Splice (2009) & Mimic (1997): Playing God with DNA

Splice (2009) & Mimic (1997): Playing God with DNA

Author: James Payne February 12, 2026 Duration: 1:14:12

This week on Journey Through Sci-Fi, we're heading into murkier, creepier territory as we pair Mimic and Splice - two films that take mad science out of the lab and straight into body-horror nightmare fuel.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Vincenzo Natali, they arrive from very different moments in sci-fi cinema. Mimic comes out of the late-90s creature-feature era, mixing practical effects with early CGI and big studio ambition. Splice, released over a decade later, taps into anxieties around gene splicing, biotech, and scientists who really should know better.


Ever wondered how a silent film from a century ago connects to the spectacle you saw at the multiplex last weekend? That’s the kind of thread Journey Through Sci-Fi: A Science Fiction Film Podcast follows, tracing the entire arc of the genre from its flickering beginnings to its CGI-drenched present. Hosts Matt and James act as your guides, not just reviewing movies but unpacking the ideas that fueled them. They’re interested in how a particular film’s design changed movie-making, or how a story from the 1950s reflected the anxieties of its time, creating a conversation across decades. You’ll hear detailed discussions that place each film within a larger historical tapestry, making connections you might have missed. This isn't a random list of reviews; it's a curated, chronological expedition. By focusing on one film per episode, the podcast allows for a deep dive into the context, the production challenges, and the lasting cultural footprint of each title. Whether it's the pioneering special effects of a classic or the philosophical questions posed by a modern epic, Matt and James explore how science fiction cinema holds a mirror to our own world. Tune in for a thoughtful analysis that appreciates both the artistic ambition and the pure entertainment value of the genre, discovering how every spaceship, robot, and alien visitor tells us something about ourselves.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Journey Through Sci-Fi: A Science Fiction Film Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Barbarella (1968) & Krull (1983): Sci-Fi Meets Fantasy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Lost in Space (1965) & The Black Hole (1979): Stranded Explorers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Flash Gordon (1936) & Buck Rogers (1939): Before Star Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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his week, we're continuing our journey through the fantastical world of Space Opera by looking at two of the most iconic figures from the 1930s: Flash Gordon (1936) and Buck Rogers (1939). These characters set the standa…
A Trip to Mars (1918): The First Space Opera? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:02
It's time to delve into another subgenre of science fiction—Space Opera! In this new series of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we're exploring the fantastical and epic tales that define the genre. To kick things off, we're takin…
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Dystopia Series Recap & "Dystopian Awards" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:12
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Duration: 1:38:12
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