"Middle aged" sci-fi movies

June 13th, 2005, 02:00 PM

I didn't want to say "old" movies because they are some of my favorites and .....well, you know...................................

One of my favorites, "Silent running", already has a thread over in the "On the Horizon" forum. It is already 3 pages long with 63 posts. But, feel free to add to this thread if you would like to say something about the movie itself.

Another favorite is the original "War of the Worlds". At the time it was released, the special effects were spectacular. Of course, by today's standards, you may think they are quite lame. But in those days, the story itself was at least as important as the action and effects.

moovok · June 13th, 2005, 03:23 PM

"Total Recall" - classic, original and brilliant

"Alien" - come on, FANTASTIC film and in that time, special effects were nearly null

General Phoenix · June 13th, 2005, 05:25 PM

One of my favorites, despite being fifty years old: "Forbidden Planet."

The effects were incredible for the time, Leslie Nielsen was excellent in one of his few serious roles as the spaceship captain, and Ann Francis was (all due respect) HOT in those short dresses.

Not to mention a very good script and excellent performances across the board.

I also like the original version of "The Thing." I actually prefer it to the effects-heavy Carpenter remake.

General Phoenix · June 13th, 2005, 05:29 PM

BTW, since I'm sure that someone will mention 1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey" I have to say that I prefer the 80's sequel "2010: The Year We Make Contact."

Mainly because Peter Hyams did a great job of wrapping the effects around a very tightly-written script. As much as I like the visuals of "2001," the whole film seemed to be about the special effects, and it pulled me too far out of the story itself.

Besides, "2010" had a couple of my favorite actors in it, including Roy Scheider and Helen Mirren, in one of her few nudity-free roles. I liked it anyway.

shugotenshi · June 13th, 2005, 09:44 PM

Did anyone watch the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy movie that came out recently?

moovok · June 14th, 2005, 03:31 AM

"Middle aged" sci-fi movies aren't really latest ones. If you want to discuss the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy there's enough threads (or create your own) on the subject

shugotenshi · June 14th, 2005, 08:46 AM

I forgot to add in the subject of the 1984 hitchhickers guide, which is middle-aged, in my original post. But you're right I shall start a new tread. Sorry if I offened you.

Darrell Lawrence · June 14th, 2005, 11:08 AM

I love many of the classic scifi films.

Pisses me off that todays Hollywood can't come up with original stuff, so they "re-make" everything. And act like they are the originators.

moovok · June 14th, 2005, 04:44 PM

You didn't offend, and there was no 1984 Hitchhiker's Guide movie, radio maybe, film nope. I kinda like some of the new films, but films like Day After Tomorrow, there was no story whatsoever. With the old films, they had 90 minutes usually, maybe 2 hours to condense not only a plausable story but try with their budget to do some great special effects, but they did it.

Nowadays it's more special effects then develop a story around that...

General Phoenix · June 14th, 2005, 07:27 PM

Odd you should mention remakes, Darrell - since "Forbidden Planet" which I mentioned before is reportedly a futuristic retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest." I'd expand on that, but I never actually read "The Tempest" having had my fill of badly-performed Shakespeare back in high school.

Darrell Lawrence · June 14th, 2005, 09:46 PM

A book to a movie/TV show is one thing. But re-making movies/TV shows I do not understand.

Why don't they call it something else, since it's NOT like the original in the first place?

Good example- Charlie's Angels. Movies are nothing like the series. Since it's different, why use the name?

Latest one to irk me? The Honeymooners.

I've nothing against the skin color changes, BUT... what if The Jeffersons got the same treatment? What if Archie Bunker got that treatment? Or Sanford and Son?

...oye. I need nap.

p.s. Cargile · June 15th, 2005, 02:17 AM

"Outland". I used to have a copy of that on VHS--a pirated copy I got in Okinawa before they were shut down--and would love to findi it on DVD someday. Sean Connery playing cop of Ganydeme busting drug users. Hey, there's not really spiders in your pressure suit. . .

Then there was a movie "Saturn--" something, a number I think. Had Farrah Fawcett in it and some robot with a human brain. Robot goes mad, high-jinks ensue.

