The concept of steampunk
As the name suggests, steampunk is a synthesis of steam and punk.
"Steam" represents a specific era and the corresponding specific level of technology. Throughout history, the most developed area and era of the steam industry was the Victorian era in England in the nineteenth century. From 1837 to 1901, when Queen Victoria ruled, it was the peak of the British Empire, the gears of the Industrial Revolution had rumbled, steam as the main source of power was rapidly promoting the development of science and technology, and all kinds of strange theories and inventions emerged in an endless stream, it was an era of luxury, complex machinery had the most fashionable form, and people at that time were elegant, romantic and full of endless imagination.
The spiritual essence of "punk" lies in opposing all rules except punk, rejecting similarities, opposing tradition, and advocating novelty. Punk originated on the streets of Post-World War II Britain, aiming to transcend the norms of society and create its own unique spiritual utopia.
Let's take a look at the classic movies about steampunk!
Steampunk Movies:
1. "The Wind And Men" – Barry Sonnenfeld (USA)
An entertaining blockbuster starring Will Smith, set in the Post-Civil War United States, assumes that the evil forces have invented new technological weapons such as armored vehicles and tanks. The film's high-tech phobs who have mastered the technology beyond the times are set as crazy careerists. The entire film has no artistic ideas, but the whimsical machine designs such as giant mechanical spiders, jet bicycles, and self-propelled armored trains are still quite eye-catching.
2. Steam Boy (anime) – Katsuyo Otomo (Japan)
The film is the most typical steampunk work, set in London on the occasion of the first World Expo in 1851. Even real historical figures such as George Stevenson appear in the character setting, but the experience of the father of the train is obviously much richer. A large number of sets, vehicles, weapons, etc. appear in this film are full of the aesthetic characteristics of the steam age machine. In particular, the steam city that finally appeared has almost become the crystallization of the highest achievements of artificial machinery in the steam age. The contradiction between science and technology and human concern in the industrial society explored in this film is also the core proposition of steampunk culture. Is it a large children's playground, or the ultimate military fortress? The eventual destruction of Steam City, once in fact, implies the defeat of machines to human nature.
3. Hal's Moving Castle (Anime) – Hayao Miyazaki (Japan)
The film is based on the fantasy novel of the same name by British writer Diana Wayne Jones. The story is set in 19th-century Europe. Although the overall thread differs from typical steampunk works, the theme explored is not the conflict between technological industrialization and human nature. However, the setting of the world view and the props and scene design full of machine texture still make this film unique. In particular, the design of the mobile castle is simply another steam city, and the complex mechanical settings such as steel, chimneys, and pulleys are full of beauty.
4. Captain Sky and Tomorrowland – Kerry Curran (USA)
A typical steampunk live-action film that brings together many Hollywood stars. The film's film sets and props are designed with typical industrial-age machine aesthetics, and the visual effects are stunning. The lens effect of black and white film with soft light treatment is also full of nostalgia. However, there are too many details in this film, which affects the depth of the main line of thought.
5. The Golden Compass – Chris Weiss (USA)
The film is based on the first part of a series of novels by British author Philip Pullman. Originally, this was basically a fantasy work, but because its worldview is set in a parallel world of the 19th century, it also has a certain steampunk feature, and some of the props also have a certain mechanical beauty.
6. "Skyfall/League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" – Stephen Norrington (USA)
Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was originally a comic book series that was made into a live-action film in 2004. The film brings together characters who were active in some of the science fiction and fantasy literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Doctor Avatar, vampires, stealthmen, and Captain Nemo, who pilots submarines, to fight against the evil forces that intend to rule the world. The film begins with the assumption that modern weapons such as tanks had already appeared at the end of the 19th century. Some of the sets and vehicles are designed with the characteristics of the era of large machine production, especially the visual effects of the famous Nautilus submarine in Verne's science fiction novels.
7. The Covenant of the Wolves – Christopher Gans (France)
While the battle between east and west animation was in full swing, the always low-key Frenchman also quietly launched two French steampunk works. 2001's "Decode by Death" is based on the real story of the eighteenth-century French legend Detective Vito, and the "mirror murderer" and "lightning murder" in the film show a level of technology that is beyond the times. The Wolf Covenant of the same year was a hodgepodge of historical action horror films that unknowingly took on a steampunk flavor due to the 21st century's most fashionable approach to the 18th century saga. But overall, the French didn't seem to be very impressed with the style, and there were almost no steampunk films in France since. The film combines asian, American and American filmmakers, twisting into a more complex film style than the Eight-Power Alliance. It tells a legendary story before the French Revolution, and the main characters include Indians from the United States.
