John W. Campbell's Golden Age of Science Fiction
Now Available on DVD

Read a review by Paul Di Filippo of this new DVD here.

An excerpt of Di Filippo's review: "At the core of this long, multifaceted production is a relatively small seed. And that seed is a short documentary created in 1971. During that year, James Gunn, noted SF writer and critic, as well as professor at the University of Kansas, managed to capture on film John Campbell conducting a 'working lunch' with two writers, Harry Harrison and Gordon Dickson. Campbell was then barely into his sixties and still serving as the editor of Analog magazine, the renamed successor to Astounding, where he had assumed the helm in 1937, and Harrison and Dickson were pitching a concept for a novel. Gunn bookended the film with a brief opener and closer conducted by himself."

Using the voices of SF’s leading writers, DMZ spared neither praise nor criticism in a richly detailed portrait of the legendary editor, John W. Campbell, Jr. The centerpiece of “John W. Campbell's Golden Age of Science Fiction,” is James Gunn’s classic 1971 film, “Lunch With John Campbell,” while the balance of the piece is almost entirely composed of additional primary source material. This massive DVD tells the important and fascinating story of SF’s maturation, and allows for a completely flexible presentation, making it ideal for educators. It is also a “must have” for collectors and SF completists.

You will find the interviews crisp, intimate and beautifully photographed. They feature some of the genre’s leading figures: Brian Aldiss, Isaac Asimov, Greg Bear, Ben Bova, Hal Clement, John Clute, Tom Disch, Samuel R. Delany, Philip José Farmer, James Gunn, Phil Klass (and/or William Tenn), Barry Malzberg, Michael Moorcock, Frederik Pohl, Robert Sawyer, Stan Schmidt, Robert Silverberg, Bruce Sterling, Jack Williamson, and Heinlein expert, William Patterson. Sparks fly as contrasting points of view are presented.

DMZ also put together a text supplement for this video, available here. Teachers and scholars will find this 120-page document very useful, as it contains the full text of the interviews and lunch with discussion questions.

The Center for the Study of Science Fiction has copies of this DVD and is offering them directly. Cost is a donation of $29.95 (US shipping included) to the Center. If you are interested in buying a copy, drop us an email or send a check to:

Center for the Study of Science Fiction
Department of English
Wescoe Hall
1445 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 3116
Lawrence KS 66045-7590

Also see the new DVD imprint of the Literature of Science Fiction Lecture Series.