SCIENCE FANTASY NEWS MINOR

No.2          April '49 

CAUSE FOR PAUSE

Having learned from bitter experience that one can't burn the candle at both ends without getting splashed by grease, we are taking time off from LONCON preparations, assembling SFN 3, etc etc etc., to clear up some accumulating news items liable to cause delay to more urgent items if left to a later date. So here's another ration of :-

QUOTES, NOTES, NEWS AND REVIEWS

On behalf of the SFS, the Committee hereby acknowledges with deep gratitude the loan of a rotary duplicator from its founder Ken Slater. With the aid of this and other forthcoming improvements, the quality and legibility of SFS duplicated matter should rise considerably. The quality is, of course, always rising...........

This SFNMinor is accompanied by Kens latest production, which, for lack of other data we will call 'Operation Fantast 6 1/2'. Dr Aikens article, the cartoon and the story are all worthy of comment, and we hope you let Ken have it. We'd like to point out that the 'Loncon' is on the 16th and not the 10th, as stated in 'OF 6 1/2', but thanks for the ad, Ken.We discovered 24hrs too late to include it in SFN 2 that Wells' famous fantasy film 'Things To Come' had been revived for a week at the Astoria cinema in Charing Cross Rd. Miss Bradley and Messrs Buckmaster, Clarke, Deacon, Fears, Newman and Tubb of the 'London Circle' went to see it on the Saturday afternoon, inevitably ending up at the 'White Horse' that evening.

The Wellsian dialogue in 'TTC' now appears very unrealistic and the acting overemotional, but those scenes not directly concerned with the characters ---- the bombing of 'Everytown', the life of the survivors, the building of the future city, and the scenes therein ---- are still satisfactorily science-fictional and very interesting. An outstanding feature is the blending of Arthur Bliss's accompanying music (is it still available on Decca K 810, 811, & 817?) with the action, and the general 'effects' noises throughout. If it comes down your way --- see it!

Generally released this week ;- Danny Kayes 'Secret Life of Walter Mitty', based on Thurber's fantasy of a meek little man's day-dreams. Note one scene in a pubishers office, where the walls are plastered with large magazine covers, including a science-fiction 'Astounding Adventure Stories'!

Latest US book arrival is 'Doc' Smith's 'Skylark of Valeron' from Fantasy Press, completing the 'Skylark' trilogy. His 'First Lensman', which links 'Triplanetary' (Amazing '34) (Book '48), with 'Galactic Patrol' (Astounding '37 -'38), is announced for this year.

Also announced ;- 'Guide to Fantastic Literature' from Shasta, a companion volume to the bibliographical 'Check-List'. Compiled by Bleiler, its 450 pages will contain summaries, analyses and evaluations of 1001 fantasy books. Price $6.

Latest British fantasy is Eden Phillpotts 'Address Unknown', (Hutchinson 9/6), in which two scientists establish contact with another planet.

Owen Plumridge has sent in some information concerning 'Bleeding from the Roman' by Eric Romilly (Chapman and Hall 7/6d), tale of a modern man precipitated into the time of Boadicea in Roman Britain. Owen says that it is pure humorous fantasy in the best Sprague de Camp style.

Chapman and Hall have published Willy Ley's 'Rockets and Space Travel' (Subtitled: 'The Future of Flight Beyond the Stratosphere') at 18/-. It gives a very thorough account of the early German experiments, the development of the V1 and V2, the future of rocket travel in outer space, space ships and space stations, etc,

Richard Hughes is reading his 'High Wind in Jamaica' (also published in Penguins recently) on the Home Service as a series of daily episodes. Followers of the 'kid-story' fantasy mentioned by John Dee in SFN 2's 'Purely Personal' should note that here is one of the first, if not the first, treatment of the theme dealing with the weird thought-processes of the alien in our midst - the young child.

Bodley Head have reprinted the interplanetary trilogy of C.S.Lewis :- 'Out of the Silent Planet' @ 6/-, 'Perelandra' @ 8/6d and 'That Hideous Strength' @ 9/6d.

Mike Tealby has sent us 'Illustrated' for Feb 19th, containing an illustrated article on the recent television production of Wells' 'Time Machine' (See SFN 2). Producer Robert Barr is reported to be contemplating other futuristic stories; another story probing into the problems of Time, a trip to the Moon, based on BIS plans, Atlantis ... looks as though we've found another fantasy fan!

Re discovery of fans, an advert in 'Exchange and Mart' has enabled us to get in touch with several readers who had no idea of what had been done in this country in the amateur and professional s-f fields. We hope 'New Worlds' will be as widely distributed as BRE ASF's and Unknowns, if not in the same quantity, so that all those interested in the field will be aware of it. Advance copies of 'NW' have been obtained from the printers, so it shouldnt be long before it is on sale.

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Pub for SFS from 16, Wendover Way, Welling, Kent.