Science fiction has been captivating readers since futuristic ideas first sprung onto the pages of stories written in the 19th century. H.G. Wells, Mary Shelley, and Arthur C. Clarke, among many others, can rightly be credited with introducing the idea of space travel and other creative concepts that were once unimaginable.
But who, if not you and I, knows the inner workings of these iconic authors’ minds? In 2020, acclaimed director Jonathan Zacks made the first-ever feature-length documentary about one such creature, the late and great science fiction genius, Roger Zelazny.
Titled “Immer, Zlaz” (which translates to “Always Zelazny” in German), the documentary follows the tumultuous story of Zelazny’s life and career. From his childhood to his death, the film reveals the private life of a science fiction genius who, despite having published dozens of works in his lifetime, was never as famous as his peers. Through interviews with his family and closest friends, a vulnerable portrait of the writer is painted, exploring the formative events of his life that both formed him, and led to the end of it far too soon.
As well as exploring Zelazny’s life and documents of his career, the film gives us insight into the creative processes of science fiction writing. According to family, friends and former collaborators, Zelazny was a man obsessed with exploring and expressing the different dimensions of creation. Almost like a dreamer, he wrote with a beginning and an end in mind, and often took his stories to unexpected places during the writing process.
Though the documentary is a heartbreaking examination of a man’s life cut short by his own struggles, it is also an insightful look into his creative methods and why science fiction has such a long lasting draw for readers. By giving us an inside look into the mind of a genius, “Immer, Zlaz” offers us a chance to discover what often goes unseen in the life of a science fiction writer – the dreams, ideas and passion that would have gone unheard if not revealed in this compelling documentary.
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