AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:

Ah..... One of my favourite movies, ruined in recent times by "Keanu (block of wood) Reeves" and that awful remake... 

That was a good movie if a bit preachy... But it was a product of the times and our fear of nuclear war.

Keanu used to be a great actor though.

P I X I E wrote:

Keanu used to be a great actor though.

He was great for movies that played to his strengths. Charisma, looks, athleticism, and seeming lack of guile.

No one could have been a better Neo.

IMO

DEP E510 wrote:

No one could have been a better Neo.

IMO

I agree. I also thought he was great in Point Break and My Own Private Idaho. And yes, the Bill & Ted franchise. He was fucking hilarious in those.

Eliza C  new portfolio wrote:
Yes the original is really chilling.

It's the way it's shot of course:

With that noir lighting. And the fact it's the sheer imposing bulk that blocks out the light that is frightening rather than lingering close up make up etc.

The lighting and film direction is certainly great. It's also the dialog. I mean, the dialog isn't scary, but it's snappy and draws you in (other than the overwrought pansy scientist stuff), and the actions, and the actions the characters take are quite relatable.

To me, it's one of the great sci-fi movies of the 50's, on a par with The Incredible Shrinking Man, another fave of mine.

Have you seen the Norwegian prequel Justin? It's also very good.

I have not, Eliza. I remember seeing a trailer or something and thought, "I have to catch that," but I haven't. Now I must look it up. Thanks for the reminder.

Justin wrote:

The lighting and film direction is certainly great. It's also the dialog. I mean, the dialog isn't scary, but it's snappy and draws you in (other than the overwrought pansy scientist stuff), and the actions, and the actions the characters take are quite relatable.

To me, it's one of the great sci-fi movies of the 50's, on a par with The Incredible Shrinking Man, another fave of mine.


I have not, Eliza. I remember seeing a trailer or something and thought, "I have to catch that," but I haven't. Now I must look it up. Thanks for the reminder.

I don't think you will be disappointed. Apart from the ice cores being stored without casings it's pretty good and naturally I liked the female scientist.
It's clever how they've weaved it into the Carpenter movie.

Totally agree with the snappy dialogue re the 50s one too.

P I X I E wrote:
I agree. I also thought he was great in Point Break and My Own Private Idaho. And yes, the Bill & Ted franchise. He was fucking hilarious in those.

I think Reeves is better than the reputation he's acquired.

Enjoyed him a lot in Bill & Ted and Speed.


Back on topic:  Alien Nation? Movie and TV series? Weren't those aliens relatively benign, stranded on earth?

AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:

Yes because we wanted the stuff under their soil. And didn't want to ask.

Kind of what we do to each other now.

Tropic Light wrote:

You will be assimilated.  Resistance is futile.

Vulcans are NOT the Borg.

Orca Bay Images wrote:

BE is one of the most hilarious SF movies ever made. I'm just not sure that most of the funny parts were intentional. That flick was one steaming Mount Everest of dog poo.

Yep.

Herman Surkis wrote:
I hate it when Eliza posts a long comment, and there is NOTHING I can disagree with.


Yes to all the above. Good sci-fi was always political commentary in disguise, like old fables etc.

What I don't get is why every other lizard alien wants to get it on with some bubble-headed buxom blonde. I mean please... Some of them are so stupid, I would not want to get it on with them. Like lizard man would get turned on by big boobed human female...really. Now some local Komodo Dragon...maybe.

Hmmmm well it's possible of course some buxom blondes may be attracted to the lizard men. You know what a Hemi-penis is right? That's assuming of course said lizard men have evolved from squamates with their myriad barbs, bumps, knobbly bits, hooks and spikes and of course prehensile double phallus. Warrants at least a peep inside their space suits....

Artifice wrote:

yeah but there were some cool people from Krypton too

I went to a talk by Sara Douglas at a Comicon last year she's awesome! Still very stylish and a very entertaining speaker!

