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Bill Warren's massive 1300+ page two volume set, "Keep Watching The
Skies!: American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties", is by far
the most comprehensive work of its kind, however it is not completely
exhaustive.
Incredibly detailed - where else could one find a lengthy discussion
of four different scripts by four different authors, each vying for
the honors in "Conquest Of Space"? - the volumes include penetrating
reviews of the "Big Five": "The Day The Earth Stood Still"; "The War of
the Worlds"; "The Thing From Another World"; "Forbidden Planet" and
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers", as well as a host of lesser heralded
lights.
Warren was a kid during this era and his (self-admitted) nostalgia
creeps in periodically in an entertaining way, but not to the point that it interferes
with his objectivity. In fact, it's nostalgic passion that provided
him the "rocket fuel" to tackle and complete such a formidable task.
As well as the "Big Five", I derived considerable pleasure from reading his favorable reviews of such spicy delectables as "The Man From
Planet X"; "Kronos"; "The Creeping Unknown" and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" - films that made lasting graphic impressions upon me
as a child growing up in the 1950s.
I have two quibbles - both relatively minor - with "Keep Watching The
Skies!"; the first being Warren's inclusion of a small number of films
as "The Bowery Boys" and "Jungle Jim", where the science fiction elements as so scant and peripheral as to hardly qualify them for
the genre. The second is with his choice of the subtitle, "American
Science Fiction Films of the Fifties", which I feel is potentially
confusing. Both volumes cover the period from 1950 to 1962 - Warren
says in the preface that "trends don't follow calendars", and while
I don't have a big problem with the inclusion of early 1960 films,
I think it would have been more appropriate and straightforward for
a subtitle like "The Golden Age of American Science Fiction Films -
1950-62".
Quibbles aside, "Keep Watching The Skies!" is THE DEFINITIVE
REFERENCE GUIDE for the 1950's sci-fi connoisseur/afficionado, and
will remain so for many years to come. (See www.amazon.com for
editorial and customer reviews).
.
I obtained "Keep Watching The Skies!" through interlibrary loan, but
will probably eventually purchase it.
Here are some comments that Warren had about the "Big Five": (1)
"The War of the Worlds" ..."But part of my fondness for it is because
overall it is one of the best science fiction movies ever made, matched only by "Forbidden Planet"; "The Day The Earth Stood Still";
"The Thing From Another World"; and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
and topped by very few since then."; (2) "The Thing From Another
World"..."The vividness and excitement of the film have made it a
classic. Whatever the quality of the remake, the old version will remain a high point in science fiction movies."; (3)"Forbidden Planet"..."It is the best SF film of the 1950s, and if the execution
of it, in terms of acting, drama and direction, was up to the conception and technical aspects, it would probably still be the best
SF film ever; that was an honor it held for years. As it is, "Forbidden Planet", is still among the best five or six." (4)"The
Day The Earth Stood Still"..."Of all the science fiction films of the
1950s, this film requires the fewest concessions to the time it was
made by viewers today. The great strengths of the film - the basic
idea, the design, the acting, the direction - are just as powerful
now as they were then." (5)"Invasion of the Body Snatchers"..."This
film is deservedly famous. The picture is so well directed and imaginatively conceived, that it ovverides any objections to details.
It belongs to a small handful of science fiction classics."
Oddly, Warren omits "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" from the "creme-
de la creme"; describing it as "a splendid adventure film , and can
be counted among the few classics of the science fiction film."
Incidentally, Warren's lengthy, revealing discussion of "It Came From
Outer Space" forced me to reassess my lukewarm opinion of that film.
At the time of the book's publication (1982), Warren had not seen
the British sci-fi film, "Devil Girl From Mars" and was eagerly
anticipating viewing it. Wonder what he thinks of it now, as it has
established quite a cult status in the USA.
Warren is much more critical of many aspects in certain films as
"20 Million Miles To Earth" and "Earth Vs The Flying Saucers", than
my reviews of those two films on this site, he gives qualified
recommendations due to Harryhausen's superb special effects.
I was pleased with his well-balanced review of "This Island Earth",
describing it as "the best and most significant science fiction movie
of 1955."
Warren also lamented the (then) current virtual inaccessablity of "Enemy In
Space" ( the second film in the Quatermass Series).
I could go on and on, but you get the idea - "Keep Watching The Skies!" is a virtual "mind feast".
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