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Bucyruss Slacker
Posted 26 March 2007 07:29 PM

Dune - The original version.
How many times do I have to watch it before I stop finding something new that you didn't catch in previous viewings? Ir takes at least two viewings to even get the true gist of the storyline. I'm up to at probably a dozen and a half viewings over the years and I just caught something about the ending that Paul did that I never caught before (I never read the books, so maybe it was more obvious there). Anyway, Dune gets my top vote.

I have had a special liking to Dune (1984) David Lynch version, especially in comparison to the 2000 Cable version. The original version had a strong set and costume design and the inclusion of the water planet at the beginning was a great contrast to Dune, the sand planet. The elegance and the entire epic nature of the scale of the movie was significant to really re-create the grandeur of the novel.

BLADE RUNNER, hands down. CHILDREN OF MEN runs a close second.

Well this is very tough for me. Alien/aliens, blade runner, minority report, the matrix, The entire old star wars trilogy children of men, and Eternal Sunshine (yes, it is in fact sci-fi) make it on to my list. If i really had to choose though, i pick the empire strikes back. The most emotionally powerful of the star wars films, which are wildly entertaining with great characters and grand technical achievments, which, if i am not mistaken, is the reason people went to go see these things we now a days call movies in the first place

Close Encounters, E.T., Star Trek II and 2001.

I should include Contact, too. It was the single most intense theater-going experience of my life.

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Nelson Muntz Slacker First Class
Posted 30 June 2004 10:15 PM

There's a lot of fence sitting here. Yup, I agree that most of the nominations are deserving, but what is the ONE movie that stands out for you above the others, and why?

I took the time to read this entire thread and apparently, the thread creator intended only one film to be mentioned per person as the best sci-fi movie of all time.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) remains my personal best science fiction movie. After 39 years after its release and a year before Apollo 11 where man first set foot on the moon, 2001 maintains its integrity as a modern, contemporary movie (except for the Bell telephone logo and coincidentally the many corporations mentioned or identified in the movie that have now gone out of business since the movie was released). Fascinatingly, with the critically acclaimed release of LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003) that used a naturalistic approach to its photographic and cinematic style, 2001 can also be seen in the same context of presenting on the big screen a naturally occurring movie experience without much drama or excessive focus on formulistic plot points. In otherwords, 2001 is actually better than when it was first released with the recognition that it avoids the more clique elements of romance in space, the meteor crisis, the stereotypical character fights on board. Instead 2001 set a standard for realism and adherence to authenticity in its production and presentation. More than just a travelogue, however, the theme of the movie has an essential dramatic element that includes a mysterious alien backdrop as well as artificial intelligence gone awry but no more, no more convoluted plot points to promote action and interest. Like ALIEN (1979), it focused on a barest of plot points with the rest of the film directed in a simple, no-thrills approach. Just the fact ma'am approach. The audience gets to experience the real deal, the authentic reaction of people attempting to act real under the few additional plot elements introduced to make a movie more than the average, ordinary everyday experience of any person watching the film. BLADERUNNER (1982) also directed by the same person who directed ALIEN again put his stamp of authenticity into his next movie incorporating, however, richly textured, layered elements of the future into the movie - yet also maintaining an naturalistic authenticity as if the audience were transported to the near future to again be infused with a rich atmosphere of actual experience. What 2001 as well as ALIEN and BLADERUNNER have in common is a strong dense element of exposing its audiences to an immersion of experience, a virtual reality experience, with my selection of 2001 coming out on top for its strict adherence to reality-based film presentation that underlies a proposed hypothetical presupposition of an alien contact experience and a computer that has one too many programmed commands to handle.

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I took the time to read this entire thread and apparently, the thread creator intended only one film to be mentioned per person as the best sci-fi movie of all time.

And should we all follow that solitary "rule" like this thread is a microcosmic dictatorship?

The "Dune" movie that never got made, but should have, and still should. Who's gonna finally do this right and blow the hinges off our imaginations (like they so deperately need).

Also, a correct LOTR movie would be nice as a compendium to the "Hollywood" one.

[quote]goathouse Apprentice Guru
Posted 13 September 2007 10:13 AM

The "Dune" movie that never got made, but should have, and still should. Who's gonna finally do this right and blow the hinges off our imaginations (like they so deperately need).
[quote]

Personally having read "Dune" and having seen David Lynch's 1984 version, I feel satisfied that Lynch's version adequately portrays the essence as well as the visual science fiction charaterization of the book to the extent that I do not have any need to see another version put into development and released. After experiencing the 2000 version I felt nervous for any future attempt to be made to capture Frank Herbert's written masterpiece.

I could use an even better rendition. I liked the cast and sets of the Lynch film too, but it overall lacked substance and proper pacing. The book is too good not to get a proper film.

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goathouse
Apprentice Guru
Posted 17 September 2007 06:57 AM Hide Post
I could use an even better rendition. I liked the cast and sets of the Lynch film too, but it overall lacked substance and proper pacing. The book is too good not to get a proper film.

Unless one convinced a television or cable company to produce a mini-series, DUNE that book would be like trying to accomplish what film producers have failed at in getting PRIDE AND PREJUDICE on the movie screen as opposed to the Arts & Entertainment 6 hour version that was broadcast on cable. As for the Lynch version, the found a lot of substance in the movie, especially the depiction of the royal family politics and backstabbing as well as the off-world distinction of wet and dry world accommodation. Out of necessity the substance had to focus on only a few key points as is the media of film which I felt Lynch and the script held onto very well. Father-son, mother-son, love relationship, rivalry amongst men, honor, sacrifice...these univeral themes were all on lavish display. The pacing of this movie was consistent for me, I was experienced visions beyond epic belief, the action and the drama kept by attention. I can't recall any points in the movie that felt slow or too fast. It was all new, exciting, richly textured and captured the whole science fiction genre as it was supposed to. Any specifics to the contrary would be greatly appreciated.

