The Shape of Things to Come (1936 Sci-Fi) Directed by William Cameron Menzies



In 1940, businessman John Cabal struggles to enjoy Christmas as the threat of war looms over Everytown, leading him to become a Royal Air Force pilot after a devastating bombing raid. As the war drags on into the 1960s, society collapses into a dark age marked by hyperinflation and a deadly plague that wipes out half of humanity. By 1970, warlord Rudolf, the “Boss” of Everytown, rejects Cabal’s offer to join the peace-seeking organization “Wings Over the World,” but is ultimately overthrown when they use a “Gas of Peace” to take control. Under Cabal’s leadership, civilization is rebuilt by 2036, but tensions rise as the populace demands a break from progress, culminating in a debate about humanity’s future as Cabal prepares for the first crewed flight to the Moon.

Colorized version: https://youtu.be/iwTDqHrJ4vc

Director: William Cameron Menzies
Writer: H.G. Wells
Stars: Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Ralph Richardson
Genres: Drama, Literary, Sci-Fi, War

Themes:
Humanity’s Struggles: A central theme is the conflict between those embracing progress and those clinging to outdated traditions or chaos.
Optimism in Science: The movie promotes the idea that scientific progress is essential for humanity’s survival.
Visual Innovation: The futuristic cityscapes and grand sets were groundbreaking, influencing sci-fi cinema for decades.

@CultCinemaClassics

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43 thoughts on “The Shape of Things to Come (1936 Sci-Fi) Directed by William Cameron Menzies”

  1. Sci-fi with monsters and aliens can't touch this movie.
    There's nothing scarier than humans. There's no need for bug eyed scaled trees that eat people when you have Ralph Richardson.
    One of my top 10 for sure, the futuristic manufacturing and Art Deco world are stunning.

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  2. Projecting 100 years from this film's creation into 2036, is now 12 years in our future. 😮 and at it's time, projecting a post-world war dystopia (and reversal) remains in our future. Hopefully, in 12 years, MAGA will be as discredited as were Mussolini and Adolph.

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  3. If you liked this movie then you will enjoy "Transatlantic Tunnel ". It is the story of building a gigantic engineering feat of linking America and Britain by an undersea tunnel and how it disrupted the lives and loves of its visionaries for generations and the people who sacrificed their lives to make it happen. It came two years before "Things to Come" was released. It is on YouTube.

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  4. Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful 1936 sci-fi classic! Thank you CCC and thank you all for entering the chat, it means the world to me, so much to me! Its so epic and so majestic with its scope that you cant shake your eyes off it! The actors including Raymond Massey, Ralph Richardson, Terry-Thomas, Cedric Hardwicke, Edward Chapman and others are wonderful, striking and riveting, the musical score by Arthur Bliss is efficiently in tune with the chaos of the forthcoming scenes and most of all, the sets by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy are way more galactic than ever!

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  5. Una pelicula rara, con los topicos que preocupaban a la comunidad ilustrada, la guerra, los ataques con gas, los caudillismos , las armas biologicas. Los zombies. El mundo guiado por los cientificos,los tecnocratas . El incontenible avance de la ciencia y la resistencia al cambio. Un guiño a Verne con Viaje a la luna, la ignorancia acerca de los cohetes, una mezcla dificil de digerir pero muy interesante, Mauricio.

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  6. Raymond Massey was British? I guess I forget that as he played Lincoln and played Adam Trask in East of Eden with a perfect American accent. Oh stupid me his son Daniel Massey is quite British. He played Noel Coward in STAR

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  7. Ce qui est extraordinaire, c'est que mon grand-père avait vu ce film dans sa jeunesse, en 1936 ! Il avait été très impressionné, et je le découvre maintenant !
    Magnifique film. 😊❤

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  8. Ressortir le canon de Jules Vernes en 1936 alors que le principe de la fusée était déjà connu, c'est pas terrible comme science fiction. C'est curieux comme les auteurs de ce film imaginent l'évolution de cette société humaine comme un retour à la Grèce antique.

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