Do you love science fiction? Or epic stories? Or great romances? Yes? Well, perhaps you have seen the trailer for the upcoming Disney film "John Carter" and thought, "What is that?" Maybe you are thinking it is a cheesy knock-off of "Avatar". Maybe you are thinking that you've seen all of that in Star Wars, or Aliens, or Raiders of the Lost Ark. Right?
Then hold on, and check this this out. The movie "John Carter" is based on a book called "A Princess of Mars". The first parts of it appeared in pulp magazines in 1912 - exactly 100 years ago. The guy who wrote it - Edgar Rice Burroughs - also invented another character you know and love: Tarzan. When Burroughs wrote the character of John Carter, nothing like him had ever existed before in literature. In short, Carter is a normal guy from Earth transported to Mars, where the low gravity makes him super-strong and agile. As a result of John Carter, a whole new genre was born: modern science fiction as we know it. Most great science fiction written in the past century, Star Wars and Avatar included, are knock-offs of John Carter, not vice-versa. Lone warrior underdog taking on the evil empire against all odds, and he gets the princess along the way. Heard of it? John Carter, in a nutshell.
So, go see "John Carter". It is the original template from which all modern science fiction is made. And if you have time, go read "A Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. That way, when the movie becomes the blockbuster of the year, you can say, "Oh yes, I loved the book!" Bragging rights are worth something.
Addendum, January 21, 2013: Okay, so it didn't become a blockbuster. In fact, the movie has been hailed as one of the all-time great flops. This is why I don't bet at the racetrack. It's still an good movie, especially for sci-fi nerds like me.