Well, for one thing, the movie ends abruptly and it's very difficult to determine what has actually happened in the closing 15 minutes of the film. Also, the story of the Fremen is glossed over and you never really understand their importance to the story. I would concede that the movie is unforgettable and has some VERY gripping moments, but it's a failure overall because the plot is muddled and clipped. If they wanted to do what they did with TLOTR and release the film in chunks, I'd be fine with that, as long as it was handled professionally. I would still like to see DUNE made correctly and I think it would be a huge box-office draw, because most people don't even know what DUNE is anymore and would come to it with fresh eyes. For those who've suffered the disappointment of previous attempts, they would be eager to see justice done to a masterpiece.

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goathouse Apprentice Guru
Posted 18 September 2007 08:22 AM

Well, for one thing, the movie ends abruptly and it's very difficult to determine what has actually happened in the closing 15 minutes of the film. Also, the story of the Fremen is glossed over and you never really understand their importance to the story. I would concede that the movie is unforgettable and has some VERY gripping moments, but it's a failure overall because the plot is muddled and clipped. If they wanted to do what they did with TLOTR and release the film in chunks, I'd be fine with that, as long as it was handled professionally. I would still like to see DUNE made correctly and I think it would be a huge box-office draw, because most people don't even know what DUNE is anymore and would come to it with fresh eyes. For those who've suffered the disappointment of previous attempts, they would be eager to see justice done to a masterpiece.

I'm going to have to watch the ending again. I don't know if its that important to have complete closure here. By the time the movie was made, the book sequels were already published and there was the public knowledge that the ending of DUNE wasn't the ending.

[SPOILER ALERT]

Beside experiencing the rain fall and who lives and who dies, the movie's simply ending seems sufficient to me. But again, I'm going to have to watch the ending again. It's been quite a while.

I agree strongly with the lack of attention on the Fremen which is an important backdrop to the entire movie as the movie is set on DUNE. I feel that with what time constraints, budget constraints, the highlights of the importance of water was hit on as well the difference in customs and cultures was brought up, and in one case, used specifically in a pro-long scene with the duel. But if a movie were to be made again, an expanded Fremen backstory and expansion on the DUNE experience would be fantastic.

As for muddle plot and clipped nature of the movie, I still am comfortable with how Lynch pulled the movie off. Even the updated version had trouble trying to introduce the plot, the characters, the plot itself. I would probably want to watch the movie again, but still keeping in mind its the movie not the book that is being judged.

Strangely enough, I found the muddled plot actually contributing to my enjoyment of the movie because in essence it is basically an epic, imperial, covert, secretive nature of the story that in itself is actually represented by the very presentation of confusion that the audience experiences. A clear plot isn't what this book is about. It's about plots and secrets, and betrayal.

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d

Gattaca is up on my top 10.

Here are some of my top fave sci-fi movies:


5. Abyss (Director's Cut) - Close Encounters Of The Under-Water Kind. Personally, I think this is James Cameron's masterpiece, after Titanic. It's actually two stories in one. The alien storyline crossed over with the tension that builds with the crew & the SEAL team. And both plots are very well executed. This movie suffered from the edited version that Cameron initially released. IMO the uncut version is what truly reveals just how great this movie really is.
In this one, the aliens not only try to save the whales,
but also, the whole human race,
by warning us that they will destroy us with huge tsunami's if we don't go green.
Thereby, proving my theory correct:
That aliens are mostly just a bunch of goddamn tree-hugging liberals.
Get a job, you extraterrestial hippies!

4. E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial - There's nothing that I can add that to this film that hasn't already been said. Lemme just say, after several years of this movie collecting dust on my video collection, I watched it with my 6 yr. old niece a couple of months ago, & I'll be honest with you: I don't know which one of us left sitting there with more childlike awe & wonder on our faces.

3. The Empire Strikes Back - For the movie itself, again, what can I say that hasn't blah blah blah.
Instead, I'll just relay my opinion on the experience of this film.
This was back when movies would stay in theatres, not for weeks at a time, but for months.
I think that, on the majority, audiences today have been so desensitized from so-so blockbusters being released every other week-end, that they will never get to experience the feeling a big movie-event like Star Wars. The year of Empire was one of my fave summers ever as a kid. It was really cool knowing that I could hop on the city bus at any point during the season & go watch TESB. And every time that I did, the other audience members were just as excited to be seeing this film at the end of the summer as they were at the beginning. Every year that one of the 3 original films was released, you could not only feel the power of the "Force" within the air, but also, you could feel it in the air all season long.

2. Aliens - This movie has everything that I look forward to in a sci-fi adventure. Suspenseful action, solid story, distinct characters (with great chemistry) , great visuals, kick-ass aliens, a turning plot-twist ( we all thought for sure, that Bishop couldn't be trusted), & of course, a catch-phrase that made the entire theatre roar (" Get away from her, you bitch!").

Mannnn....I wish I had acid for blood.

1. Close Encounters Of The 3rd. Kind - For me, the most realistic handling of a story of aliens ( inspiring films like Contact & Signs which tried admirably to emulate), that it made it almost believable for me that extra-terrestrials do exist. Also, it was done with such a sense of awe-inspiring hope & elegant beauty, that it almost made me wish that they did indeed exist( & maybe aliens do, but that's an entirely different website, altogether).

Mannnn....I wish a UFO would come down & fly me away into the limitless potential of space (sans anal-probes, of course).