Classic SF...opinions....

[Warped9]

Not to get too far off topic, but these books are aimed largely at devoted modelers as the authors go into exacting detail about each spaceship design. They point out differences and inconsistencies where they arise, and that includes some of the 2001 miniatures. They also note how artistry sometimes overrode scientific accuracy such as the nuclear heat dissipation vanes left off the model of the Discovery while Arthur C. Clarke made a point of describing them in his novel. There's also a scaling inconsistency between the Orion spaceplane and the SSV station seen at the beginning of the film.

Each major design from the '20s onward has photos, background, technical description and lovely drawings in a schematic style. And there's a treat for Thunderbirds fans because they're included as well.

 

[Warped9]

It's been awhile, but this evening I've gotten around to finally watching Them from 1954.

I first saw this way back around the early to mid '70s on television. I remembered it but didn't see it again until a couple of years ago on TCM. Finally sat down to it in its entirety.

On the face of it this sounds like it would be a typical hoary '50s sci-fi B flick. Well, maybe it was considered that because the premise is pretty B grade: giant ants mutated by lingering radiation from the first atomic test in New Mexico in 1945.

But I think this is a rather polished piece of film making that's decently written and well acted. Sure the ants themselves look dated by today's standards, but they still manage to tell a good and effective story because they treat the subject matter totally straight. And I couldn't help but sense elements of the later Alien movies in this, particularly the second film Aliens.

And to boot a solid cast of James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn and James Arness.

This is a good one and I quite like it.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Not just 'classic', that movie is classY. I love that they brought real science into it with the lecture about how powerful ants can be. It didn't exactly pay-off, but that information about how ants can fight for HOURS and very impressively organize themselves like a society with well-defined division of labour just made the idea of a bunch of giant ants being around so much more ominous and foreboding.

I don't think science fiction uses science to enhance the effectiveness of the fictional elements (as they should by definition) often enough anymore. This movie is a good example of how to do that well. Also, the chirping noise the ants made freaked me the hell out too and gave me a bit of a headache. ARGH! The premise of this movie had me expecting something lame at worst and only good in a cheesy B-movie way at best. I was pleasantly surprised by how genuinely exciting, intelligent, eloquent, and believable it was.

 

[Myasishchev]

Ha, the least dangerous thing in the whole world would be a six-foot high arthropod.

Them! is a good movie, though.

 

[Warped9]

^^ I was thinking about this very thing. Real ants are rather quick moving and they can exist with their evolved body form because they are so small. But if they were large as a cow or more than their increased mass would work against them. That said I thought it was actually kind of neat that the monster ants moved somewhat slowly, something that could be rather more realistic of a way oversized insect. The rest, of course, depends upon suspension of disbelief.

In reality I suppose the only way to have a cow sized or even human sized insect like creature would be for it to have something of a mixed endo and exoskeleton to support it's mass.

 

[Galileo7]

It's been awhile, but this evening I've gotten around to finally watching Them from 1954.

I first saw this way back around the early to mid '70s on television. I remembered it but didn't see it again until a couple of years ago on TCM. Finally sat down to it in its entirety.

On the face of it this sounds like it would be a typical hoary '50s sci-fi B flick. Well, maybe it was considered that because the premise is pretty B grade: giant ants mutated by lingering radiation from the first atomic test in New Mexico in 1945.

But I think this is a rather polished piece of film making that's decently written and well acted. Sure the ants themselves look dated by today's standards, but they still manage to tell a good and effective story because they treat the subject matter totally straight. And I couldn't help but sense elements of the later Alien movies in this, particularly the second film Aliens.

And to boot a solid cast of James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn and James Arness.

This is a good one and I quite like it.

THEM 1954 movie was and is excellent still

whereas the EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 did not work.

 

[Too Much Fun]

Ha, the least dangerous thing in the whole world would be a six-foot high arthropod.

Yeah, I'm sure if I giant fricking ant was advancing on you and the grabbed you with its huge pincers and tried to cut you in a half at the torso like James Whitmore at the end of "Them!", you'd be laughing your ass off the whole time. Tough guy.

 

[Warped9]

...whereas the EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 did not work.

THAT was indeed utter crap.

 

[Myasishchev]

Ha, the least dangerous thing in the whole world would be a six-foot high arthropod.

Yeah, I'm sure if I giant fricking ant was advancing on you and the grabbed you with its huge pincers and tried to cut you in a half at the torso like James Whitmore at the end of "Them!", you'd be laughing your ass off the whole time. Tough guy.

