Masters of science fiction
(DVD Video)

STZ1122.

Executive producers, John W. Hyde, Brad Mendelsohn, Andrew Deane, Keith Adois : Hosted by Professor Stephen Hawking.

Narrated by Professor Stephen Hawking. Actors: Judy Davis, Brian Dennehy, Anne Heche, John Hurt, Malcolm McDowell, Terry O'Quinn, Sam Waterston.

A Clean Escape - A dying doctor refuses to believe that her patient cannot remember the last 25 years of his life. It remains unclear why she has been so obsessed with this particular patient until the final, shocking conclusion. Based on the short story by Nebula Award Winner John Kessel -- Jerry Was a Man: The Van Vogel's are the 7th richest couple in the world. Pleasure is their only work. Mundane and dangerous chores are done by anthropoids who are all named Joe. The anthropoids are created from a few strands of human DNA, grown into a baby and fused with plastics. Somehow, Mrs Van Vogel's dormant compassion is awakened by a Joe named Jerry. What traits would prove that Jerry is, indeed, a man? Based on the short story by seven-time Hugo Award Winner and Science Fiction Grand Master Laureate Robert A Heinlein -- The Awakening: In the middle of a ferocious firefight outside Baghdad, US soldiers discover a mysterious body, one that they can't even identify as human. Swiftly, all over the earth, more such creatures appear and begin to communicate. With this contact, the world is forced to choose between peace and destruction. Based on a short story by Howard Fast (Spartacus, The Crossing) -- Little Brother: A tale of a man accused of murder in a Matrix-like future. Sitting before a kiosk which is itself the judge, jury and executioner, Frendon must find a way to convince the machine of his innocence or find some other way to save himself before time runs out. Based on the short story from Walter Mosley's novel Futureland -- Watchbird: It seems the perfect solution to a ballooning crime rate. Filling the skies with flying robotic droids that can prevent murder before it takes place. However, nobody told these "Watchbirds" that all life depends on a formula of carefully balanced killing. Robert Sheckley's renowned story examines one of the most important questions of our time - is it wise to sacrifice our liberty in the name of our security? Based on a story by Robert Sheckley (Freejack, Escape from Hell Island) -- The Discarded: The ultimate story of despised minorities forever adrift in the darkness of outer space. As a last resort - born out of their loneliness and despair - they are forced to make an ominous pact with those responsible for their plight, in the hope that they will finally be offered refuge at home on Earth. Based on the short story by Harlan Ellison.

Censorship classification: M.

Region 4 DVD, Dolby Digital.