8. Hellboy – Guillermo del Toro (USA)
"Hell Baron" is also a masterpiece in the genre, in a world where science and magic coexist, a group of agents led by Hellboy fight tirelessly against strong enemies from all sides, and the film is particularly brilliant is the protagonist's nostalgic and huge pistol. The 2008 sequel, Hellboy: Legion of Gold, has a more generous budget, with a journey through an elevated 19th-century town, and a cold weapon fight at the end of the film over a complex mechanical structure of huge bearings and gears that renders the steampunk flavor to the extreme. In addition, "Sniper Hunter", which is not a manga adaptation but has the essence of the comic book blockbuster, is also very distinctive, bringing vampires and Frankensteins to the same stage, and the castle and trap props of the 19th century, as well as the weapons ideas of vampire hunters, are born from steampunk.
9. Deadly Magic – Christopher Nolan (USA)
"Deadly Magic", which shows the magician's fighting method, is also the best in this, two 19th-century magicians seem to use superb magic techniques, but in fact, they are beyond the era of science and technology, and the film uses fantasy plots to package the science fiction core, and the creativity is very commendable. The V-Vendetta, set against the fictional historical background of the Nazi victory over World War II, also encapsulates steampunk in goth, with the steam-colored train that runs through the ground and eventually explodes.
10. "The Firmament of Steel" – Timo Warren Sola (Germany/Finnan)
The story of "Steel and Iron" tells the story of a Nazi regiment sent to the moon at a space base in Antarctica before the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945, establishing a huge military base and preparing to counterattack Earth in 2018. The scientific and technological achievements of the Nazi counter-offensive force do not see the elements of the information age at all, and are completely simple and nostalgic in the style of the 40s; the external shapes and interiors of the bases and spaceships are mainly mechanically complex and have a strong metallic texture; the weapons and equipment also have the shadow of World War II; and the shapes of soldiers and robots are all filled with a strong steampunk atmosphere. There has never been a film that has ever shown the battle scene between steampunk technology and information technology in a positive way, so the biggest gimmick and innovation in this film is that once these two incompatible technologies meet in a narrow way, the deer who dies is still unknown, which really makes people infinitely curious. The film's director Timo Vuorensola's CG team is recognized as a rising star in the industry, and this time it will invest a lot of money to attack, and it will surely be able to show the audience a new world of steampunk that is both illusory and real, and has never been seen before.
11. "The FlatTening Boy" – Zach Schneider (USA)
Zach Schneider, who has always been good at creating unique visual effects, has also joined the creation of steampunk, and his "Special Flat Boy" as the first steampunk production in the spring of this year will undoubtedly be a blockbuster bomb at the box office. Hailed as "Alice in Wonderland with a Machine Gun" set in the 50s, the film is conceivably a retro weapon and a typical steampunk marker that travels through time and space, and the trailer highlights Zach Schneider's amazing imagination, brandishing samurai swords in the dojo, fighting German soldiers who turned into zombies in World War I, fighting machine samurai and fire-breathing dragons in Gothenburg, or high-tech robots fighting in the future city, each fierce battle will make steampunk fans adrenaline soar. Countless "cameos" steampunk blockbuster "iconic means of transport" high-speed train also into the "flat fading boy", violent beautiful girls in the fast-moving car shuttle fight, enough to catch people's attention. This film is the first pioneering work to combine steampunk and cult CULT style, and we believe that the charm of the two will be able to blend and create a supernatural visual enjoyment like a top MV on the big screen.
12. Final Fantasy Series (Japan)
In the Final Fantasy series, steam mechanics have become an important element of his worldview. We see a fictional world in which in 2065, humanity on Earth is surrounded by destruction and chaos, cities are deserted, populations are plummeting, and the few remaining Earthlings must do everything they can to survive... At the same time, the earth is still suffering from invasions and massacres by alien armed forces. In this context, the extensive use of steam mechanical scenes shows the unreality and nostalgia of this work. At the same time, the theme of the Final Fantasy series of films— exploring the true meaning of "love" and "life"—becomes clearer and clearer in the sense of nostalgia of the viewer, which in turn resonates with the creator.
