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Posted By: jubal Mar 12, 2003 - 11:14 pm

"War of the Worlds"- An amazing movie for its time that I still have very vivid dreams about.
"Forbidden Planet"- This movie introduced 'Robbie the Robot' who I met at ?con in the late 70s.
"2001 a Space Odyssey"- Why isn't this movie mentioned?
"E.T."- Perhaps too cute, but still important.
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"- Come on folks some very pretty and thought provoking ships here, plus.
"Something Wicked this Way Comes"- Based on the Bradbury book and not as well known, but probably some of the best cinematography I've ever seen.

These are off of the top of my head, but I felt they should be mentioned and I would be interested in comments about them and will probably add a part II at a later time.

Posted By: The Filmchick Mar 20, 2003 - 07:45 pm

Heh. I think why 2001, at least, isn't mentioned is because everyone knows about it, and everyone either loves it or hates it, and it was such a personal movie for Kubrick that it's awfully hard to criticize on an objective level.

In short: As much as I love it, the movie's been done to death by critics. Seeing a critique of, say, Paths of Glory or another of Kubrick's earlier movies (minus Dr. Strangelove, since everyone knows that too) would be a much more interesting windfall, though it's not scifi.

Posted By: jubal Mar 24, 2003 - 09:46 pm

Thanks FC! I had forgotten about the poll, etc. I'll be turning forty five next month and guess I just have a warm place in my heart for classics. They helped make me me. I'm kinda surprised that you didn't mention "Clockwork Orange" when mentioning Kubrick. It might even be considered contemporary in some ways. Out of curiosity have you ever seen "Something Wicked this Way Comes"? I saw it in the theater when it first came out and the cinematography made a big impression on me.

Posted By: The Filmchick Mar 24, 2003 - 09:57 pm

Everyone knows A Clockwork Orange too, which is why I didn't bother with that one. Try Barry Lyndon instead. Heh.

I haven't seen Something Wicked This Way Comes, no, sad as that is - but I have read the book.

And, by far, the weirdest 'classic' scifi movie I've ever seen (you didn't ask, but hey, since we're trading movies) is The Man Who Fell to Earth, by Walkabout director Nicholas Roeg, starring none other than David Bowie.

No, I'm not kidding. This movie exists. And, surprisingly enough (or perhaps not) - it's actually quite good.

Posted By: Bmat Mar 25, 2003 - 04:55 am

I remember The Man Who Fell to Earth. At least I remember seeing the movie and liking it.
"
The Man Who Fell To Earth
Details


Starring: David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark
Director: Nicolas Roeg
First release: 1976
In his first major motion picture role, Bowie portrays Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien who crashlands on Earth, seeking a way to ship back water to his home planet which is experiencing severe drought.

Newton uses advanced technology from his home planet to patent many inventions on earth, bringing in the huge amounts of money needed to construct his own space vehicle program. Along the way, he falls into human distractions..."

This description was from the site:

http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Othermedia/Film/TMWFTE1976/

Posted By: jubal Mar 25, 2003 - 10:20 pm

Excellent!... "Man Who Fell to Earth" is one of my favorite movies too. I saw it at the theater. I've been a big Bowie fan since 1972. At one point he was talking about making "Stranger in a Strange Land" and playing the part of Valentine Michel Smith. I would have loved that one of my favorite people doing the work of my favorite author.

Posted By: jubal Mar 25, 2003 - 10:41 pm

By the by here's a very obsure one that I'm sure F.C. will like. "The Bedsetting Room" I think that was the title. A post nuclear spoof about a (three minute?) war between Great Britan and China and the very strange mutations that followed. I believe it had cast and writing from members of Monty Python.

Posted By: Pat0214 Nov 12, 2004 - 11:35 am

This tread as been unused for more than a year but I will try it anyway.

Want obscure scifi movies, what about early 70's (it could be 72 or 73) Zardoz starring Sean Connery. I still remember the giant head coming slowly down to earth and shouting guns out of it's mouth. I haven't seen this one since highschool (at least 20 years) but here it goes,

Connery and his followers are given guns by the giant head Zardoz to conquer and destroy other humans. Curious of who Zardoz is, Connery goes inside the giant head and is taken to different society that lives in great style but is bored (if I remember well they cannot die) At one point he see that Zardoz is just a take on the Wizard Of Oz (ZARDOZ). I cant recall too much but I believe he was trick into going inside Zardoz by one of those living in that perfect society, to shake things up. Then they start dying. I cannot remember how the movie ended. Like I said it's been a while.

I even think it's out on dvd now.

Posted By: Magus Nov 12, 2004 - 12:49 pm

"Something Wicked this Way Comes"- Based on the Bradbury book and not as well known, but probably some of the best cinematography I've ever seen.

I'm reading that book. It's interesting, a good read. I'm hoping to see the movie after I read it, shouldn't be more then a day or two. I'd be done already if I wasn't so preoccupied with Jazz Band auditions which are, thankfully over. I'll see where I end up later. But the book is good.

Posted By: Magus Nov 13, 2004 - 01:05 pm

I just saw a little of it today, only about a minute of near the beginning. And I must say, they look much closer to nine then 14.

Posted By: Timmy_K Nov 17, 2004 - 10:40 am

I guess I'm a little late chiming in on this thread, but a few comments. Is Close Encounters really that obscure? I though most people knew about it.

As for my pick, it's probably not old enough to be a classic, and it's very under the rader, but I say without a doubt, "Fire in the Sky", which is based on a (supposedly) true story. This movie is really cool, and very creepy and suspenseful because the sitution is portrayed so realistically.

Check it out if you haven't, you won't regret it.

Posted By: Magus Nov 17, 2004 - 01:04 pm

I haven;t heard of it before but I'll have to go and check it out.