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Where have all the good sci-fi films gone (vanity)?
Yours truly

Posted on 02/19/2008 11:03:14 AM PST by rjp2005

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To: Kieri; Publius6961; Soliton

Caruso was a singer, hence Publius6961’s tongue-in-cheek question to Soliton about it being a musical.

It was a little funny...


361 posted on 02/19/2008 4:59:39 PM PST by null and void (Don’t panic, they have the news under control.)
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To: null and void; retrokitten
Whoa, whoa, whoa!

I've read all the Harry Potter books and enjoy the series. I just thought it was a great line.

I have to admit I was disappointed after reading book 7, although the book itself was well-written. If it's okay to talk fantasy on a sci-fi thread, here goes:

Several of the plot devices were very clunky. in Prisoner of Azkaban, Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin all knew the Shrieking Shack was a hangout with a path directly to Hogwarts, but nobody thought to check to see if Sirius was using it. In Goblet of Fire, anything could have been used as a portkey, but Voldemort and Crouch work out a plan that requires Harry to win a tournament in order to get him to touch the Triwizard cup? Why didn't Moody (Crouch) just give Harry a detention one night and make him go out to dig onions and make the shovel a portkey? Even in small things, there are irritating inconsistencies. For example, in Order of the Phoenix, the twins are in Harry's room, and they hear Mrs. Weasley trying to sneak up the stairs, so they apparate, which creates a loud crack. Why can't she hear a loud crack when they can hear a soft step on the stairs?

Despite the flaws, Rowling writes characters brilliantly, and that's the strength of her work. The reader believes her characters are alive, even the minor ones are incredibly well fleshed out.

By the way, another thing that bugged me, besides the whole Dumbledore is gay thing, is that I read an interview where Rowling was relating a conversation she had with Daniel Radcliffe. It was after she'd seen him in Equus, but before she'd written book 7. She said she told him she was writing him a nude scene in HP 7. She ended up writing three nude scenes, one involving seven Harrys. She's like 40, and he just turned 18. That's a little creepy to me.

362 posted on 02/19/2008 4:59:41 PM PST by Richard Kimball (Sure, they'd love to kill me, as long as they can do it without admitting I exist)
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To: Richard Kimball; retrokitten

Finite Incantatum on that hex, retrokitten...


363 posted on 02/19/2008 5:02:58 PM PST by null and void (Don’t panic, they have the news under control.)
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To: Oztrich Boy
I would cut the first two chapters

I disagree. The opening sequence where (is it Blair?) surveys the MacArthur's damage would be a great opening for the movie. The stuff with Bury is central to one of the sub-plots.

364 posted on 02/19/2008 5:06:35 PM PST by 6ppc (It's torch and pitchfork time)
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To: 6ppc
I was takings about The Gripping Hand, the second book.
365 posted on 02/19/2008 5:11:14 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (Never say yer sorry, mister. It's a sign of weakness)
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To: RobRoy
Haven't read much (only parts of a couple of his novels before stopped reading). However, seems that he's more into parallel universes and as for the history part, the history tends to be far too recent, such as the Civil War or World War 2. More of a fan of ancient sci-fi. Star Wars (as you can guess from the choice of username) is supposedly set a long time ago. In an early rendition, the stories of the movies were supposed to have happened around a century before and an old robot goes to a group of mysterious beings called the Whills to give his account of what he (R2-D2) has witnessed. Also, the Republic which the Empire replaced was about 25,000 years old. Out-of-universe, one of Star Wars historical 'faces' is of the Roman Republic turning into the Roman Empire.

Then there's Battlestar Galactica (new one). Around 5,000 years ago, something happened and humans were evicted from a world and settled in a solar system with 12 inhabited planets (and the Earthlings).

Although fiction, both have some ancient history that is vague and not fleshed out, and more and more of that history is revealed as the story progresses.

366 posted on 02/19/2008 5:17:58 PM PST by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: gitmo

Haven’t heard anything about a movie project based on the Foundation series. Try Googling and you may find something on it.


367 posted on 02/19/2008 5:19:00 PM PST by Go_Raiders ("Being able to catch well in a crowd just means you can't get open, that's all." -- James Lofton)
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To: All

Okay, having read the prior posts, this has been a fun thread.

I remember being weened on Sci Fi as a kid, watching Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone. Lost In Space was a favorite, but the movie remake was horrible. The first Sci Fi movie to make an impact on me was The Andromeda Strain. I don’t know if it holds up as well, but I recall it was Critchon’s first movie?!!!

I hear they are making Speed Racer into a movie. A movie I would love to see would be Jonny Quest. It is a spy movie with a lot of sci fi technology. The remake in the 90’s was blah.

As for books yet to make it into movies would include Foundation Trilogy, Ringworld, Ender’s Game. I remember with great anticipation when the Dune the movie was being made and how disappointed I was. Then Sci Fi network did their own in a series of movies covering the first 3 books. It was much better. I think this was so because of the advances in CGI and film making. For this reason, I think most Sci Fi movies can now make the transition to film.

I really enjoyed the War of the Worlds remake and though it was Sci Fi, it was Tom Cruise as the dad that made the movie compelling. The ‘50’s version still holds up well and I was totally into the Blob the first go around. Very scary as a kid and gum chewing was never the same afterwards.

