Posted on 11/16/2010 9:57:34 AM PST by EveningStar
The science-fiction genre has been around almost as long as movies themselves have.
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It’s a pretty good list, but I would add “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”; the 1978 version.
I have heard that Kubrick originally wanted to make some of the space scenes even more boring by prolonging them. Yes, part of his point was that long-distance space travel was time-consuming, boring, and (because of the required technology making the human presence virtually unnecessary) dehumanizing.
Keep in mind, also, that many of the visuals in 2001 had never been done before, so a large part of the movie is also eye candy for an audience wanting to see new wonders. Huge cities on the moon! People walk on the ceiling! And so forth. Of course, today you can nearly accomplish the same thing with a consumer-level camera and a couple of $1000 computers, so I guess the wonder is lost to us.
List failure because of idiocy. Great book which was probably the first one I read discussing the responsibility of citizens to the state and the state to its citizens, with the shooting to provide a cover for the ideas. Those ideas were turned on their heads and the whole feeling of the advanced tech of the Mobile Infantry (having front lines at 1 man per kilometer) was changed to look more like a copy of the movie Zulu with bugs rather than Zulu tribesmen. World War I sergeants on the Western Front would have told that bunch of idiots to spread out a bit.
If you called it "Spaceship Troopers (not related in any way to Heinlein's book)" it would have been a typical B grade sci-fi movie. Copying the character names from Heinlein just made it pathetic.
THX 1138
From the Earth to the Moon (1958)
The Monolith Monsters
Stargate
Men in Black
The Brother from Another Planet
Repo Man
The Quiet Earth (outstanding but little known)
Predator
The Hidden
I've never seen "I Married a Monster From Outer Space", "Robinson Crusoe on Mars", or "Planet of the Vampires", but they sound like really dated B-movies, so I'm surprised they're included on the list.
"The Thing from Another World" should have been ranked higher than its 1981 remake with Kurt Russell. That is one of the very few examples of a remake better than the original.
RoboCop, Planet of the Apes, Roller Ball, Star Trek IV, Logan’s Run, Gattaca, and A Clockwork Orange all should have been on a list of top 50 greatest sci-fi movies of all time. 50: The Quartermass Xperiment 49: Things to Come 48: Godzilla (original) 46: Strange Invaders 45: They Live! 44: It Came From Outer Space 43: The Omega Man 42: Invaders From Mars 41: The Andromeda Strain (70's version) 40: War of the Worlds (50's version) 39: War of the Worlds (00's version) 38: When Worlds Collide 37: The Incredible Shrinking Man 34: Quatermass and the Pit 33: Mars Attacks! 31: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (50's version) 30: Alphaville 29: Moon 28: The Man Who Fell to Earth 27: Total Recall 26: These Are the Damned 25: Starman 24: Brazil 23: Serenity 22: Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn 21: Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (original) 20: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 19: Solaris 18: Forbidden Planet 17: The Fly (80's version) 14: The Thing (80's version) 13: The Terminator 12: The Day the Earth Stood Still (50's version) 11: Metropolis 10: Close Encounters of the Third Kind 9: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial 8: Aliens 7: The Thing From Another World 6: Terminator 2: Judgment Day 5: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 4: Alien 3: The Matrix 2: 2001: A Space Oddyssey 1: Blade Runner
I actually liked 2010 better than 2001. It was quicker, had more interesting dialogue and character advancement, and a more compelling story line.
I didn’t really think much of the list. I think popular or “acclaimed” seemed to be more important on the list than actually being good movies.
I wouldn’t put blade runner so high. I just watched that again recently, and it was much better remembered than seen.
I would agree with people mentioning Logan’s run and others, but I bet if I watched them again I’d be dissappointed as well.
In terms of compelling-at-the-time science fiction though, this list has about 20 I’d count in the top 50.
I totally agree that Planet of the Apes should have been on there (the original, not the remake). I also liked the call-out for Capricorn 1, although lots of that movie was really boring as well.
My daughter says Gattica is one of the best movies ever.
The Running Man — did anybody mention this, because it was a bit campy, but I thought it was a well-done movie blockbuster, maybe even moreso than the 5th element, which I think belongs on the list.
If I was picking 50 science fiction movies I would watch again and again, Galaxy Quest would have to be on that list. Unfortunately, so would the Matrix, and probably Independence Day which I agree wasn’t a good movie but I do seem to watch it whenever I stumble across it.
For well-done movies, I think “AI” would have to be on the list of 50.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to “Colossus - The Forbin Project” (I heard they are actually making a remake of this?), although this is another movie that I remembered much more fondly than I enjoyed it when watching it recently with my daughter.
In fact, I find that a lot of movies I really enjoyed when I was younger are disappointing when I watch them now; I guess the modern special effects really have jaded me.
It was on Saturday. TCM, iirc. Burt Bacharach did the theme song.
Agree - it should have been called “Bug Hunt” or something like that.
Once people detach it from Heinlein’s novel, they can enjoy it on its own terms.
What! No mention of Zardoz! What a stupid list.
1) The original War of the Worlds was good, but the new one did follow the book much better, especially with the tripods. It was grittier, more desperate, like the book.
2) The new BSG was the best Sci-Fi to come around in years, but there was no actual movie unless you count Razor or The Plan.
3) Good point.
Thanks for 7.
Can we argue that the pilot mini-series counts as a movie? If so, then the original V from 1983 has to be added as well.
I third Fifth Element. Every aspect of it was great. Especially that ace bandage outfit. :)
I liked “The Last Starfighter”, although it was a bit campy.
Excellent meditation on how terrible a thing it would be if wishes came true, given the reality of human depravity. I'm glad Metropolis made the list. The scene where the statues come to life is powerful, even by today's standards. The scene where the factory gate is transformed into the mouth of Moloch also is visually stunning -- and reminds me of the public school system.
>>I’m glad Metropolis made the list. <<
Agreed, every scene in Metropolis is well-thought out and contributes to a picture a future we would like to avoid.
I guess Tron was a science fiction movie, and as such belongs.
Although then I was thinking that “Hackers” is also kind of a science fiction movie.
I didn’t want to like Minority Report, but I do think it was actually a good movie with a good plot, and made you think. In fact, I use it a lot as an illustration when discussing current government actions.
Like TSA scanning, the typical child protective services actions, etc.
The original TEMORS with Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward...best ever!!!
BSG was terribly underwritten IMO. Good effects, but it only had enough snappy dialogue and plot for one and-a-half series - and was tragically stretched over four.
I’m glad that it propelled some good actors into getting more work though.
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