Author Topic: Help complete my classic sci-fi movie education (Read 25185 times)

Listener · **Reply #25 on:** May 23, 2007, 05:24:03 PM

Quote from: jamesotron on May 22, 2007, 07:51:44 PM

Of course, how could I forget to mention Pi? Probably because it's one of my favourite movies or all time

I wasn't blown away by Pi.

Quote from: Thaurismunths on May 23, 2007, 04:43:11 PM

How about Flight Of The Navigator?

I think I still have that on tape somewhere.

For some decent silly sci-fi, there's The Cat From Outer Space.

jamesotron · **Reply #26 on:** May 24, 2007, 08:29:09 PM

Of course there's Disney's "The Black Hole" probably the second best disney film ever made (after Tron). Maximillion was such a great badass.

Also, John Carpenter's "Dark Star".

Is it just me, or do I like my sci-fi with a helping of cheese? Perhaps EP should run some nice cheesy spaceship radioesque cheese some time soon. That would rule.

(I've just noticed that half of the movies mentioned here as my favourites are listed in the "Sci-Fi we can do without" (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=771.0) thread. Awesome.)

ClintMemo · **Reply #27 on:** May 25, 2007, 01:04:51 AM

Quote from: jamesotron on May 24, 2007, 08:29:09 PM

(I've just noticed that half of the movies mentioned here as my favourites are listed in the "Sci-Fi we can do without" (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=771.0) thread. Awesome.)

That's only because I had forgotten about "The Black Hole."

Now I'm starting to remember it again ACK!!
(quickly runs to other thread...)

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #28 on:** June 04, 2007, 11:51:52 AM

Quote from: SFEley on May 21, 2007, 08:32:50 PM

Quote from: SFEley on May 21, 2007, 08:23:55 PM
And Primer is a must-see for any SF fan with a logical mindset. It's a very down-to-earth time travel movie, rigorous and consistent throughout, with characters who act like engineers.

Oh. And from that perspective, we mustn't forget Apollo 13.

Yes, I know it isn't a science fiction movie. So what? It's still a better science fiction movie than most science fiction movies. (Come on, portions of it were filmed in free fall!)

It's also one of the very few movies I've ever seen where engineers and scientists are sincerely treated like heroes. I am not much of an engineer or scientist, but I'm a groupie. My wife is a chemist; many of the people I've had crushes on over the years have been engineers. I truly believe that good engineering can be heroic. And here, in this movie, you had engineers directly saving lives, on screen, and getting their props for it. The "round peg in the square hole" scene made my heart sing.

One of my all time favourites, both for that reason and how perfectly the movie embodies the idea of the mission being Nasa's 'Greatest' failiure. Also, Ed Harris as Chris Kraft is astonishing in a cast packed full of good performances. There's a moment at the end which makes me blub like a good 'un every time I watch it, where Kraft sits down and you realise that that's the first time he's done so since the mission went wrong. It's a staggering piece of physical acting, relief and fatigue and emotion all perfectly communicated absolutely silently.

As for other recommendations:

-Cube 0 is actually quite interesting and provides some unusual hints as to why the project may have begun in the first place.

-The Quatermass Experiment-Classic '50s SF produced by Hammer. Experiment is interesting for how seriously it treats its source material whilst Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit expand on the existing background in very interesting and in the case of the Pit, utterly bloody demented ways. Also worth tracking down is the BBC live version from a couple of years ago featuring David Tennant and Mark Gatiss in supporting roles and Jason Flemyng doing excellent work as an unusually young Quatermass.

-The 13th Floor-The least well known of the VR movies that hit at the same time as The Matrix it's also probably the best of the bunch. It's also, just to be irritating and enigmatic, one of those films that you enjoy so much more if you know nothing about it. But trust me, it is worth your time.

Lar · **Reply #29 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:18:46 PM

Ed Harris played Gene Kranz. Gene was NASA's flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs.

Failure is not an option.

DKT · **Reply #30 on:** June 04, 2007, 08:09:35 PM

I'm jumping in a bit late but here are some additions to the list:

Classics:
*Blade Runner
*Alien
*Aliens
*Back to the Future
*Close Encounters of the Third Kind
*ET
*The Terminator (I know someone mentioned T2, but I really liked the original

As far as good SF movies that have been made recently:
*A Scanner Darkly
*Children of Men

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #31 on:** June 04, 2007, 09:04:01 PM

Quote from: Lar on June 04, 2007, 06:18:46 PM

Ed Harris played Gene Kranz. Gene was NASA's flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs.

