As part of the Royal Academy’s Enchanted Cosmos event (an ‘RA Late’ to commemorate their Joseph Cornell exhibition), we screened a selection of classic science fiction television shows.
Influenced by exhibits in the collection, each episode was hand-picked to reflect some of the themes found throughout Cornell’s work, such as his passion for mysterious boxes, and his love of star-gazing.
The Outer Limits|’Don’t Open Till Doomsday’|First aired: 20th January 1964
In the 1920s, a pair of newlyweds receive a gift of a strange box with a peephole. When the groom stares into it he disappears. Forty years later, an eloping couple arrive at the now-decayed home and, after renting a room from the eccentric owner, also disappear…
The Twilight Zone/’Button, Button’|First aired: 7th March 1986
A mysterious stranger gives a down-and-out couple a box with a button on it. He states that if they press the button they will receive a large sum of money, but also that someone “they don’t know” will die…
Ray Bradbury Theater|’The Earthmen’|First aired: 3rd January 1992
A trio of Earth astronauts land on Mars and are puzzled by the bizarre reception that they receive – most of the native Martians are annoyed and angered by their arrival, and think them insane…
Where: The Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD
When: Saturday 5th September 2015, 6:30-10pm
Science Fiction Theatre 