This really depends. Are we talking about “hard” science fiction (where the science is the main driver of the story, like much of Star Trek where attempts are made to explain the fictional science) or “soft” science fiction (like Dune, where the science is not really explained, more assumed, and serves as the background for the film)? I’d argue Alien falls into the former because the biology of the xenomorph is the major focus of the story.
I’m perhaps way off, but to me sci-fi is pretty much any narrative that mirrors our own world but with specific differences that have an effect on the story. Eg a story that’s a regular setting but everyone has to pay for oxygen, or a story set in an alternate history where the British empire never faded. The differences are variables that can be used to view humanity from a different perspective.
To me Star Trek and Dune are essentially fantasy settings. Star Trek though obviously has sci-fi stories. Eg depicting a broadly post-racial society but using aliens as a tool to explore racism in our own culture.
This really depends. Are we talking about “hard” science fiction (where the science is the main driver of the story, like much of Star Trek where attempts are made to explain the fictional science) or “soft” science fiction (like Dune, where the science is not really explained, more assumed, and serves as the background for the film)? I’d argue Alien falls into the former because the biology of the xenomorph is the major focus of the story.
I’m perhaps way off, but to me sci-fi is pretty much any narrative that mirrors our own world but with specific differences that have an effect on the story. Eg a story that’s a regular setting but everyone has to pay for oxygen, or a story set in an alternate history where the British empire never faded. The differences are variables that can be used to view humanity from a different perspective.
To me Star Trek and Dune are essentially fantasy settings. Star Trek though obviously has sci-fi stories. Eg depicting a broadly post-racial society but using aliens as a tool to explore racism in our own culture.