Failure is not an option.

Oh hell you're right. Sorry about the mix up. Oh and another vote for Children of Men. Astonishingly good movie.

oddpod · **Reply #32 on:** June 05, 2007, 07:09:34 AM

loved Children of Men
did any one else think the visuals had much in comen whith parts of half life 2?

Planish · **Reply #33 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:45:06 AM

THX 1138, written and directed by George Lucas, 1971. http://imdb.com/title/tt0066434/
Low-budget early work by Lucas. Think Nineteen Eighty-four with really bright lighting and white walls.

The Toxic Avenger - http://imdb.com/title/tt0090190/ - well, maybe it's an aquired taste, as are all the other Troma productions - http://imdb.com/company/co0019150/ - with titles like "Redneck Zombies" (rednecks drink radioactive waste), "Surf Nazis Must Die" (I forget the premise) and "Nuke-Em High" (teens smoke irradiated pot). Totally ridiculous wastes of time, unless you enjoy them.

ditto on The Abyss.

Jacob's Ladder - Not exactly sci-fi except for the element of testing of psychotropic drugs on troops, but I really enjoyed it. Maybe more in the Horror genre, with an interesting ending.

David Lynch's Dune, mostly for the set design. And because I like David Lynch.

Planish · **Reply #34 on:** July 08, 2007, 04:36:25 AM

Quote from: ClintMemo on May 22, 2007, 12:00:57 PM

Forbidden Planet is excellent and I can't believe (and am grateful) that no one has remade it yet.

Some guy named Bill Shakespeare totally ripped it off and calls it The Tempest.

Ananzi · **Reply #35 on:** July 09, 2007, 08:15:50 AM

I recommend "The Day the Earth Stood Still" if you haven't seen it .Also "THEM",both classic SciFi movies.
"Mad Max 2:The Road Warrior" could be fun if you haven't seen it...

scottbp · **Reply #36 on:** August 05, 2007, 09:20:52 AM

Well coming to this conversation a little late...
but was surprised that no one mentioned "the andromeda strain" which I have always considered a great work of sci fi.
Also, regarding "invasion of the body snatchers," make sure you check out the 70s AND the 50s versions... both are important for differing reasons

Leon Kensington · **Reply #37 on:** August 06, 2007, 04:35:30 PM

Silent Running (great song even greater movie)

Chodon · **Reply #38 on:** August 09, 2007, 06:20:44 PM

I'm totally drawing a blank on the title of a great movie that should be added to this list...maybe you can help.

It's got characters called something like "gravitron priests". I know that's not it, because google came up empty, but it's similar. They study the statistics of gunfights and learn to minimize their chances of being hit, and the best statistical places to aim. Everyone has to pop pills provided by the gov't to keep them happy...it's a good story with good action. Anyone know what movie I'm talking about?

Mr. Tweedy · **Reply #39 on:** August 09, 2007, 06:35:35 PM

Those would be "Gramaton Clerics" from the movie Equilibrium. Decent story with some memorable fight sequences. Well worth seeing, but I wouldn't call it a classic.

Chodon · **Reply #40 on:** August 09, 2007, 07:26:42 PM

Bingo! Thanks, that would have bugged me all day. Yeah, I wouldn't call it a classic, but it was a good sci-fi flick that not many people have seen. I might go rent it tonight...

jamesotron · **Reply #41 on:** September 25, 2007, 11:45:27 PM

I haven't popped in in a few days, but boy you guys just keep it coming. My poor old Bittorrent client is getting pretty full with all your suggestions

jamesotron · **Reply #42 on:** September 26, 2007, 12:24:42 AM

what was the movie that starts with a fire on a space shuttle and then has two naked vampires?

Alasdair5000 · **Reply #43 on:** September 26, 2007, 06:47:57 AM

Lifeforce! Lifeforce is brilliant, sort of like a Doctor Who story with extra blood and lesbian space vampires. Top film:)

Tango Alpha Delta · **Reply #44 on:** October 21, 2007, 09:05:34 PM

Only here could one find that kind of Q&A.

Why did I ever stop reading?

Everything I could think to add to the list was mentioned by someone; but has a Kzin ever appeared onscreen? If so, I want to see it.

Ocicat · **Reply #45 on:** October 21, 2007, 10:17:54 PM

Quote from: Tango Alpha Delta on October 21, 2007, 09:05:34 PM

has a Kzin ever appeared onscreen? If so, I want to see it.