13. "Hugo" – Martin Scorsese (USA)
Adapted from the comic book, Hugo Cabrit is set in Paris in the 1930s, and director Martin Scorsese uses his imagination to give the story a surreal steampunk color. Paris at that time was an era of inventions of the Big Bang. A variety of novel machines and inventions have emerged. The father of the protagonist, Hugo, left Hugo with a mysterious notebook and a broken robot, and in order to repair this robot, Hugo embarked on a wonderful adventure in Paris.
14. Back to the Future 3 – Robert Zemeckis (USA)
"Back to the Future 3" perfectly interprets the technological occurrence of steampunk, and it can be said that this is a movie that has become a steampunk masterpiece by mistake. The film tells the story of Martin and Dr. Brown, who specializes in technological inventions, traveling to the American West in 1885 to try to build a time machine with local technology to return home. Compared with the first two episodes rich in science fiction elements, this episode is also "realistic" a lot because of the regression of the times and the simplicity of technology, whether it is a copper-yellow sniper rifle, an ice machine made of mechanical transmission, or even a cottage time flying car transformed from a locomotive, using locally sourced 19th century technology, the audience can even almost glimpse its operating principle through complex mechanical appearances, and this "function of modernizing with the technology of the past" is the main feature of steampunk. The biggest feature that distinguishes "Back to the Future 3" from other steampunk films is that he does not need to empty the virtual world, it perfectly unifies the incongruity of the era and technology in traditional works, such a simple method, why have other directors not considered it?
15. "The Dream" – The Most Anticipated Steampunk Movie, James Cameron (USA)
The most anticipated movie for steampunk fans in the future is James Cameron's masterpiece "Dreams". In this film adapted from a Japanese manga, Kashin, who led the evolution of cinematic technology three times with Terminator, Titanic and Avatar, presents the story of a 26th-century teenage robot with ordinary humans on the big screen with cutting-edge technology, and this post-industrial decadent apocalyptic comic is a typical steampunk theme. I believe that under the leadership of Ka Shen, steampunk movies are bound to appear on the big screen in a more amazing way in the future!
16. Castle in the Sky (Animation) – Hayao Miyazaki (Japan)
Miyazaki's early classic animation, the so-called steampunk concept of this period, did not appear, but the worldview setting of Sky Castle, the design of the flying machine, and the overall planning of Laputa City all have a distinct steampunk shadow. Therefore it can be classified as this type.
17. The Three Musketeers – Paul Anderson (USA)
Paul Anderson's version of The Three Musketeers adds more steampunk-style fantasy elements, making a costumed swordsman story a flying drama. The mix and matching of various elements in the film makes the film climax and wonderful. Although this is not a hall-of-the-road drama, it is a retro fantasy action movie with strong watchability.
18. The Mysterious Adventures of Gaspar Morero – France (Animation)
The Gothic city, spewing thick steam, is now being attacked by a rare virus. Due to the lack of effective medical means, citizens died one after another, and despair hung over the city. Navigator Jasper Morello (voiced by Joel Edgerton) made a mistake on a previous voyage that led to the death of the captain, an incident that tormented his heart. On this day, a new sailing mission arrived, and the Gothic City opened a new commercial route to the Republic of Lawrentia, and Jasper's ships were responsible for placing lighthouses to guide the fleet along the way. On the day of departure, their boat boarded a new guest, Dr. Claude Belgon (voiced by Helmut Bakaitis), a controversial biologist. With a voyage full of unspiring breath, the death god frequently visiting the ship, Jasper faces a challenge that has never been seen before in his life...
19. Memories Trilogy (Anime) – Katsuhiro Otomo (Japan)
Animation master Katsuyo Otomo's two masterpieces, "Old Man Z" and "Memories Trilogy", were released in 1991 and 1992, the former with humorous brushstrokes focusing on aging, the huge mechanical form of "Old Man Z" storming the city impressively, and the latter's "Street of Cannons" a section of eerie time and space, rendered through the style of the 19th-century French current affairs satirist Dumiere, which is unique even among many steampunk films.
20. The Time Machine – Simon Wells (USA)
Wells's novel adaptation of "Time Machine" tells the story of the 19th century scientists inventing the time machine to shuttle to the future, and the time machine in the film is a typical steampunk style in terms of shape and operation principle.
21. "Frankenstein's Regeneration Lovers/ Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" – Kenneth Branagh (USA)
Adapted from the original book by the 19th-century novelist Mary Shelley, set in the first half of the 19th century, the scientist Frankenstein in the film has mastered the technology to give life to the dead, his laboratory is full of equipment powered by steam age energy, and the "resurrection" play in which various machines operate methodically, lightning and thunder, smoke filled, and the atmosphere rendering is quite steampunk.
