SCI-FI September!

[MrBarlow]

Rollerball. 1975.

In a corporate run state than organise the the sport Rollerball tries to retire it's top star Johnathan E.

James Caan plays the Houston team captain Johnathan who sport president John Houseman suggests he retires from the sport, when he refuses he learns of chit chat of changing the game when facing Tokyo who are a tougher team and then when that fails the corporation decide to change the rules for their last game of the season.

With a supporting cast of Sir Ralph Richardson, John Beck, Moses Gun and Maud Adams, director Norman Jewison made a great classic movie that holds back nothing with the violence and main star looking for the rule book that has somehow been erased before the big games. The remake has nothing on this original version.

MV5BZjcwNjgxZjItNjQ0Ni00OGJhLWIwYTItYmI5MGQ3MzE0ZjNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTAyODkwOQ@@._V1_.jpg

[MacBlayne]

ALIEN

A team of space truckers pick up what they think is a beacon for help. What they discover is that we’re not alone in this universe. What they’ll learn is that they wish we were.

Ridley Scott’s fright machine is a faultless exercise in sci-fi horror that often transcends the scope of the genre. Pauline Kael derisively called it “Boo! Haunted house in space.” And while there is a truth to that statement, it completely dismisses what Alien achieves.

Let’s start with the taut screenplay credited to one Dan O’Bannon. It is a marvellous script, without an ounce of fat. The dialogue crackles, the story beats set each other up, the tension rises, the text hints at cosmic horror, and the subtext touches on corporate dystopia, class division and sexual politics. Yes, Walter Hill wrote a script that anybody would kill for.

“Wait? Walter Hill? Didn’t you say Dan O’Bannon wrote it?” No, I said the screenplay is credited to O’Bannon. The behind-the-scenes on the Alien screenplay is almost as juicy as the script. O’Bannon turned in a space monster screenplay called Star Beast (which he later labelled Alien), which was included in the DVD and BluRay collections. Now, let me point out that O’Bannon was a talented writer, and turned in sterling work with Total Recall, Screamers, and his own film, Return of the Living Dead. His script for Alien was an abject failure. I’m guessing he was trying to be parodic of the genre, but it doesn’t leap from the page. But as bad as it was, O’Bannon included one unique feature that made it stand out.

The script eventually wandered into the hands of Walter Hill, who had just set up his own production house, Brandywine, with David Giler, and they needed projects. Hill was dismayed at how bad it was, until he got to the bit with how the creature gets into the ship. Hill knew this could be huge, and pushed Giler into picking it up. Giler agreed, but felt it would need drastic rewrites.

Hill rewrote the entire script, much to O’Bannon’s chagrin. Hill transformed the characters from scientists to truckers, as he felt the blue-collar element would help it stand out from the other Star Wars clones. O’Bannon wrote walls of text, over-explaining every location and instrument. Where O’Bannon would write 500 words to describe the deck, Hill would write: “Fans whirr. Radios hum. Computer screens flicker. They all whisper to each other.” The dialogue was completely altered. Where O’Bannon’s dire-logue dribbled, Hill’s crackled. Hill’s characters (brought to life by a tremendous, balanced cast) bicker about pay and long hours, snipe behind each other’s backs, complain about the food, drink coffee, beer and smoke cigarettes like any isolated crew. Hill also threw in the biggest twist in the film – Ash being an android programmed by the company to protect the monster, even if it means losing the crew. It is a terrifying moment as the crew realises that there is no rescue coming. No hope. It spoke to the pain felt by the working class of the 1970s. O’Bannon hated it.

In fact, O’Bannon hated the entire script. In his introduction to his script on the BluRay, O’Bannon complains how Hill resorts to cliché, whereas his script was a tightly controlled piece that moved like clockwork. He calls out the scene where, when they are looking for the creature, they get a scare from the cat. One of the crew leaves to get the cat, while the others stay to fix a power box. He laments the scene as laboured, making one character leave so he can be picked off.

I disagree. For starters, they think the creature is the size of a melon. Hardly worth getting scared about. Brett has to get the cat since Parker states the cat will interfere with the tracker. Ripley and Parker staying to fix the power box gives the hint that the creature may have damaged it. If it did, then it can’t be so small anymore. And finally, who cares? It’s scary!

Anyways, how did O’Bannon’s version play out? Instead of finding a cat that gives the audience a little scare, they get a call that the other crewmembers found it in the pantry. Oooh… Terrifying!

Here’s where the truth gets murky. O’Bannon claims he visited Brandywine’s offices, and found a draft that listed only Hill as the writer. O’Bannon says Hill tried to screw him out of credit, and he was forced to bring the matter to the Writer’s Guild, which voted in favour of O’Bannon receiving full credit.

Now, I have read two early Hill drafts for Alien. Although Hill is credited as the screenwriter, both copies give the story credit to O’Bannon. Do I think Hill was trying to claim sole screenwriting credit? Yes, I do. Do I think he was claiming to have written the story? No.

