Classic SCi-Fi

[TinTin]

Having got tired of all the Star Wars/Treks, ID4, Terminators Aliens etc I fancy looking back to classic sci fi but don't know much about them. Ive seen Forbidden Planet and was reasonably impressed but that's it.

So any recommendations for classic Sci-fi films? I'm not interested in any modern films I'm looking for classic sci fi like forbidden planet so nothing more recent then the 70's. Also if you have any idea whether the dvd transfer is good bad or indifferent.

thanks in advance

[Ron Hill]

HG Wells The Time Machine with Rod Taylor. Fantastic film, great extras, superb restoration and an effective but sypathetic DD5.1 remix.

Next years classic of yesteryear scifi release will be The Day The Earth Stood Still SE. That's my MOST wanted disc EVEREVEREVER!
:)

[Jazzatola]

I've always had a soft spot for the 1953 version of Invaders from Mars. Although this is nostalgia talking as I haven't seen the film for about 12 years!

[Michael Brooke]

Criterion have done a terrific job with <I>The Blob</I> and <I>Fiend Without A Face</I>, though whether the films deserve such lavish treatment is a different question entirely (they're great fun, but hardly classics).

One of these days I'll get round to finishing my review of Ruscico's <I>Solaris</I> DVD, and that's an outstanding transfer too - and apparently the same transfer will be coming out over here on the Artificial Eye label. Tarkovsky's similarly cerebral <I>Stalker</I> is due out any week now on Ruscico as well, though I haven't seen this disc yet.

[Alanok]

Anybody know of a decent release of War of the Worlds?

[Ron Hill]

Alanok: Last I checked, there was just a pan and scam R1 version. :(

.. you could always watch Independence Day! :D

[Alanok]

Ron Hill Pan & Scam you say....damn shame:(

Independence Day, as much as the special effects being cool especially the New York bit, the film is dire trash as you would probably agree.

[Ron Hill]

"Nuke `em, nuke `em ALL" BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

Trash yes but almost self aware of it and so I still enjoy it.
Armageddon however. (shudders)

[seventy3]

Back on thread ;-)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an absolute favourite of mine and fits your description to a T, Tin Tin. No idea if its on DVD but my VHS copy is more than adequate. Well worth a view says I.

seventy3

[sidebog7]

Originally posted by Ron Hill
Alanok: Last I checked, there was just a pan and scam R1 version. :(

.. you could always watch Independence Day! :D

It's not 'pan & scam' as it was shot in academy ratio. The print however is not fantastic but I doubt anything better is going to come along.

Back to the question:
What about Quatermass and the Pit. Classic British scifi.:)

[Cornelius]

well now your talking all the following have transfers that range from good to very good and can be picked up quite cheaply.

The Creature from The Black Lagoon
It! The Thing from another World
Things To Come
The Man with X Ray Eyes
Rocketship X-M
Destination Moon
Frankenstein
The Bride of Frankenstein
When Worlds Collide
and
Fantastic Planet which is a haunting animated film from France, I think it was made in the 70's

They are all R1 so if you want to get them before christmas you'll need to order from a reliable supplier or be quick.

[Mister Chalk]

Solaris if you can find it anywhere. Apparently Criterion are set to release it next year.

Oh, and Spaced Invaders, although I doubt that it's available on DVD. Nothing escapes the Donut Of Destruction.

[Tim Fleming]

Strange Invaders - might be an 80's production, but it is a tribute to the early sci-fi classics of the 50's and 60's. It is now available in R1 and is well worth a look.

regards, Tim...

[akira9000]

The Day the Earth Stood still is my all time favourite.Coming out on special ed' next year I think

[dvd-4-life]

Earth vs. The Flying Saucers,Village of the Damned,The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms,20 Million Miles To Earth,It Came From Beneath the Sea

[supersneak]

the day the earth stood still or quatermass and the pit

[Paul2]

The day the earth caught fire-fine British scifi
When worlds collide-good 50's scifi

[bossc@]

Combination of supersneaks Quatermass and the Pit and dvd-4-life's Village (and Children) of the Damned. Al of the above scared my senseless as a kid, expecially Quatermass.

Surprised no-ones mentioned Day of the Triffids so far.

[MikeToone]

Originally posted by Ron Hill
HG Wells The Time Machine with Rod Taylor. Fantastic film, great extras, superb restoration and an effective but sypathetic DD5.1 remix.

Next years classic of yesteryear scifi release will be The Day The Earth Stood Still SE. That's my MOST wanted disc EVEREVEREVER!
:)


Too Bloody right. I cannot wait for this film, my all time favourite Sci-Fi.

Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!

[akira9000]

Originally posted by MikeToone



Too Bloody right. I cannot wait for this film, my all time favourite Sci-Fi.

Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!

thats 3 of us then.This movie makes me feel like a kid again everytime I watch it......nice

[RoboCop4]

Other classic sci-fi films....

The 1950s version of 'The Thing from another World'
Logan's Run
THX-1138
Silent Running
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (the original cinema movie)

[Cornelius]

Originally posted by RoboCop4
Other classic sci-fi films....

The 1950s version of 'The Thing from another World'

THX-1138




Are these out on dvd then?

[John Hodson]

Maybe not that classic, but I've a soft spot for the Doctor; both Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing, plus the Dalekmania doco (all one one disk!) are currently on offer from ezydvd in Oz - around £10 delivered. Decent transfers, and more Daleks than you shake a sonic screwdriver at...

I would love a decent SE of This Island Earth , BTW.

---
So many films, so little time...

[Summerisle]

Originally posted by Ron Hill
Alanok: Last I checked, there was just a pan and scam R1 version. :(

.. you could always watch Independence Day! :D

Sadly War of the Worlds and When Worlds Collide were both plain old 1.33:1 three strip Technicolor spectaculars.

Forbidden Planet and Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea are about the best "Scope" SF movies from this period.

[dvd-4-life]

The Time Machine is available on dvd in the U.S.

[Ron Hill]

Originally posted by akira9000


thats 3 of us then.This movie makes me feel like a kid again everytime I watch it......nice

It "does it" for me too. :)

My favourite scene is where Klaatu "marks" the equations on the scientists blackboard as if they were a childs scribblings. Love it! :D

[Ron Hill]

Originally posted by John Hodson
I would love a decent SE of This Island Earth , BTW.

---
So many films, so little time...

Another good one. Wouldn`t we all just love to order up an Interocitor kit mail order. :D

[Aardvark]

Originally posted by dvd-4-life
The Time Machine is available on dvd in the U.S.

and Australia! :)

[adamvbarker]

Originally posted by Cornelius

The 1950s version of 'The Thing from another World'
...

Are these out on dvd then?
There is a french release La Chose d'un autre monde (http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2214) (USA, 1951), if this is the one you mean.

[Cornelius]

Originally posted by Ron Hill
HG Wells The Time Machine with Rod Taylor. Fantastic film, great extras, superb restoration and an effective but sypathetic DD5.1 remix.

Next years classic of yesteryear scifi release will be The Day The Earth Stood Still SE. That's my MOST wanted disc EVEREVEREVER!
:)

although I'm looking forward to this, I'd really like to see a release of the original 'The Thing'

[Xenole]

few good ones there.........noticed "The day The earth Caught Fire" in town today. Anyone bought this as I've always loved this movie.
Quite partial to "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea" too (have I got the right title - the one where the sub surfaces and finds the Van Allen belt is burning the earth up?)

The Day The Earth Stood Still definately needs a decent DVD release, but at least The Fly/Return Of The Fly are out.....classic movies, if not always for the right reasons!

[John Hodson]

Originally posted by Xenole
few good ones there.........noticed "The day The earth Caught Fire" in town today. Anyone bought this as I've always loved this movie.

Quite brilliant DVD; excellent transfer, good extras (Leo McKern interview and Prisoner easter egg), good commentary, great, great movie - buy it.

---
So many films, so little time...

[Cornelius]

Originally posted by adamvbarker

There is a french release La Chose d'un autre monde (http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=2214) (USA, 1951), if this is the one you mean.

Yes that's the one

[TinTin]

thanks for all the tips everyone. I've ordered the following

Invasion of The Body snatchers
Creature from the Black lagoon
Things to Come
when worlds collide
The Day the Earth caught Fire
it The Thing from outer space

ordered them last week so there's a chance I might see some of them before Xmas.:)

[Neil_Marsh]

If you like Quatermass and the Pit, I got both versions:

The Hammer movie from region 1

and the BBC TV serial from region 2. I enjoyed this, but the picture quality is what you'd expect from a very early TV broadcast.

[ChrisAllenFiz]

Invaders from mars. Anything from Hammer (quatermass, 10 thousand years BC). This island Earth. I love these sort of films, must get some of those mentioned above.

Chris

[Aardvark]

Nobody's mentioned...


Them!


Formic acid anyone?

[Mike]

"Zardoz" is either total rubbish or wonderfully unique, depending on your point of view. It's certainly worth seeing.

The 1978 version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a great movie, so David Cronenberg's "Crash"

[Cornelius]

Originally posted by Aardvark
Nobody's mentioned...


Them!


Formic acid anyone?

possibly because it's not out on DVD:)

Unless somebody knows different?

[George vader]

Another vote for Them!
and
The Time Machine
Westworld
and
The Incredible Melting Man :D

[Boink!]

How aboot:

The Incredible Shrinking Man

The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

Boink!

[CrazyHorse]

originally posted by seventy3 -

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an absolute favourite of mine and fits your description to a T, Tin Tin. No idea if its on DVD but my VHS copy is more than adequate. Well worth a view says I.

Don Siegel's wonderful original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is available on R1 DVD and is a pretty good disc. V. good transfer at about 2.1 ratio - not 2:35 as it states on the box, but the best I've seen it looking, ever! (it also has a P&S option if anyone's interested) - with brief interview with Kevin McCarthy and trailer.

Play stock it at £14.99. Well worth checking out.

[TinTin]

I remember watching Them and The Incredible Shrinking Man when I was a kid really scared the crap out of me. But their not out on DVD are they?

[Ron Hill]

After watching Starship Troopers I couldn't help but think of "Them!" and how ripe it is for a remake. If it was done no holds barred with the ants stength and speed scaled up it would make the arachnids in Starship Troopers look like harmless kittens.