22. "The Night of the Lost Soul of a Child" - Jean. Pierre. Genes (France)
The film is directed by the French director Jean Amelie, who is best known for "Angel Amelie". Pierre. René's fantasy masterpiece, released in 1995. The film's set is filled with steel buildings, and there is a cold, terrifying atmosphere everywhere, and the visual effects are amazing. Many of the props are mechanically designed, but the theme of the film is warm and touching, and the innocent dreams of children and the cold texture of the machine form a sharp contrast.
23. The Final Exile: Silver Wing's Fam (anime)
To this day, steampunk-inspired Final Exile is still one of the insurmountable classics in the minds of countless anime fans. And "Blade of Fame" will also continue the original worldview, depicting a new story with new characters: on the sacred Guland Lake, Adderslian defeats the Kingdom of Tolan with its overwhelming fleet. The fleeing princesses of the Kingdom of Tolan meet The Void Maiden Fam, who pilots a small pioneer boat called Vespa, and a battle begins to take home
24. Tai Chi 1 From Scratch
Since the middle of the Qing Dynasty, internal and external troubles have been continuous--there are internal and external troubles--there are internal and external rebellions, and there are Western powers invading; after the defeat in the Opium War, the Western countries have driven straight in and encircled themselves. The various new technologies and technologies led by the industrial revolution have entered China in a big way. Tradition collapses, but there is a hero Haojie, rising from the ground, leading a momentary storm, Taijiquan generation grandmaster Yang Luchan, convenient for this time to appear in the world.
25. Batman
In 1938, National Allied Publications (the predecessor of DC Comics) launched the world's first superhero, Superman, in the inaugural issue of Action Comics, and it was a great success. Subsequently, DC intended to create a hero for another of its publications, Detective Comics, to rival Superman. At the time, the journal had been in existence for more than two years and had published a variety of detective and adventure stories, but it had not yet had a soul role. Bob Kane, a 26-year-old painter at the time, took on the task and eventually created the early Batman in collaboration with Bill Finger.
26. The Matrix
Neo (Keanu Reeves), a young cyber hacker living in the Matrix, discovers that the seemingly normal real world actually seems to be controlled by some force, and Neo investigates the matter online. The captain of the real-life Human Resistance, Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburn), has also been looking for the legendary savior in the matrix, and under the guidance of Trinity (Kelly Ann Moss), a member of the Human Resistance, the two meet, and Neo returns to the real reality under the guidance of Morpheus.
27. "Pretty Girl Strike Force"
Pretty Girl Strike Force - A dazzling steampunk version that flies over the madhouse! The film is directed by the up-and-coming director Zach Schneider, and when talking about the creation of the film, he said that "beautiful girls, guns and lings are killing, this sill has a kind of Xue kind of interesting contrast in the snow face Zhen." Scratching me is not ten of the ten who are decaying to want this thick-like king a gimmick... She has two sides in the exhaustion of the shadow ship, hoping that in the Jingshu Shen Zhao Sick Courtyard, The Buddha she contains is quite a virtual little Wo Daddy who tests the power of the cage without the power of the chicken ton; but in the realm of the world pillar of the illusion, the ones who close her age are the most powerful and deceitful killing weapons. ”
28. "Van Helsing"
Van Helsing - This is a sniper hunter Van Helsing against werewolves, vampires, Frankenstein, steam technology and magic mixed, the special effects are beautiful and dark and cold, the scene is magnificent. Dracula's three brutal vampire brides are the most brilliant and chilling. Most of the film was filmed in Prague, and the creators chose Prague because they saw the gloom and mystery of this ancient city. An interesting tidbit: the film was supposed to be a sequel to 1992's "Four Hundred Years of Vampire Zombies," and Anthony Hopkins would continue to play Van Helsing, but it was ultimately not done.
29. Captain Sky and Tomorrowland – Kerry Curran (USA)
30. Chronicles of Variation – Simon Hunter (USA)
This is a difficult film to classify, basically a thriller zombie film in terms of plot line arrangement, and the time is also set in the late 21st century, but its worldview setting also has a certain steampunk characteristic, and it seems to be in a parallel world similar to the World War I period. The design of some of its props, especially weapons, is very distinctive, both futuristic and characteristic of the typical large-scale industry of the steam age, such as the design of cannons, airships and flying locomotives.
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