Science Fiction, LMC3214: Early SF Film Serials, Remediation and Media Translation, Flash Gordon, and Exam Prep

I began today’s class by showing them the first episode of the 1936 Flash Gordon film serial episode, “The Planet of Peril.” After having a taste for what I would lecture on in today’s class, I launched into a discussion of pulp of a different kind: SF film serials and SF comic strips. In particular, we talked about Buck Rogers (continuing from last class’ discussion of Gernsback’s Amazing Stories) and Flash Gordon. After lecture, I answered questions about Monday’s upcoming exam that covers Mary Shelley to Poe and Hawthorne to Verne and Wells to Gernsback, Moore, and Lovecraft to Buster Crabbe. Then, we watched two more episodes of Flash Gordon. It was a good class. After the exam on Monday, we will begin talking about Golden Age SF and readings from Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury.