The old school sci-fi recommendation thread

liveISlife · Post by **liveISlife** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:14 am

Forbidden Planet (1956) This was the first old school sci-fi I have seen. I thought it was going to suck but it was fcking AUWSUM! List some other cool old school sci-fi's if u can.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:28 am

Metropolis (1927)

Things To Come (1936)

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) <--- most simillar of these three to Forbidden Planet. About to be remade starring Keanu Reeves (gulp!) as Klaatu... (please don't suck... please don't suck...)

P.S. Did you spot Leslie Nielson (Airplane!, Naked Gun etc) in Forbidden Planet?

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:43 am

Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto did his own remake of the FP soundtrack too, 'Forbidden Planet Explored', great stuff, JD'S a giant.

ilia · Post by **ilia** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:56 am

Watch this if you get a chance...

mdk · Post by **mdk** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:38 am

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:48 am

^^^ Yeah!

On a late 60s/Early 70s tip:

Planet of the Apes (1968)
2001: A Space Odessy (1968)
THX1138 (1971)
Silent Running (1972)

@Ilia, funny I was watching the Alien Quadrilogy over the (wet) weekend, and there was Dan O'Bannon talking about Dark Star. Keen to see it!

silicon1138 · Post by **silicon1138** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:48 am

TXH-1138 - 1971 (George Lucas Sci-Fi, pre Star Wars, and MIND BLOWINGLY GOOD)
Planet of The Apes - 1968
Silent Running - 1972
Soylent Green - 1973
Solaris - 172 (original and new versions are geat)
This Island Earth - 1955
Logans Run - 1976
Fail Safe - 1964 (not so much sci-fi, but brilliant)

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:48 am

WOW! SNAP!

silicon1138 · Post by **silicon1138** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:49 am

serious synchro styles there Pitch Black - stop spying on me!

Year, grab Dark Star asap - it's tremendous.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:57 am

Look, just watch anything that's name-checked in the opening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, mkay?

liveISlife · Post by **liveISlife** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:28 am

LOL yeah i didn't know that was the same Leslie Nielson. Thx for all the recommendations folks!

vicz · Post by **vicz** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:50 am

Fireball XL5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oboly57q ... re=related

Space Patrol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLNa_YUPXes

Stingray http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E06cNv55 ... re=related

Oh dear...

Low Frequency Obstinator · Post by **Low Frequency Obstinator** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:53 am

For full-on b-movie sci-fi at its best, check out Ed-Woods "Plan 9 From Outer Space"

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 9656489183

oblique strategies · Post by **oblique strategies** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:59 pm

ALL of the recommendations posted here are worthy of your time. Good stuff all around. Except Loguns Run -this is plain awful, but might be fun if you consider it in an Ed Wood/so-bad-it's-good sort of way

The earlier 50's were more big budget, serious, genuine science fiction. Later 50's were more "monster movies", with low budgets, outlandish monster, teen agers, & rock n' roll! In other words: Big fun!

Some more gems:

The Thing (From Another World) 1951
-Great tension. This flick set up all the elements that would later become cliches. Interesting because much of the direction is often attributed to classic director Howard Hawks, & you can really see his trademarks all over the flick.

Them! 1954
-The first giant bug movie!!! Really holds up well. Filmed in an almost documentary style. Again, you will recognize the elements that you would see paraded in countless subsequent sci-fi films.

Invasion of The Body Snatchers 1956
-Pretty scary stuff. Wonderfully directed by Don Siegal (Dirty Harry). The small town looked just like the town I grew up in, which added another level of fear. The 1978 remake ain't bad either -a very scary treatment. This version is set in San Francisco, the city I moved to when I moved out of the small town I grew up in! So, another personal element that added to the experience for me.

It Came From Outer Space 1953
-Taken from a Ray Bradbury story. Directed by Jack Arnold, who made a number of real classic sci-fi films. His films have a great mood, & are often set in desert locations. Subtly odd, & very well done.

Earth vs. The Flying Saucers 1956
-Big fun, & the inspiration for Independence Day (can you say "stolen"?). See flying saucers crash into Washington DC monuments! Great effects by Ray Harryhausen.

I'll get back to you with some late-50's recommendations.

In the meantime "Keep watching the skies!"

silicon1138 · Post by **silicon1138** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:07 pm

really have to disagree about Logans Run. It was a GREAT story. Another major plus was having Jenny Agutter in it!

The soundtrack is worthy of mention too - some really excellent synth work.

The TV series was horrible, but the film was not.

The old school sci-fi recommendation thread

The old school sci-fi recommendation thread

Not movies but..