Movies I Like Too - (Even if They're "Bad")

[Chip]

Dr. Phil,

Really dig your list of movies, and what you say about them.

http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/movies/goodmovies.html

Concerning the SciFi ones, I'd like to add three favorites of mine:

"This Island Earth" - Science researcher receives little "beads" in the mail as samples. Turns out they hold a gazillion volts. Sends away for a catalog. When it arrives, they discover the pages aren't paper, but "some kind of metal." So they order a thing called an "Interositor." They build it. Turns out that building it is an intelligence test, and on its screen a fellow (with a suspiciously long forehead) appears and invites the lead scientist to join his group. A robot plane arrives and whisks him off...lots of other stuff happens, plus great 1950s over-the-top special effects. Later he and girlfriend scientist end up on another planet, that's at war, and needs Earth atomic science to help! (Way cool!)

"The Thing" - Yes I agree with your assessment of John Carpenter's later version, and I like it too. Really scary, and true to the story. I also like the earlier black & white version, secretly directed by Howard Hawks, for different reasons. I like the witty repartee, and my favorite brave guy line in movies, which is: First guy: "I just thought of something, what if it can read our minds?" Second guy: "Then its going to be awfully mad when it gets to me." (I want to be that guy when I grow up.) :wink:

2001 A Space Odyssey - of course.

Forbidden Planet. Shakespeare's "The Tempest" rethought as sci-fi. Love that film. (Great grandfather of the best of Star Trek episodes in basic characters and concepts.)

And did you know there's an even rarer Quartermass flick preceding "Five Million Years to Earth?" I don't remember the title, but it stars Brian Dunlevy and involves unseen aliens building a mysterious factory in rural England. I think they're here to process humans into a substance they need. Kind of a forerunner of "Soylent Green." I remember it being equally creepy and weird.

Chip

[Beelzebob]

Free Willy- Nobody gets the subtle nuances of the plot! Maybe he's a whale or maybe that's what the little rascal wants you to think...

[captain swoop]

And did you know there's an even rarer Quartermass flick preceding "Five Million Years to Earth?" I don't remember the title, but it stars Brian Dunlevy and involves unseen aliens building a mysterious factory in rural England. I think they're here to process humans into a substance they need. Kind of a forerunner of "Soylent Green." I remember it being equally creepy and weird.

Chip

That must be a Quatermass TV episode, only 2 movies were made, both with plots from the TV.

'Quatermass and the Pit' in which an alien artifact is uncovered on a London building site.

'Quatermass Experiment'

Returning spaceship crew are transformed into Fungi like creatures.

There was a rubbish TV miniseries in the 80s that stole the name Quatermass but had nothing to do with the original series

[captain swoop]

Sorry, I made a mistake, Quatermass II was made into a film

see here

http://www.hammerfilms.com/vaults/science_fiction/1956_quatermassII.html

[Broken]

Ok, first post here. I felt very compelled to post since Phil mentioned one of the best movie experiences of my youth in his "Movies I Like" story.

"Quatermass and the Pit". Saw it with a friend during a sleepover at his folks place when we were both in grade school. Came on the local ABC station really late at night; had to be around 2 am. And it scared the hell out of both of us. Neither of us new the name of the movie, just the haunting imagery of the shots. Then about a year ago I was checking out FlickChick's column at TVGuide.com and somebody asked a question about a movie with alien insect beings, spaceship found under London, etc, and I realized that this was that movie I'd seen so long ago. FlickChick gratiously provided the name of the movie, and the next time I saw my friend I excitedly told him, and he freaked.

I keep meaning to get it on DVD. Maybe Phil's article will serve as a reminder.

Thanks Phil!

Chris

[mbjvx]

"The Fifth Element"

[ocasey3]

"The Fifth Element"

I love this movie! Maybe its not the best sci-fi ever, but I don't know if I have ever laughed harder at a sci-fi movie. Fun characters (Chris Tucker's character, oh dear, lol), great imagery, practically borders on camp. I love over the top some days.

[Glom]

That opera singer was good and the decadence of that holiday boat was delightful. Roger Ebert (http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1997/05/050903.html) said it was a good movie, purely on the balance of its visual entertainment value.

[calliarcale]

Yes! "Fifth Element" was awesome. You could definitely see the French influence on it; a lot of French comedy is really farce, and this was too, despite having some very serious stuff to say as well. It's hilarious, beautifully put together, and just a heckuva fun ride. Not exactly scientifically accurate, but you really get the feeling from the movie that scientific accuracy wasn't the point; you're really just meant to kick back and enjoy it.

[Geoff394]

My favourite OLD (50-60's) Sci-fi movies:

"The Day the Earth Caught Fire" The earth is off course. Destination: The Sun! Two nuclear explosions cause the earth to tilt 11 degrees and in the path of th sun! A London journalist investigates the government coverup! Not a lot of visual effects here but fast pace. Bad Astronomy? You Bet. Engrossing and intelligent? Absolutely.

"2001" I could write a book on this movie! I've seen it 26 times and I learn more about it with each viewing. I suggest you read the book (the cliff notes to the movie) if you're totally confused. (BTW, the "bone" space station is actually an orbiting nuclear weapons platform)

"I married a monster from outer space" Never in a million years would I have guessed a movie with a title this hysterically awful would have such stylish direction.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" Cool effect: Overcast shadow of Flying saucer on white house lawn as it lands. Klaatu Barada Nikto! (um.. sp?)

"The Man from Planet X" Yes there's a planet X. It's in this movie! What are you gonna do about it? Bad but fun! :D

"Thing from another world" Many prefer the John Carpenter remake but I like this one better. The X-Files hommage "Ice" is almost as good.

'The Man in the White Suit" - Alec Guinness invents a material that cannot stain, rip or wear out. A great exploration of humanity dealing with a new technology. That's at least Ray Bradbury's definition of Science Fiction. It fits perfectly!

"Them!" Bad biology sure but it's effectively creepy enough to have an impact. Ditto the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"

"The Creeping Unknown" Actually any of the Quatermass films are fun. A few mentioned "5 million years to earth" Good call!

"Village of the Damned" My favourite Wyndham adaption. The people of Midwhich fall asleep suddenly. They wake up later an all the women are pregnant! Low budget alien invasion movie. Compelling science fiction.

[tracer]

'The Man in the White Suit" - Alec Guinness invents a material that cannot stain, rip or wear out. A great exploration of humanity dealing with a new technology.
Maybe he only made humanity think the material couldn't stain, rip, or wear out:

CUSTOMER: "Let me see that suit closer up, to see if it really didn't stain."
ALEC GUINNESS: [waving one hand] "You don't need to see this suit."
CUSTOMER: "I don't need to see this suit."
ALEC GUINNESS: [waving one hand] "This isn't the stain you're looking for."
CUSTOMER: "This isn't the stain I'm looking for."