]] maneuvering in [[outer space]]. The [[vacuum]] should preclude the transmission of [[sound]] or maneuvers employing wings, yet the soundtrack is filled with inappropriate flying noises and changes in flight path resembling an aircraft banking. The filmmakers, unfamiliar with the specifics of [[Spaceflight|space travel]], focus instead on providing acoustical atmosphere and the more familiar maneuvers of the aircraft.

Similar instances of ignoring science in favor of art can be seen when movies present environmental effects as portrayed in ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Star Trek (film series)|Star Trek]]''. Entire [[planet]]s are destroyed in titanic explosions requiring mere seconds, whereas an actual event of this nature takes many hours.{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The role of the scientist has varied considerably in the science fiction film genre, depending on the public perception of science and advanced technology.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}} Starting with [[Victor Frankenstein|Dr. Frankenstein]], the [[mad scientist]] became a [[stock character]] who posed a dire threat to society and perhaps even civilization. Certain portrayals of the "mad scientist", such as [[Peter Sellers]]'s performance in ''Dr. Strangelove'', have become iconic to the genre.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}} In the monster films of the 1950s, the scientist often played a heroic role as the only person who could provide a [[technological fix]] for some impending doom. Reflecting the distrust of government that began in the 1960s in the United States, the brilliant but rebellious scientist became a common theme, often serving a [[Cassandra]]-like role during an impending disaster.

[[Biotechnology]] (e.g., [[cloning]]) is a popular scientific element in films as depicted in ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'' (cloning of extinct species), ''[[The Island (2005 film)|The Island]]'' (cloning of humans), and ([[genetic modification]]) in some superhero movies and in the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' series. [[Cybernetics]] and [[holography|holographic projections]] as depicted in ''[[RoboCop]]'' and ''[[I, Robot (film)|I, Robot]]'' are also popularized. [[Interstellar travel]] and [[teleportation]] is a popular theme in the ''[[Star Trek (film series)|Star Trek]]'' series that is achieved through [[warp drive]]s and [[Transporter (Star Trek)|transporters]] while [[intergalactic travel]] is popular in films such as ''[[Stargate (film)|Stargate]]'' and ''[[Star Wars]]'' that is achieved through [[hyperspace (science fiction)|hyperspace]] or [[wormhole]]s. [[Nanotechnology]] is also featured in the ''Star Trek'' series in the form of [[Replicator (Star Trek)|replicators]] (utopia), in ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)|The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' in the form of [[grey goo]] (dystopia), and in ''[[Iron Man 3]]'' in the form of [[extremis#extremis|extremis (nanotubes)]]. [[Force shield|Force fields]] is a popular theme in ''Independence Day'' while [[invisibility]] is also popular in ''Star Trek''. Arc reactor technology, featured in ''[[Iron Man (2008 film)|Iron Man]]'', is similar to a [[cold fusion]] device.<ref>{{cite web|last=Biever|first=Celeste|title=Iron Man 2: How science cures Tony Stark's heartache|url=https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2010/04/iron-man-2-science-cures-tony-starks-heartache.html|publisher=New Scientist|access-date=2017-09-11|archive-date=2017-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711065948/https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2010/04/iron-man-2-science-cures-tony-starks-heartache.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Miniaturization technology where people are shrunk to microscopic sizes is featured in films like ''[[Fantastic Voyage]]'' (1966), ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids]]'' (1989), and Marvel's ''[[Ant-Man (film)|Ant-Man]]'' (2015).

The late [[Arthur C. Clarke]]'s [[Clarke's three laws|third law]] states that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". Past science fiction films have depicted "fictional" ("magical") technologies that became present reality. For example, the Personal Access Display Device from ''Star Trek'' was a precursor of [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s. [[Gesture recognition]] in the movie ''[[Minority Report (film)|Minority Report]]'' is part of current [[motion controller|game consoles]]. [[Artificial general intelligence|Human-level artificial intelligence]] is also fast approaching with the advent of [[Intelligent personal assistant|smartphone A.I.]] while a [[cloaking device|working cloaking device / material]] is the main goal of [[stealth technology]]. [[Autonomous car]]s (e.g. [[KITT]] from the ''[[Knight Rider (2008 film)|Knight Rider]]'' series) and [[quantum computer]]s, like in the movie ''[[Stealth (film)|Stealth]]'' and ''[[Transcendence (2014 film)|Transcendence]]'', also will be available eventually. Furthermore, although Clarke's laws do not classify [[disruptive innovation|"sufficiently advanced" technologies]], the [[Kardashev scale]] measures a civilization's level of technological advancement into types. Due to its exponential nature, sci-fi civilizations usually only attain Type I (harnessing all the energy attainable from a single planet), and strictly speaking often not even that.