The F-Stop wrote:
THEY LIVE!

Love the bank scene..
"I have come to chew bubble gum n kick ass... and I'm all out of bubble gum!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDIYxdE-wuQ

That dialogue is the inspiration for Duke Nukem I'm sure......

Oh and aliens want our women probably because they don't have vaginas on their planet.

Vaginas are awesome and only found on Earth.

Eliza C  new portfolio wrote:
Have you seen the Norwegian prequel Justin? It's also very good.

Hey Eliza is that the film with Mary Elizabeth Winstead?

I kind of like that even though "critics" have pretty much trashed it.....

The ending always had me wondering in my own headcannon  if the woman herself was infected by The Thing as well as that dog that ran off.

AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:

Hey Eliza is that the film with Mary Elizabeth Winstead?

I kind of like that even though "critics" have pretty much trashed it.....

The ending always had me wondering in my own headcannon  if the woman herself was infected by The Thing as well as that dog that ran off.

That's the one.
I think its a cool movie. Critics pretty much trashed the Carpenter version now are hailing it,as a classic. This one is Norwegian and as such I think some of the subtleties are lost on critics while they look at the special effects saying its rehash. There are no women in the,Carpenter movie so theres an added dimension to start. And the way it ends leading to the beginning of the,Carpenter movie is really well done.

What happens to her is left open maybe for another.

The key to the wondering in the original short story is the narration and how it ends.
"They came from a world with a bluer Sun"

How does he know?

AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:
That dialogue is the inspiration for Duke Nukem I'm sure......

Oh and aliens want our women probably because they don't have vaginas on their planet.

Vaginas are awesome and only found on Earth.

Hahahahaha tff! The fun ride closest the shithouse!

So the rest of the solar system is full of pricks?... Are they the aliens on earth?... That explains why so many women complain they only meet pricks! Gotta get those Foster Grants baby!

Eliza C  new portfolio wrote:

That's the one.
I think its a cool movie. Critics pretty much trashed the Carpenter version now are hailing it,as a classic. This one is Norwegian and as such I think some of the subtleties are lost on critics while they look at the special effects saying its rehash. There are no women in the,Carpenter movie so theres an added dimension to start. And the way it ends leading to the beginning of the,Carpenter movie is really well done.

What happens to her is left open maybe for another.

The key to the wondering in the original short story is the narration and how it ends.
"They came from a world with a bluer Sun"

How does he know?

Oh My God ..........I've read the story a few times, but that ending narration I really have not given much thought to... I just assumed that they came to that conclusion based on their study of the creature bits...

But now you make me wonder.

How does he know indeed, and I think the woman at the end of the new film was a Thing as well.... She just maybe died or froze, and is buried in the snow and ice..

AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:
Oh My God ..........I've read the story a few times, but that ending narration I really have not given much thought to... I just assumed that they came to that conclusion based on their study of the creature bits...

But now you make me wonder.

How does he know indeed, and I think the woman at the end of the new film was a Thing as well.... She just maybe died or froze, and is buried in the snow and ice..

Thats how I interpreted it anyway. And one is left as you say wondering after the Carpenter version and the new one in similar vein.

P I X I E wrote:

I agree. I also thought he was great in Point Break and My Own Private Idaho. And yes, the Bill & Ted franchise. He was fucking hilarious in those.

he was great in Parenthood...but he wasn't the star and the character was basically a Bill & Ted character.  That movie probably landed him that roll.

Eliza C  new portfolio wrote:

Thats how I interpreted it anyway. And one is left as you say wondering after the Carpenter version and the new one in similar vein.

Now that you mention it yeah.........

BTW Ancient virus brought back to life...

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26387276

And random word or two "ice cores"

AdelaideJohn1967 wrote:
That dialogue is the inspiration for Duke Nukem I'm sure......

Actually Duke Nukem was a rip off of the Ash character from the Evil Dead movies.