Posted on 12/23/2024 12:46:02 PM PST by Red Badger
In the words of one great work of science fiction, "The glory of creation is in its infinite diversity, and the ways our differences combine to create meaning and beauty." Sci-fi itself is a genre that contains multitudes — space opera, time travel, dystopia, cyberpunk, apocalypse and post-apocalypse, just to name a few. Sci-fi has been the domain of Hollywood blockbusters and independent art films, presented as comedy and drama, used to paint bright futures or portents of doom.
On this list, you'll find permutations of every sort, spread across a variety of decades, countries, and languages. While entries on our list date back as far as 1927, we must confess a preference for the new — nearly half of the entries on our list were made in this century, as digital filmmaking and effects have lowered the barrier for producing quality sci-fi and allowed more storytellers to project their bold imaginings.
Read More: https://www.looper.com/477368/best-sci-fi-movies-all-time/
(Excerpt) Read more at looper.com ...
“Was really disappointed with the treatment Philip Jose Farmer’s “Riverworld” got when they tried to bring it to the smallish screen.”
I think they took some liberties with the script. It just wasn’t the same. Then again, I finally read the last Riverworld book and, for me, it did not live up to the expectations I had from reading earlier volumes.
Tarzoon, Shame of the Jungle isn’t on the list - bogus. And Andromeda Strain should be much higher.
“I like the 1950’s version of The Thing with the great Kenneth Tobey.”
Seems to me an anti-Communist movie. Best part: the appeasing liberal scientist got his.
Bkmk
“Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!”
The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original), a silly propaganda piece that corrupted the message of the original story.
Forbidden Planet...should be in the top 10.
***The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original)***
Saw it way back in 1961 one TV. Never cared for it. Saw it again not long ago, still never cared for it.
Invaders from Mars and Beast from 20 Thousand Fathoms in 1953, now those were good Scarry movies for a 6 year old kid! Still my favorites today!
Where is “I, Robot”?!
I would love for Michael Crichton to have lived long enough to do a State of Fear type novel about Covid - I believe he would have done a great job on that...
Moon and The Andromeda Strain should be much higher up on the list IMO.
I agree.
A now dead thread, but if I may comment: The Day the Earth Stood Still is a classic, pacifist scifi film in an cold-war era when pacifism was not politically correct (thus it is scifi), and absent the obligatory sensuality - aside from very brief semi-private kissing btwn fiancees - as well as vulgarity and profanity that flows from "Hollywood."
But a critical analysis is that, as is typical with sci-fi films, many avoidable absurdities are evident.
1. Advanced race on a mission makes no attempt at communication as to its purpose before hand, even in the age of radio and TV.
2. Advanced race knows little about humans, except their violent nature, and cares not about that except that it somehow is now a threat to the universe, even though a few robots could neutralize anything coming from earth.
3. While attesting to the violent nature of humans, and with no prior communication, alien craft and lands in DC. and the first attempt at contact with humans by this alien, "Klatu," is in a suit for no reason, and who directly walks up to an armed soldier, then triggers a small gun-type device, as if ignorant of the expected response.
4. Slow moving Gort, at about 9', then appears after Klattu is shot, and its weapon is a single or forked beam that that takes about 6 seconds to warm up and heats or vaporizes weapons, and yet it receives no response by artillery before they are vaporized.
5. Unlike in the second instance of being shot, Gort does not retrieve the alien.
6. No pictures are taken of the alien while in custody, thus he can later roam the city..
7. Klatu requires a world meeting of all leaders, yet is so ignorant that he expects this would be no problem, despite the fact that and so the earth must be reduced to as burned out crisp unless they submit to be governed by robots who are intolerant of any sign of aggression, or otherwise irresponsible behavior, and only understands alien speech.
8. Advanced race alien cannot communicate with Gort, except verbally or by flashlight, which the alien must borrow from a child!
9. Gort and craft is only guarded by 2 soldiers, and later is able to go all the way to a police station and retrieve the body of Klattu.
10. Klattu carelessly trades alien diamonds for $2, and leaves one on the carpet of his rented apt., to be picked up by unworthy boyfriend, leading to manhunt.
11. Without communication, Klatu has no idea what Gort, the destroyer of worlds, would do.
12. Final and only speech by Klattu is a threat, and awaits a response, without saying how, except it seems that of disarmament.
13. If the aliens were so advanced, they would know that being ruled by robots would result in unity, that of every race seeking to find a way to circumvent this unfeeling. unfeeling, unrelation-able, unmerciful police-god, who deals with aggression (at the first sign of which), or otherwise irresponsible behavior.
14. Klattu does state that the power to give life is reserved to the Almighty Spirit. Yet the True God, as the author of life and of all good things and good laws, is that which mankind has been rebelling against from the beginning, despite Him being expressive and communicative, sacrificially merciful yet with justice toward the impenitent. Whose program of revelatory testing (thus enabling man to be able to make consequential choices) will result in a world of peace with freedom, inhabited by souls who love Him and all that He is, and who will not sin even if able, since they strove against it in this world of testing. Glory to Him.
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