It couldn't move or breathe, so I could easily laugh at it while bragging about my bitchin' endoskeleton and true lungs.

Of course, send me back to the Carboniferous and I'll wet myself at the sight of an arthropleura just like any normal person, assuming I'm not euphoric from all the oxygen.

 

[Galileo7]

...whereas the EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 did not work.

THAT was indeed utter crap.

Absolutely, besides the story, the special effects was real ants superimposed with actors(whatever it is technically called)...it looked very fake and disconnected in EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 movie.

THEM 1954 movie had build full-scale giant ants...very scary and real looking threats.

 

[Myasishchev]

...whereas the EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 did not work.

THAT was indeed utter crap.

Absolutely, besides the story, the special effects was real ants superimposed with actors(whatever it is technically called)...it looked very fake and disconnected in EMPIRE OF THE ANTS 1977 movie.

Like in Beginning of the End? "That's a postcard!"

 

[Warped9]

Today I was receiving new stuff and came across the dvd of 1954's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. I set it aside and bought it on staff purchase before leaving for the day.

 

[Mistral]

Today I was receiving new stuff and came across the dvd of 1954's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. I set it aside and bought it on staff purchase before leaving for the day.

Working at Borders?

 

[Warped9]

Today I was receiving new stuff and came across the dvd of 1954's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. I set it aside and bought it on staff purchase before leaving for the day.

Working at Borders?

I work at Future Shop (electronics retail chain) in Canada.

 

[Spider]

No collection is complete without copies of The Crawling Eye and The Brain from Planet Arous.

And yes, I actually have them in my collection. I've got about 25 old classic black and white movies from the 50s. I haven't watched them in a while, but I might pull a few out over the holidays.

 

[Warped9]

On Thursday I received my copy of 1929's Woman In The Moon. I've never seen this before except for excerpts and so I'll have some films to watch over the next while.

 

[Warped9]

Yesterday evening I started to watch the new release of the more complete version of Metropolis recently released. I started off by watching the special feature explaining the backstory to this version.

I have to say that I could only watch the first forty-three minutes because I was nodding off, but I definately intend to watch the rest of it. The simply fact is that while this film is a visual treat (for its time) and has something interesting to say I find it rather boring. It isn't because it's a silent film (although that is part of) but that I also find it slow. I also find quite a bit of the acting hammy and overdone, partially a consequence of it being a silent film. I suppose you could see this as the equivalent of an expressionist painting yet in motion.

There's no question this is a notable and important work, but it certainly isn't the greatest storytelling. In terms of how the story is told I don't think it can compare to something like the Lon Chaney's silent The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.

 

[Warped9]

Yesterday evening I started to watch the new release of the more complete version of Metropolis recently released. I started off by watching the special feature explaining the backstory to this version.

I have to say that I could only watch the first forty-three minutes because I was nodding off, but I definately intend to watch the rest of it. The simply fact is that while this film is a visual treat (for its time) and has something interesting to say I find it rather boring. It isn't because it's a silent film (although that is part of) but that I also find it slow. I also find quite a bit of the acting hammy and overdone, partially a consequence of it being a silent film. I suppose you could see this as the equivalent of an expressionist painting yet in motion.

There's no question this is a notable and important work, but it certainly isn't the greatest storytelling. In terms of how the story is told I don't think it can compare to something like the Lon Chaney's silent The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.

I suppose my opinion might be considered blasphemous among the film's fans. But after just finishing to watch the whole thing I'm afraid my earlier opinion hasn't changed. Other than it being a notable film in terms of visual presentation I just don't get much from it. There is the obvious schism between labour and those running society (or business), but it's something most of us live with all the time.

The sequence that really did strike a chord with me was the worker moving large levers or what looked like clock's hands to match winking lights. I couldn't understand the device's purpose, and of course that what the point since often enough some of the work we do for a living often does seem pointless in the greater scheme of things.

 

[Nerys Myk]

No collection is complete without copies of The Crawling Eye and The Brain from Planet Arous.

And yes, I actually have them in my collection. I've got about 25 old classic black and white movies from the 50s. I haven't watched them in a while, but I might pull a few out over the holidays.

The Crawling Eye!!!! That was the last movie I saw in the States before the famlly moved to Japan when I was 10. I dont think I've seen it since. Funny the things you remember.