They used to call Robert A. Heinlein "the Dean of Science Fiction."  For writers and readers of my geneation, and those before, Heinlein was a towering figure, the most important and iuential of the 'Big Three' of the Golden Age.

The first SF book I ever read was Heinlein's classic juvenile, HAVE SPACE SUIT, WILL TRAVEL.   It made me a SF reader for life.  For decades thereafter, RAH was my favorite writer.  He was the first writer to win the 'Big One' — the Hugo Award for best novel — four times.  (A record later equalled, but still never surpassed).   But like many of his contemporaries, Heinlein did some of his best work at shorter lengths.

"All You Zombies" is one of those classic short stories.   Like time travel yarns?  Time paradoxes?   "All You Zombies" was… is… will remain THE last word on all those subjects.  And now, improbably, it has been made into a movie.

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PREDESTINATION opens this week at the Jean Cocteau.  I haven't seen it, but those who have (friends from Australia, where the film opened last summer) tell me that it's 1) quite good, and 2) quite faithful to the Heinlein story.

Must admit, I don't much like the title.  I can see why they changed it — "All You Zombies" would have had people thinking it was a George Romero picture or a WALKING DEAD ripoff, when actually the use of 'zombie' is entirely metaphorical — but I wish they would have changed it to something a bit catchier.

But a rose by any other name… I am looking forward to this one.  If you're a Heinlein fan, or a time travel fan, don't miss it.

See you at the movies.

(No spoilers in the comments, please).

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