Hill was notoriously dismissive of sci-fi and fantasy. He frequently regaled others with his dislike of the genre. So him suddenly claiming to have created a sci-fi would have raised a few eyebrows in the industry. I suspect O’Bannon had become bitter and frightened. He was resentful of his former friend John Carpenter. Although Dark Star was directed by Carpenter and O’Bannon, it was Carpenter who built a career from it. O’Bannon had failed with Dune in Europe, and was probably terrified of losing Alien too.

That all said, we can’t dismiss O’Bannon’s contributions, for O’Bannon fought long and hard for the film’s visual aesthetic. It was O’Bannon who brought a lot of the artists on, having worked with them on Dune and Dark Star. Ron Cobb designed the Nostromo, while Chris Foss overlooked the costumes. O’Bannon was a gifted artist too, and provided a lot to the art direction. In fact, it was O’Bannon who designed the Facehugger, believing the original design to be too large and impractical. But it was H.R. Giger that helped push Alien away from Star Wars. Giger, based on his own paintings, created an alien landscape that recalls the nightmares of H.P. Lovecraft, and designed the only thing that could survive in such a world. Giger’s monster is perhaps the greatest ever. A frightening beast that immediately inspires visions of decay, destruction, and violation. There is nothing like this thing. However, the true star of Alien is not the monster, its artists, its writer, or even its cast. Alien’s MVP is Ridley Scott.

As good as Hill’s draft was, it needed somebody that could create it in a believable fashion. Hill was regularly asked, but turned it down due to aforementioned disinterest in the genre (Supernova would later prove this). Other directors were interview, with Jack Clayton and Robert Aldrich coming the closest. Clayton proved he had the skill, but had little interest in spending so long making it. Aldrich proved he was not the man when he said he would just throw animal guts at the camera. Then, for whatever reason, it was Giler, having just seen The Duellists, that suggested Ridley Scott. Even Scott has said he’s still not sure where Giler was coming from. Still, Giler’s choice proved very wise. Although Scott was enamoured by Star Wars, he had little interest in emulating it. What he wanted was to recreate his industrial Newcastle background in outer space, and would draw from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the horror. So strong were Scott’s visual concepts that after turning in his storyboards (lovingly referred to as Ridleygrams), 20th Century Fox doubled his budget.

Scott’s camera (beautiful 2.39:1 anamorphic) is a wonderful thing. It sails, or floats, gracefully capturing Roger Christian’s superb lived-in sets that are handsomely lit by Derek Vanlint. And despite it’s tight pace, Scott and editor Terry Rawling keep those little beats that allow the actors to rise above their somewhat limited roles.

Tom Skeritt looks weary and cynical. John Hurt (a last minute replacement) does strike as the pothead who got a lucky break. Veronica Cartwright is selfish, but not beyond common sense. Yaphet Kotto is boisterous, but charismatic. Harry Dean Stanton is clueless mechanic that is easily led. Ian Holm odd mannerisms hint at something more sinister. And Sigourney Weaver plays the now iconic Ellen Ripley, the uptight bitch who rises to become the responsible hero. An amusing detail about Ripley is that she never actually changes in her personality during the film. It’s just that as the cast start dying off, she looks more and more correct. And she never boasts about it. All of the actors are perfect, and credit must be given to Scott’s free direction (which they complained about at the time). Scott, trying to move a light source, was so annoyed about questions about motivation, that he spent a weekend writing up detailed biographies, and told the actors to study them for reason, understanding, and motivation. Although Scott has evolved to become more considerate of actors, I think this approach brought the best results.

Tying everything together is Jerry Goldsmith’s astonishing score. Opening with a chilling drone that displays the universe in all of its empty horror, Goldsmith follows with lush romanticism and wonder, before unleashing his orchestra’s low bass. The scene in the air vent, with the increasing pace of the editing, the shutters opening and closing, and that tracker bleeping incessantly, would not have worked without Goldsmith plucking his violins. However, Goldsmith had very mixed feelings about it. Rawlings used earlier Goldsmith compositions for editing purposes. Scott and the producers thought it was perfect, and actually rejected a lot of Goldsmith’s new work. When Goldsmith pointed out that the music is within other films, the producers shocked him by purchasing the rights to the music. The BluRay includes the original works Goldsmith created, and while brilliant, it does prove Scott and the producers right.

If you couldn’t tell already, I love Alien. I grew up with this film. My cousin introduced to me when I was four years old! Yes, it gave me nightmares, but it caught me in a way that other sci-fi didn’t. My cousin would show me Aliens the same weekend, and it mustn’t have scarred me too much as I remember five-year old me begging my parents to rent Alien 3. Which they eventually did. Years later, I would finally see Star Wars, and while I enjoyed them enough, it just felt so lacking next to the Alien trilogy.

