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In Reply to: A Recommended 50's Sci-Fi List. posted by AudioHead on November 06, 2004 at 13:10:13:
I have eleven of these and often return to them.
Follow Ups:
~AH
The Blob
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Fly
Return of the Fly
Forbidden Planet
4 D Man
The Incredible Shrinking Man
Them
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
War of the Wprlds
When Worlds CollideI also have Destination Moon, Rocketship XM, Conquest of Space,
and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. There may be others I can't recall.
Rico,Weak point of Forbidden Planet is its rather slow pace(minor, in my opinion), but brisk pace
is one of Invasion Of The Body Snatcher's strong ones.Them! Well-scripted and acted. That little girl's performance
in film's beginning is outstanding (she played in "Space Children"
later, 58or59 I believe). Professor was excellent too.When Worlds Collide - good one. Believe a young Stuart Whitman
appeared briefly towards end.What's your take on Destination Moon and Rocketship XM? I have
read those two came out in 1950, and that Destination Moon(scripted
by Heinlein,was viewed as more scientifically versimilitudous than Rocketship XM, which was seen as more dramatic than DM). Do you
have a preference tween these two?
~AH
For me the weak point of "Forbidden Planet" is the attempt at humor by showing the cook and the booze. Agree on "Invasion" and "Them".
"Destination Moon is the superior film (I mean come on with the ship in "Rocketship XM" heading for the Moon and it ends up on Mars?) But ever since I saw it as a boy I have had a special place in my heart for it. Same for "When Worlds Collide" ( I even read the books as a teenager). I just gor "Conquest of Space" after waiting many years.
That one is special as well.
Rico,
I have read in reviews, certain disfavors with attempted humor
with robot and cook. I didn't find that scene particularly funny,
but it didn't offend me, OTOH, if it were to have somehow
been left on the cutting room floor, that wouldn't have bothered me much either.
Concerning your critisicm of "Rocketship XM": Was there no
plausible reason give for deviation, e.g., gyro-stablizers
malfunctioning, etc.?
Why does R-XM earn a special place in your heart vis-a-vis
DM, even though you say DM is a superior movie? What is it that
is so appealing to you about R-XM,WWC and CoS? ~AH
I haven't seen "Rocketship XM" in a while so I can't remember the justification for why they chenged course and ended up on Mars. As I said, I saw it as a youngster and it stuck with me, expecially the tinted Martian scenes and the Martians themselves. As for the others, the stories are imaginative and the special effects well done for their time. "Conquest..." is another not so good film that did make an impression upon me as a teen.
Rico,
I was reluctant to recommend "The Angry Red Planet"-1959, but
since you liked red Martian tints and imaginative effects, I
will recommend it. Features 'CineMagic' a solarized, red tint
while astronauts are on Mars, various creatures, e.g., flesh-eating
plants, giant 40 Ft high 'rat-bat-spider-crab, giant rotating-eye
ameoba, Martian spies and a Martian metropolis. Think it features
a jazz xylophone number too! Acting, dialogue, plot subpar though.
For diehard 50's sci-fi fans. Angry Red Planet made a big, lasting
impression on my young mind back in the 50s.
Let us not forget "Robinson Crusoe on Mars".
Mission Mars-1968. ~AH
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