As others have commented, The Incredibles is a great flick, capturing Bond and FF in great reverence and parody. It even had some great lines paraphrased from Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron short story.

That picture of Ricardo Mountalban (sp?) as Khan is scary on many levels. I really can’t believe he was the inspiration for the business up front, party in the back hair style. I will never look at him, the movie, or mullets in the same way. Further, he obviously “borrowed” his pecs from Ahnold, perfection at a price.

Lastly, Terminator, the Sarah Connor Chronicles has held up very well. I especially like the ode to James C in naming the female terminator Cameron. Nice touch.


368 posted on 02/19/2008 5:34:48 PM PST by JoshM99
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To: Kieri

Nicely done. What medium did you do it in?


369 posted on 02/19/2008 5:39:24 PM PST by -YYZ- (Strong like bull, smart like ox.)
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To: RobRoy

If Firefly had been written science fiction, it probably would have done nothing for me. As a TV series, OTOH, it bordered on brilliant. Now, the first episode I saw on Fox was the one with the shipment of cattle, and I was like “WTH?”, but it grew on me. Then I got the DVD box set (for something like $20 - a bargain) and got to watch it in the intended order, without interruption. The more I watched the more I liked it - the characters made the show.


370 posted on 02/19/2008 5:44:25 PM PST by -YYZ- (Strong like bull, smart like ox.)
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To: -YYZ-

Staedtler permanent liners 01, 03, 05 and 07 — the lovely disposable ones — on smooth bristol.

Pilot is one case where my drafting background came in handy. I still don’t want to think about how long it took me. I have a print of my “Aeryn Sun” that I got signed by Claudia Black in NYC...2 days before 9/11.


371 posted on 02/19/2008 5:48:26 PM PST by Kieri (Midwest Snark Claw & Feather Club Founder)
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To: null and void

Spelling is optional on FR.


372 posted on 02/19/2008 5:52:03 PM PST by Soliton
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To: JoshM99
The Blob a low budget film was made in Chester County Pa, It was very low budget. David Yeaworth, was a schoolmate of mine, his dad made the movie. One day David brought in pieces of the blob, couple of us got one. I can remember bouncing it around we had it bouncing all over the place. I wish I could remember what happened to mine. It would have made a great conversation piece.
373 posted on 02/19/2008 5:59:13 PM PST by Empireoftheatom48 (My tag line is broken)
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To: null and void

I Like it with a ZZZZZZZZZZEEEEEEEEEEEEE!


374 posted on 02/19/2008 6:01:14 PM PST by Empireoftheatom48 (My tag line is broken)
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To: retrokitten

I declare a Fatwa!


375 posted on 02/19/2008 6:12:54 PM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
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To: Soliton

Yeah! That was a really complicated show. I’d like to see those episodes again. I may have to order the DVDs!


376 posted on 02/19/2008 7:03:56 PM PST by puroresu (Enjoy ASIAN CINEMA? See my Freeper page for recommendations (updated!).)
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To: RobRoy
FWIW, I call TNG “Star Trek for women”. But the interesting thing about Firefly is that women really like the show. My wife thought it was very entertaining and funny. She really liked the characters and their interactions. She is NOT a sci-fi fan normally.

Actually, it makes perfect sense... None of the women are "shrinking violets," dependent on a macho guy... In fact, every one of those women could kick your ass, and some do on a regular basis. Even River, the "victim," is actually found to be quite possibly the most dangerous human around.

More importantly, let's face it. For most guys, it's a winner if there are guns, explosions, and nubile women wearing wholly inappropriate, and far too scanty, costumes. Women, on the other hand, seem to be interested in characters, story, and plot. And Firefly has those covered in spades. Coupled with Joss Wheedon's sense of humor, and demands that his characters have GREAT one-liners, you've got a show that would have been the biggest hit Fox had since The Simpsons. I have yet to meet someone who's actually seen a few episodes of Firefly who hasn't fallen in love with it.

Mark

377 posted on 02/19/2008 7:08:05 PM PST by MarkL
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To: MarkL

The first 10 minutes of Starship Troopers I was horrified. One of my all time favorite adolescent novels was being destroyed before my very eyes. Then I started laughing, had a beer, and enjoyed the hell out of the babes, bombs and body parts. Love the over-the-top patriotism.


378 posted on 02/19/2008 7:12:16 PM PST by m1911
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To: Reily

Shepherd Book was probably my favorite character. A holy man with a vast knowledge of weaponry and enough inside information to know exactly how an operative works. He was truly an enigma worth trying to figure out. It is a pity that we won’t see his character fully developed.


379 posted on 02/19/2008 7:13:02 PM PST by Waryone
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To: m1911
Then I started laughing, had a beer, and enjoyed the hell out of the babes, bombs and body parts. Love the over-the-top patriotism.

I know exactly what you mean... I just love looking at Dina Meyer. I don't think that I've ever actually seen her in a "good" movie: Well, Dragonheart was one of the better ones, but she's done a fair number of SF/Fantasy movies, Including Johnny Mnemonic. And she was in that "Batgirl spin-off" TV show too... On the other hand, the other one (Charlie Sheen's ex-wife) does nothing for me. Heck, I can't even remember her name.

Mark

380 posted on 02/19/2008 7:23:55 PM PST by MarkL
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