The National Film Center, Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, will host the third installment of the "Film History Through Posters" series, "The World of Science Fiction and Monster Movies," from January 4, 2018.

Following the first installment, "The World of Westerns," and the second, "The World of Musical Films," this third installment traces the lineage of science fiction and monster movies, focusing on Japanese posters from the Film Center's collection. Science fiction (SF) is a genre in which the boundless human imagination has been most freely expressed in film, with themes such as space travel, transcending time, the destruction of the Earth, and unbelievable futures. Its stories and visual expressions, which far surpass our reality, continue to have a tremendous impact on audiences around the world.

Star Wars (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope)
(1977, released in Japan in 1978, directed by George Lucas)
Drawing primarily on the National Film Center's collection, this exhibition will focus on a grand genre that went from being a fringe phenomenon to eventually gaining mainstream status. From classics such as "Metropolis" and "King Kong," to Japanese monster films that, since the first "Godzilla" in 1954, have incorporated the best of special effects technology and have spawned passionate fans overseas. The rich history of the genre can also be traced through the rise of a new generation of directors, including Stanley Kubrick, since the 1960s, and the golden age of science fiction films following the globally acclaimed Star Wars series. Three talk events will also be held during the exhibition: "The Landscape of Science Fiction Films as Seen from Science Fiction Literature" on January 13th, featuring science fiction critic Ryohei Takahashi; "Japanese Monster Films: From Ishiro Honda to the Present and Future" on February 10th, featuring critic Risaku Kiritsubo; and "Special Effects Film Art: The Era of Yasuyuki Inoue" on March 24th, featuring art director Toshio Miike. Details will be announced on the website (http://www.momat.go.jp/fc/exhibition/sf-kaiju/). Why not return to your childhood and enjoy the leaps of imagination embodied in these spectacular poster designs?