From one perspective, the spacesuit is merely the clothing that people wear when traveling in space. Yet the spacesuit functions as an icon that generates a significant film subgenre that has not been fully recognized or properly appreciated. Unlike movies based on popular media franchises that avoid spacesuits to provide more conventional entertainment, spacesuit films--like the renowned 2001: A Space Odyssey--are valuable because they help people prepare for what they might actually experience in space.
This revised and expanded edition offers more comprehensive coverage of the spacesuit film subgenre, first identified in the original edition as movies that provide a realistic portrayal of space travel by featuring spacesuits. With more 50,000 additional words, this book includes a new introduction, more than 120 new entries on relevant films and television programs up to 1972, thoroughly revised entries and new chapters that more completely survey the spacesuit subgenre, and more. Though this subgenre has been underappreciated by critics for its unique and often unsettling stories, this book recognizes spacesuit films as not only accurate, but also representative of human strength, survival, and ability to conquer daunting new territory.