SCI-FI September!

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

It seemed okay, but it also seemed to liberally borrow scenes and ideas from just about every influential sci-fi film around.

Yep. Pretty much the same story for any new big sci-fi film nowadays unfortunately.

[Justin101]

The soundtrack for Oblivion is fantastic, I'm a huge fan of it (i've never seen the film )

[Inspector Abberline]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I don't have it. Just the Tobe Hooper remake.

While I think Tobe Hooper's remake is highly enjoyable ,it has none of the atmosphere or visual giddiness of William Cameron Menzies film, and little Jimmy Hunt as David MacLean is one of the few child actors I have not wanted to slap,in fact he is pretty damn good and when I saw this as a kid years ago it was easy to sympathise with his dilemma and the attitude of the adults around him, that sort of gets lost in Cannon Films remake.

[Inspector Abberline]

Saturn 3 1980

Its an hard life for good old Kirk Douglas as Adam,alone on a planet with only Farrah Fawcett as company. Especially when she's usually wearing very little or next to nothing. Then along comes Harvey Keitel as Captain Benson (minus his voice and dubbed by Roy Dotrice),Keitel has also brought along a friend in the shape of Hector, an eight foot tall metallic robot who has the hots for Farrah.In a bout of robot revolt Hector decides to kill Captain Benson,he also manages to cut his hand off, and go on the rampage. A game of cat and mouse ensues with Hector after Kirk and Farrah,so lots of shots of those two running through ventilation tunnels and peering up through floor grates. Based on a story by Martin Amis,you would of thought this film plot would of been a lot more interesting than it really is. Instead of the pedestrian and rather plodding space opera it turned out to be. Harvey Keitel performance is pretty hard to judge, but he looks bored and having his voice dubbed doesn't help much either.That said the film is not a complete disaster,I did like the set design of the main spaceship with all the blue lighting in the corridors, and the robot Hector is a pretty formidable robot and does look quite menacing in several scenes. Also Elmer Bernstein musical score is a damn site better than the film deserves. Apparently there are a couple of scenes Sir Lew Grade had snipped before release, both involving the death of Harvey Keitel's character, one scene has him being mutilated by Hector. Of course when a film has more than one directed credited to it, both Stanley Donen and John Barry are listed as director, plus rumour has it Kirk Douglas shot the odd scene then in the words of Monty Python "There's trouble at t'mill. Definitely a missed opportunity at what could of been at least a fun bit of sci- fi hokum

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Sep 3rd:

Attack of the Puppet People (1958)



A deranged but kindly grandfather-esque scientist creates a ray that can shrink people down to doll size which he then uses on a selection of people who cross his path, including hired assistants and his pet cat all because he's lonely.

Rather enjoyable with some atypical '50s sci-fi effects and decent performances all around.

63/100


Phase IV (1974)



Finally, a film about killer ants for the arthouse community! Saul Bass' stylishly shot and often analytical take on the humble ant making a mockery of the established food-chain is best accompanied by a vintage merlot and a selection of fine cheeses rather than the usual beer and pizza.

72/100


The Invisible Woman (1940)



Whilst The Invisible Man this is certainly not, instead playing out like a quirky comedy, I still had a lot of fun with this one which is largely helped along by a nicely paced script full of punctured witty dialogue and the sassy and sexy (albeit mostly invisible) Virginia Bruce, who volunteers to be a test subject for a new invisibility machine.

62/100

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Sep 3rd:

Phase IV (1974)

Finally, a film about killer ants for the arthouse community! Saul Bass' stylishly shot and often analytical take on the humble ant making a mockery of the established food-chain is best accompanied by a vintage merlot and a selection of fine cheeses rather than the usual beer and pizza.

72/100

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Sep 3rd:


The Invisible Woman (1940)

Whilst The Invisible Man this is certainly not, instead playing out like a quirky comedy, I still had a lot of fun with this one which is largely helped along by a nicely paced script full of punctured witty dialogue and the sassy and sexy (albeit mostly invisible) Virginia Bruce, who volunteers to be a test subject for a new invisibility machine.

62/100

I like the idea of a sexy invisible woman. Is it just me or did sexiness seem more alluring back in the days of the thirties, forties and fifties than it does now, on screen at least?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I like the idea of a sexy invisible woman. Is it just me or did sexiness seem more alluring back in the days of the thirties, forties and fifties than it does now, on screen at least?

Not just you.

A sly look, a change in vocal pitch or a batted eye-lid was often enough to convey sensuality/sexuality in those eras. Now in our age of lack of subtlety it seems to call for full frontal ****ing your face off in 3D to achieve the same results unfortunately.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Not just you.

A sly look, a change in vocal pitch or a batted eye-lid was often enough to convey sensuality/sexuality in those eras. Now in our age of lack of subtlety it seems to call for full frontal ****ing your face off in 3D to achieve the same results unfortunately.

Jean Harlow lolling around on the bed in her skimpy gowns was pure porn.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Not just you.

A sly look, a change in vocal pitch or a batted eye-lid was often enough to convey sensuality/sexuality in those eras. Now in our age of lack of subtlety it seems to call for full frontal ****ing your face off in 3D to achieve the same results unfortunately.

"Call me old-fashioned, but movies were sexier when the actors kept their clothes on. Vilma Banky did more with one raised eyebrow than an entire..." - Mr. Burns

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

"Call me old-fashioned, but movies were sexier when the actors kept their clothes on. Vilma Banky did more with one raised eyebrow than an entire..." - Mr. Burns

We are digressing and it's all my fault. Back to sci-fi.

Mission to Mars (2000)