A Kzin from Larry Niven's Ringworld and other Known Space stories? Sure, they've had a screen appearance on Star Trek *mumble* the animated series...

Tango Alpha Delta · **Reply #46 on:** October 22, 2007, 03:22:54 AM

Quote from: Ocicat on October 21, 2007, 10:17:54 PM

Quote from: Tango Alpha Delta on October 21, 2007, 09:05:34 PM
has a Kzin ever appeared onscreen? If so, I want to see it.

A Kzin from Larry Niven's Ringworld and other Known Space stories? Sure, they've had a screen appearance on Star Trek *mumble* the animated series...

That's the Kzin I was thinking of... but I forgot about that cameo(w). I was hoping someone might have heard rumors of a film, though. Maybe if we started enough rumors, a studio might take the hint?

CyBerend · **Reply #47 on:** December 18, 2007, 09:02:22 AM

Well, this is some kind of miracle-thread for me: with the exeption of 'A scanner Darkly', which I haven't seen yet, I know - and for the most part - love every single one of the movies that were mentioned. This is truly a forum of likeminded folk :-)

Trying to come up with stuff that no one mentioned, but I have scanned the thread rather quickly, so I may have missed these:
- The Black Hole, riding on scifi wave created by Star Wars this Disney movie can be regarded as the ultimate derivative film. Visuals with a very Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, Space1999) feel, and a rehashed script from their own 20.000 leagues under the sea movie. But also: a very cool space-fortress ship, very effective sfx, nice casting and an ominous evil robot. I even loved the religious ending.
- Battle Beyond the Stars, talking about derivative, this Roger Corman production actually looks pretty big budget for once. It's The Magnificent Seven in Space, which was Seven Samurai in the west to begin with. Includes George 'Hannibal' Peppard als Space Cowboy, the Man From UNCLE and that guy that used to be John-Boy or something in one of those Idyllic Wild West (little house on the prairie?) series.
- Message from Space, Japanese attempt at making a Star Wars movie. Silliness that now had become quite commonplace, like sailing spaceships looking like 19th centrury clippers. The only movie I've seen that I don't actually own in some format or another, so I'm scetchy on the details. Didn't it revolve around some magical nuts? Weren't these things called Liabe-nuts?
Starcrash- David Hasselhof. Need we say any more? Okay then, Christopher Plummer as the emperor, and an evil count that actually does the "Mwhoehahaha"-evil laugh. A lot. And he lives in a space-castle-station that is shaped like a hand. When the hand is attacked it clenches like a fist. The movie was made after Star Wars, but looks like it was made in the sixties - at which time it would have impressed us all a lot more than it did in 1979 (or there abouts). Full of Harryhausen-type (not quite the quality) stop motion effects. Wonderful, wonderful sillyness.

I'll try to think of more...

Cognosco · **Reply #48 on:** June 03, 2008, 04:40:32 AM

Here's another one that may not yet be on anyone's list of "classics", but I believe would stand up with most of the others listed above: "Until The End of the World" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101458/) also known by German title "Bis ans Ende der Welt".

Sorry for posting to this thread so long after everyone else stopped. The aliens just returned me to Earth last week and I'm catching up on all my emails and stuff.

wintermute · **Reply #49 on:** June 03, 2008, 12:05:59 PM

Quote from: SFEley on May 21, 2007, 08:32:50 PM

Quote from: SFEley on May 21, 2007, 08:23:55 PM
And Primer is a must-see for any SF fan with a logical mindset. It's a very down-to-earth time travel movie, rigorous and consistent throughout, with characters who act like engineers.

Oh. And from that perspective, we mustn't forget Apollo 13.

Yes, I know it isn't a science fiction movie. So what? It's still a better science fiction movie than most science fiction movies. (Come on, portions of it were filmed in free fall!)

It's also one of the very few movies I've ever seen where engineers and scientists are sincerely treated like heroes. I am not much of an engineer or scientist, but I'm a groupie. My wife is a chemist; many of the people I've had crushes on over the years have been engineers. I truly believe that good engineering can be heroic. And here, in this movie, you had engineers directly saving lives, on screen, and getting their props for it. The "round peg in the square hole" scene made my heart sing.

My movie-watching plans have a tendency to change from moment to moment, but I have a house to myself tonight, so I plan to watch at least two movies. And I think Apollo 13 deserves to be seen again.

Thanks, Steve.