Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Brutalist architecture in Martian science fiction

Brutalism is an architectural style that emerged in the 1950s and grew out of the early-20th century modernist movement. Brutalist buildings are characterized by their massive, monolithic and "blocky" appearance with a rigid geometric style, large-scale use of poured concrete and a predominantly monochrome color palette. The style was popular in 1960s and 1970s in the West and well into 1980s in communist countries and Latin America.

As Brutalism started with an ethos of social utopianism but ended with associations of being cold, inhuman and totalitarian, no wonder it is the most dominant architectural style in dystopian fiction. But it is present also in general science fiction when envisioning a city in future.

One of the flaws of most Brutalist buildings is associated with weather effects on raw concrete, especially in wet and cold climate. Thus, despite being massive and seemingly long-lasting, most of Brutalist buildings are in poor condition today. But it's not a concern on Mars with its dry climate preserving rocks for billions of years. That is one of the reasons movies, TV series, games and art portraying human colonies and bases on Mars is filled with buildings in Brutalist style. Although the truest reason could be that Brutalist architecture with its simple shapes and monochrome colors can be easily reproduced in art, computer graphics and film sets :)

Here are some examples of Brutalist architecture in movies, TV series, video games and art set on Mars:

In movies and TV series

One of the most famous Martian movies - Total Recall (1990) - has some of the purest examples of Brutalist architecture, although most of them in scenes on Earth (filmed in Mexico City):
Brutalist architecture in Total Recall (1990) - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Brutalist architecture in Total Recall (1990)

Brutalist architecture in Total Recall (1990)

Brutalist architecture in Total Recall (1990)

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Martian colonies in season 5 of The Expanse

Mars is one of the three competing powers in universe of The Expanse TV series - a political sci-fi drama set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system. Mars, governed by Martian Congressional Republic, is a militaristic and technologically advanced society of over nine billion inhabitants. Martian society had been highly mobilized towards the shared goal of terraforming Mars for over a century but in season 4 that shared goal and order of the Martian society was starting to erode as the new habitable planets beyond the rings were discovered and people realized they could build a new home there without the costly need of terraformation. That erosion continues in season 5.

In Martian scenes of season 5 the show focuses on depicting Asteria Naval Base (or Asteria NB) which is a military base and war college of the Martian Congressional Republic Navy (MCRN). Here is a collection with HD images from the Martian scenes in season 5 of The Expanse (open link in new tab to view in full resolution).

Exterior and interior of the Asteria Naval Base:
Mars colony (Asteria Naval Base) in Season 5 of The Expanse

Mars colony interior (Asteria Naval Base) in Season 5 of The Expanse
Martian mass transit network crosses canyons on cables and runs deep under ground:
Cable car on Mars in Season 5 of The Expanse

Mars colony metro in Season 5 of The Expanse

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Lunar colony in season 5 trailer of The Expanse

A few days ago the season 5 trailer for The Expanse was released - a political sci-fi series set a few centuries in the future, where humans have colonized the entire Solar system. Mars, one of three competing forces in the universe of The Expanse, was in the spotlight in season 4 of the show. It now seems it is the Moon's (Luna's) turn, which is under the jurisdiction of the United Nations (based on Earth) in the universe of The Expanse. There are several scenes depicting a Lunar colony (Lovell City) in the season 5 trailer:

Lunar colony (Lovell City) in season 5 trailer of The Expanse

Lunar colony (Lovell City, top view) in season 5 trailer of The Expanse
Cargo ship descending to the Moon:
Cargo lander landing on The Moon in season 5 trailer of The Expanse
There is only one scene set on Mars in the trailer:
Exploring Mars in season 5 trailer of The Expanse

Friday, September 11, 2020

Total Recall (1990) concept art by Ron Cobb

Australian artist Ron Cobb has done concept art for many famous sci-fi movies, as Star Wars, Alien, Back to the Future and countless other. One of the movies he has worked on is a movie known to all Mars fans - Total Recall (1990), stared by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside and directed by Paul Verhoeven. Here are some historic concept art images created by Ron Cobb for the famous movie:
Maglev train connecting Martian colonies
Maglev train concept for Total Recall (1990) movie by Ron Cobb.
Mars colony exterior
Colony exterior concept for Total Recall (1990) movie by Ron Cobb.
Mars shuttle
Mars shuttle concept for Total Recall (1990) movie by Ron Cobb.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Martian colonies in season 4 of The Expanse

Although Mars is one of the three competing powers in universe of The Expanse TV series (a political sci-fi detective set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system) only a few scenes were actually set on Mars in first three seasons of the series. That changes in season 4 where the life on Mars at last gets proper depiction.

In The Expanse Mars, governed by Martian Congressional Republic, is a militaristic and technologically advanced society of over nine billion inhabitants. It is the major competitor of Earth & Luna, governed by United Nations. Earth, dragged down by overpopulation and climate change, envies Mars because of its society's high mobilization towards the shared goal of terraforming Mars. But in season 4 that shared goal and order of the Martian society is starting to erode as the new habitable planets beyond the rings are discovered (without the costly need of being terraformed as Mars does). As the interplanetary military tension is over veterans find themselves needless in the peace time society; crime and corruption is rising, and some even manage to sell older military tech to Belter pirate gangs.

