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Post by smang12345 on Jun 7, 2010 15:57:12 GMT -5
I would like to see a podcast in the future on little-known or perhaps forgotten science fiction movies that haven't been given much love by the movie public. Possible movies might include Idiocracy, The Ice Pirates, or the Cube series. Anyone else have a forgotten science fiction gem?
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Post by grubl on Jun 7, 2010 16:33:50 GMT -5
Good idea. How about A BOY AND HIS DOG, LIQUID SKY, WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE.
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Post by james on Jun 7, 2010 17:02:17 GMT -5
I'm not sure if it qualifies as "forgotten," but David Cronenberg's Existenz is a fine virtual reality movie, and a favorite of mine.
In the 1930's and 1940's, there were a few good movies that skirted the line between science fiction and horror (ie., they were ostensibly horror films, but the plot hinged on scientific, rather than supernatural, ideas). In particular, I like The Walking Dead, The Invisble Ray (both with Boris Karloff), Man Made Monster (with Lon Chaney, Jr.), and Mr. X. The last one includes a fairly progressive scientific idea (revealed late in the film) that could carry a movie made today. They're all available on DVD, but I don't hear them discussed all that much, either. Universal Studios really cranked out sequels in the 1940's, and most of them aren't good, but the four (!) Invisible Man sequels are surprisingly not bad.
A few others I recommend highly - the 1974 French animated film Fantastic Planet, Phase IV, These are the Damned, and God Told Me To. Your mileage may vary as to how obscure they are, but they don't attract the attention of a 2001 or a Star Wars.
EDIT: I just remembered another favorite - My Science Project, with the late, great Dennis Hopper.
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Post by tombitd on Jun 7, 2010 20:28:34 GMT -5
I'm not sure if it qualifies as "forgotten," but David Cronenberg's Existenz is a fine virtual reality movie, and a favorite of mine. A few others I recommend highly - the 1974 French animated film Fantastic Planet, Phase IV, These are the Damned, and God Told Me To. I think we may have Cronenberg appearing before Director's Court soon. And as for God Told Me To....well, you might be hearing something about that in an upcoming episode we're planning that will celebrate the life and films of Larry Cohen. |
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Post by grubl on Jun 7, 2010 21:11:00 GMT -5
Cronenberg would be a good choice for directors court segment. He falls into the genre realm, yet has a consistantly produces quality, smart work; even his failures are interesting. He is someone that I can take seriously (unlike Kevin Smith). No compromise with that Cronenberg.
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Post by Derrick on Jun 8, 2010 12:07:24 GMT -5
Favorite David Cronenberg Movies
SHIVERS
THE BROOD
SCANNERS
VIDEODROME
THE DEAD ZONE
NAKED LUNCH
eXistenZ
David Cronenberg Movies I Wouldn't Watch Again If You Paid Me
THE FLY
DEAD RINGERS
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
EASTERN PROMISES
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Post by james on Jun 8, 2010 16:06:50 GMT -5
One more obscure science fiction film that I just remembered - Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly. I loved it, but not many other people did, I guess (I remember Video Watchdog panning it...)
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Post by Eddie Love on Jun 8, 2010 17:54:39 GMT -5
David Cronenberg Movie No One Ever Talks About When They Talk About David Cronenberg Movies:
M. Butterfly
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Post by Eddie Love on Jun 8, 2010 17:57:42 GMT -5
... Mr. X. The last one includes a fairly progressive scientific idea (revealed late in the film) that could carry a movie made today. I'm intrigued -- tell us what this is. I don't mind a spoiler. |
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Post by grubl on Jun 8, 2010 19:22:29 GMT -5
Because M. BUtterfly was such a pretentious and shallow attempt at high art it ended up being an unwatchable shitcase.
Derek, give DEAD RINGER another chance. Not great, but some neat stuff. I thought THE FLY was decent (obviously it can't hold a candle to the original).
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Post by Eddie Love on Jun 8, 2010 19:49:09 GMT -5
Really? I'm curious what makes you say that. I don't think the film of M BUTTERFLY is as good as the play, and as I recall, it didn't entirely succeed, partly because it's cross-dressing thunder was stolen by THE CRYING GAME or because John Lone isn't credibly feminine, although I think his casting may have been a provocative wrinkle of Cronenberg's. But Jeremy Iron's is marvelous, and I think the picture is artful and its themes are pretty thoughtful, certainly wouldn't consider it shallow.
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Post by tombitd on Jun 8, 2010 20:07:33 GMT -5
One more obscure science fiction film that I just remembered - Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly. I loved it, but not many other people did, I guess (I remember Video Watchdog panning it...) Somewhere on Wonderbox is an outline of episodes we've always wanted to do. And on that outline is an episode where we discuss how Philip K. Dick has been served by the movies--so you may get to hear us talk about Linklater's flick sometime in the future. |
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Post by Derrick on Jun 9, 2010 0:40:54 GMT -5
Because M. BUtterfly was such a pretentious and shallow attempt at high art it ended up being an unwatchable shitcase. Derrick, give DEAD RINGER another chance. Not great, but some neat stuff. I thought THE FLY was decent (obviously it can't hold a candle to the original). I've seen DEAD RINGER twice now and both times it left me cold. I doubt another viewing would change my mind but if it happens to come on IFC I might give it another chance. I didn't even like the original version of THE FLY. The main reason I watch Cronenberg's FLY these days is simply because of Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis as I don't think they ever made another film that even comes close to the level of acting they do here. Jeff Goldblum has always been one of my favorite actors and I've always been a sucker for the quirky Geena Davis who still has that lanky tomboyish hotness even when she's glammed up. |
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Post by james on Jun 9, 2010 7:11:12 GMT -5
... Mr. X. The last one includes a fairly progressive scientific idea (revealed late in the film) that could carry a movie made today. I'm intrigued -- tell us what this is. I don't mind a spoiler. *Spoiler Alert* One of the characters in the film has invented "synthetic flesh" to mimic real skin (not unlike Sam Raimi's Darkman). I won't completely spoil the film and mention which one (it's a genuine surprise, though if you watch carefully enough you can probably guess correctly). If you want a sense of what Hollywood horror films could be before the studios were pressured to accept the Hays code, definitely watch this one. There are explicit references to cannibalism (a killer who eats his victims), serial murder, perversion and rape, and the masked murderer is very gruesome looking. And, oddly, the film is a partial comedy. This was 1932, before Universal perfected their kind of 30's horror style, and this film (made by Warner Brothers) is a weird hybrid of an old dark house story and a newspaper comedy. It's like the director, Michael Curitz, threw a bunch of ideas together to see what would work. Warners made more horror films later in the decade, and those are very indebted to the Universal style, but this one isn't. It was an early color film, too, though the "two-strip" Technicolor process makes it look very much like a "colorized" movie. Great, stuff. Humphrey Bogart, of all actors, plays Dr. X in the 1939 sequel (though it's a different character). |
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Post by smang12345 on Jun 11, 2010 18:00:40 GMT -5
I would also add Attack of the Killer Tomoatoes and my personal overlooked favorite Sorority Babes at the Slimeball Bowl-a-Rama to the list.
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