Darrell Lawrence · June 15th, 2005, 03:43 AM

Saturn 3 is the Farrah movie you're thinking of.

fls13 · June 15th, 2005, 01:07 PM

The original Planet of the Apes was a great movie. Westworld was really good. 2001 is one of my all-time favorites. A Clockwork Orange certainly had elements of sci-fi although it was more of a social satire. Heavy Metal was good stuff, too.

skyhawk223 · June 15th, 2005, 02:30 PM

I always found Planet of the Apes a bit disturbing. Not sure why.
I like The Black Hole. A bit sappy, but hey, it was a Disney film.

shugotenshi · June 15th, 2005, 02:37 PM

When I saw Black hole, I thought that the ending left open the possibility of a sequel...

fls13 · June 16th, 2005, 12:12 AM

A few others after racking my brain, and doing some internet browsing to refresh my memory.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea-The Kirk Douglas/James Mason version from the 50s. The squid fight was awfully good for its' time.

Marooned-I saw this in the theatre when I was a kid and it was awesome. Gregory Peck and Gene Hackman in a space rescue thriller.

Slaughterhouse Five-I wouldn't have thought of it as sci-fi, but with the time travel elements and the aliens from Tralfamadore, I guess it is. I loved this movie.

p.s. Cargile · June 16th, 2005, 12:20 AM

How could I forget Heavy Metal. I found it to be better than the recent Heavy Metal 2000.

ANd I don't know how many times I watched "Time Bandits" on HBO. And "Krull." Horses that leave fire in their tracks--what was that all about?

June 16th, 2005, 01:20 AM

Wow! You are all bringing back some great memories. And I have remembered another one. It is "On the Beach". It was only marginally a sci fi. It was much different than the current end of the world movies. In this one, there was no one to save the world at the last minute. Have any of you seen it?

skyhawk223 · June 16th, 2005, 10:24 AM

Not I. Never heard of it.

Time Bandits! 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea! Loved them both.

General Phoenix · June 17th, 2005, 01:06 AM

Wow - can't believe I forgot about "Saturn 3." That was actually the first movie I got to see with any sort of nudity in it.

My dad was/is a big sci-fi fan, so he figured it was okay since it was a S/F movie. It was also the first thing I ever saw Harvey Kietel in. What ever happened to that guy, anyway?

shugotenshi · June 17th, 2005, 10:24 AM

My mom got this DVD set of a series that came out in the sixties called the avengers that I'm currently borrowing. though this is a mystery series by the looks of it.

Thomas P · June 17th, 2005, 11:09 AM

Well, middle aged classics would certainly include the aforementioned 'Forbidden Planet' (1956!!!). Yes, it was 'Tempest' inspired but the film was very mature when compared to it's contemporaries and, even, modern films. I have to say that 'The Illustrated Man' (1968) and 'Colossus, The Forbin Project' (1970) were films that I still have fond memories of.

Other still excellent films, in their middle age would be:

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
The 27th Day (1957)

Aside form those other excellent ones mentioned above!

General Phoenix · June 17th, 2005, 10:34 PM

Paul, you mentioned "Outland", right? Check at the closest Best Buy or Fry's store, and you should find it on DVD for about $10.00. For an older, somewhat low-budget film, the video transfer is excellent.

It's considered a "B-movie" by most of the FX-junkies, so it's pretty cheap to pick up these days.

fls13 · June 18th, 2005, 05:58 PM

Just saw that Westworld is going to be on Turner Classic Movies this Tuesday at 9:45pm eastern time. If you've never seen it and get TCM, check it out. :O)

STEVEFRIARS · June 23rd, 2005, 01:40 AM

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Tron. I mean, come on! - glow-in-the-dark swimming caps, frisbee battles, and those big scary space invader things - Classic!
They should really remake it. Without Keanu Reeves.

Skullsplitter · June 27th, 2005, 09:20 AM

How 'bout Metropolis ? It was made in 1926, some of the acting seems hammy by todays standards, but it set the bar for movie special effects & the design of the Robot maria was adapted for C3PO in Star Wars.

Oh, & BTW watch it without the modern soundtrack.

& please hollywood don't do a remake - it'd suck, just like all the other remakes of foreign films do.

STEVEFRIARS · June 27th, 2005, 10:36 AM

There is a Japanese animated semi-remake of Metropolis, I believe.
I was always very impressed with the robot in that fillm and was quite disillusioned to find out that (1) it was made of wood (painted to look metallic) and (2) there was a bloke inside it.

Skullsplitter · June 27th, 2005, 10:59 AM

Actually the person inside the robot costume in Meropolis was Brigitte Helm - the actress who played Maria - you can find on set photos of her in the costume online.

August 21st, 2005, 08:31 AM

The metropolis robot was the best costume in a science fiction film till star wars came out IMO.

Them! and This island earth are quite good, the special effects and dialogue are laughable at times but they were very good films.