Here is a collection with HD images from the Martian scenes in season 4 of The Expanse (open link in new tab to view in full resolution):

Mars colony in Season 4 of The Expanse

Mars colony in Season 4 of The Expanse
Exterior and interior of a shipyard for Martian fleet:
Shipyard exterior on Mars in Season 4 of The Expanse

Shipyard interior on Mars in Season 4 of The Expanse
Martian school kids training for exam:
Martian school kids training for exam in Season 4 of The Expanse

Monday, October 14, 2019

Colonized Valles Marineris region on Mars from season 4 teaser of The Expanse

There are two short scenes on Mars in the latest season 4 teaser for The Expanse TV series - a political sci-fi detective set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system; Mars is one of three competing forces in the universe of The Expanse. There were three more scenes on Mars in the first teaser for season 4.
Human colonies in Valles Marineris region (horizontally flipped in the trailer for some unknown reason) on Mars:
Human colonies in Valles Marineris region on Mars from season 4 teaser of The Expanse
Earth's leader Avasarala attending a diplomatic banquet on Mars:
Earth's leader Avasarala attending a diplomatic banquet on Mars from season 4 teaser of The Expanse

HD images of Mars from season 2 of The Expanse TV series here


Sunday, October 13, 2019

Incredible miniatures for Total Recall (1990) Martian landscapes

One of the best movies set on Mars ever made - Total Recall (1990), stared by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin and Sharon Stone and directed by Paul Verhoeven (known also for Starship Troopers, RoboCop, Basic Instinct and other movies), was the last major movie to heavily utilize miniature effects before computer graphics took that job. Vast and incredibly detailed miniature Martian landscapes were built for the movie. Unfortunately most of the miniatures were destroyed after the filming was done. Here are some rare photos from the production process of the miniature Martian landscapes before their destruction.

Mars colony:

Miniatures for Total Recall Martian landscapes
⇩ in movie ⇩
View of Mars colony from Cohaagen's office in Total Recall 1990 movie

The spaceport:

Making miniatures for Total Recall Martian landscapes

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Mars colony bored into a mountain from season 4 teaser of The Expanse

Two weeks ago came out the first season 4 teaser for The Expanse TV series - a political sci-fi detective set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system; Mars is one of three competing forces in the universe of The Expanse. There are two three short scenes on Mars in the teaser.
Human colony bored into a Martian mountain:
Mars colony bored into a mountain from season 4 teaser of The Expanse
Shuttle over colonized Mars:
Shutle over Mars from season 4 teaser of The Expanse
Earth's leader Avasarala in Martian tunnel:
Avasarala in Martian tunnel from season 4 teaser of The Expanse

HD images of Mars from season 2 of The Expanse TV series here


Thursday, November 15, 2018

NatGeo's MARS TV series: full episodes of season 2

National Geographic's MARS season 2
Watch full season 2 of National Geographic Channel's MARS TV series here. In season 1 the part documentary, part fiction series depicted first human mission to Mars and hardships of building a base on Mars in a lava tube. The six-episode season 2 is digging deeper into the challenges of life on Mars, covering everything from the first Martian-born babies to surviving the common cold to the first commercial efforts by Lukrum Corporation to exploit the planet's resources.

DRAMA PART of full season 2 without documentary cut-ins:


Watch full episodes of season 1 here


More content from season 2:  ► HD images  ► Trailer & images from it  ► Cover art



Episode 1 - We are not alone s02e01

Images from Episode 1
Watch full episode HERE.

Friday, June 29, 2018

Boy on Mars messaging his dad (image from The Expanse season 3)

Picture of the Day 29/6/2018 - Alex receiving a video message from his son on Mars - image from episode 6, season 3 of The Expanse sci-fi TV series. Images of Mars from season 2 of the series here.

Boy on Mars messaging his dad - image from The Expanse TV series

Saturday, May 27, 2017

HD images of Mars from "The Expanse" TV series

Mars is one of two competing superpowers in the universe of The Expanse TV series (a political sci-fi detective set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system) but only a few scenes are actually set on Mars in the series. Here are some HD images from those few scenes in season 2 (open link in new tab to view in full resolution):

Valles Marineris - Mars image from The ExpanseMartian orbit - Mars image from The Expanse

Martian soldier - Mars image from The ExpanseSoldier in a canyon - Mars image from The Expanse

Terraforming Red Mars - image from The ExpanseTerraformed Blue Mars - image from The Expanse

Mars colony - image from The ExpanseValles Marineris - Mars image from The Expanse

Colonized independent Mars - image from The ExpanseMars as Earth's colony 137 years ago - image from The Expanse

More content from The Expanse TV series:


Saturday, December 3, 2016

NatGeo's "Mars" TV series: full episodes of season 1

Watch the full season 1 episodes of National Geographic Channel's "Mars" TV series here. The fictional documentary series are depicting the first human mission to Mars, the subsequent building of the first human base on Mars in a lava tube and the further steps for colonization of Mars till the end of 21st century.

Content from season 2:
Full episodes  ► HD images  ► Trailer & images from it  ► Cover art

Images from:Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6


Episode 01 - Novo Mundo ( s01e01 )




Wednesday, September 23, 2015

HD images from Total Recall (1990) movie

By many the Total Recall of 1990, stared by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin and Sharon Stone and directed by Paul Verhoeven (known also for Starship Troopers, RoboCop, Basic Instinct and other movies), is being considered the best Mars movie ever, at least till The Martian will hit cinema screens. Here are some of the best HD images from Total Recall focusing on the Martian landscapes and human colony depicted in the movie (open link in new tab to view in full resolution).

Astronauts on Mars - Total Recall 1990 movie image

Shuttle landing on Mars - Total Recall 1990 movie image

Mars colony - Total Recall 1990 movie image