Alien is a horror masterpiece that just improves with age. Barring a wide shot or two of the monster, the effects hold up tremendously. Thanks to Scott’s gripping direction and keen eye for visuals, and Hill’s lean script, it’s the film that gets scarier and more intense the more I see it. That couldn’t have been an accident. It’s been terrifying me for over 30 years. Here’s to another 30!

[MrBarlow]

Them. 1954.

Atomic tests conducted outside New Mexico causes normal ants to grow in size and go on a killing spree.

The start is a bit chilling, seeing a young girl carrying her teddy bear and showing signs of being catatonic. just shows that the writers and director proving no person can be safe in this film and taking no prisoners. Set in the back out of New Mexico desert and start of the "Cold War" no one would know the repercussions of dropping the bomb until these little insects venture out of hiding and have grown in size and got a hunger on them.

The acting is believable, how else would anyone react to seeing a 12 foot ant towering over you? You ain't gonna ask if it has a tickly belly, unless you are on a death wish. The special effects for the movie back then were on top form and still hold up unlike some films today and still has great tense moments. One film I can never get tired of watching.

MV5BMTU4ODY0NjQ1NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDk5OTgwMzE@._V1_.jpg

[MrBarlow]

Equilibrium. 2002.

In a futuristic state, emotions and feelings are illegal, one man who enforces the law begins to rise and go against the state.

A future we do not want, having emotions and feelings, paintings, books of poetry outlawed and everything being controlled by a drug after another world war. Christian Bale plays Cleric Preston who abides by the law and then slowly begins to sense and feel and goes against those who want to find resistors. Taye Diggs plays the new partner who tries his best to be the one that can make a career.

Was it the actor himself or some bad writing that makes the character seem to have one or two expressions of smiling a bit too much and almost making him have "senses". I have always enjoyed this film even with the fight scenes and yeah it can be a bit OTT at times.

Equilibrium.jpg

[MrBarlow]

Fahrenheit 451. 1966.

In a oppressive future, a fireman who's duty is to burn books begins to question his task.

Based on the Ray Bradbury novel, Oskar Werner plays the fireman Guy Montag who is up for promotion and meets a woman on the train played by Julie Christie in two roles and begins to question his profession about being a fireman. The book itself was a great read and the film director Francoise Truffaut does try to bring it to life, Cyril Cusack plays the good part of the fire chief trying to enlighten Montag on the book burning that seems to be a somewhat nod to Nazism.

Anton Diffring plays the co-worker who seems to be the jealous type and may be out to sabotage his colleague's chance of promotion but never really speaks (his voice was dubbed) but does have the menacing look about him on screen. It may not be a movie to watch over and over but once every so often but certainly enjoyable.

81ubvKo0xjL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Cyborg Cop (1993)

Really rather poor direct to video actioner that rips off Universal Soldier in spades as a dubiously voiced John Rhys Davies creates a Unisol, er' sorry, Cyborg Cop out of cop Jack Ryan's (Seriously they called our hero Jack Ryan...Clancy should sue) supposedly deceased brother.

This film would be laughable enough but when you add some crazy gore and Rhys Davies channeling his inner Huddersfield native Charles Laughton courtesy of The Old Dark House, it becomes just bizarre.

The question is do i watch Cyborg Cop II tonight?

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Cyborg Cop (1993)

Really rather poor direct to video actioner that rips off Universal Soldier in spades as a dubiously voiced John Rhys Davies creates a Unisol, er' sorry, Cyborg Cop out of cop Jack Ryan's (Seriously they called our hero Jack Ryan...Clancy should sue) supposedly deceased brother.

This film would be laughable enough but when you add some crazy gore and Rhys Davies channeling his inner Huddersfield native Charles Laughton courtesy of The Old Dark House, it becomes just bizarre.

The question is do i watch Cyborg Cop II tonight?

I don't think the films were to be taken seriously and if I remember the sequel is more laughable than the previous film

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

I don't think the films were to be taken seriously and if I remember the sequel is more laughable than the previous film

Haha! sequel. I've got a third one to watch as well.

All courtesy of my Boulevard Sci-fi ten film box set.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Equilibrium. 2002.

In a futuristic state, emotions and feelings are illegal, one man who enforces the law begins to rise and go against the state.

A future we do not want, having emotions and feelings, paintings, books of poetry outlawed and everything being controlled by a drug after another world war. Christian Bale plays Cleric Preston who abides by the law and then slowly begins to sense and feel and goes against those who want to find resistors. Taye Diggs plays the new partner who tries his best to be the one that can make a career.

Was it the actor himself or some bad writing that makes the character seem to have one or two expressions of smiling a bit too much and almost making him have "senses". I have always enjoyed this film even with the fight scenes and yeah it can be a bit OTT at times.

Attachment 242135

I must watch Equilibrium again. Not seen the dvd for years. Watched it a few times when it initially came out. Great scenes of Gun Kata as i think it was known at the time.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Haha! sequel. I've got a third one to watch as well.

All courtesy of my Boulevard Sci-fi ten film box set.

Didn't realise there was a third installment