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Darth Groovy

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Here is where I will discuss all that is movie, both good and bad. And you can argue with me to your heart's content or ask me for tid bits and factoids, or even critique your own movies. I love movies, I've seen hundreds of them, and own hundreds of VHS and DVD movies. Had I been more sucessful as a Journalist, I may have actually been a movie critic. Well I'd like to Christen this thread with one of my all time favorite films:

 

Forbidden Planet

 

1956, MGM DVD

 

Score: 95%

 

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Like Star Wars, another movie that came close to remaining timeless is Forbidden Planet. The movie is about a rescue/salvage mission to Altaire IV, in search of survivors of a survey team that dissapeared. What the crew of C-57D discover is the enigmatic Dr. Morbius, cleverly played by Walter Pidgeon, his scantily clad daughter forgettably portrayed by Anne Francis, and thier assistant the ever famous; Robbie The Robot. The crew soon discover the wonders of Dr. Morbius's findings as well as a dark secret that sheds light on the dissapearance of the missing survey team.

 

Forbidden Planet was one of the first sci-fi films to despense the token attack of the rubber suited aliens, and dig deep into to the human psyhce, to tap our deepest nightmares. The set designs are breathtaking. The special effects and matt work was light years ahead of it's time, and it was the first film to utilize a completely electronic soundtrack, the results of which have these horrific loud chirps, whirrs and buzzes that help build the tention to an already chilling creation.

 

The only things that date this movie is that some of the dialogue is a little bit "gee golly swellish". Technical controls reveal the central viewer on the ship's bridge as being that of basically a big Gyroscope. Also, no matter how much candy coated it seems, the United Planets Crusiser: C-57D is still a giant "flying saucer". Although there was great effort involved to make this the thinkers' sci-fi movie, very little effort was put into the character of Altaire, Morbious's daughter. Although the movie bosts that she is vastly educated and self sufficient, she tries waaaaay to hard to get the attention of ship's captain; Leslie Neilsen, and comes off as being the generic screaming damsel in distress that pretty much all sci-fi films had at the time. Critics over the years have called this a "Star Trek like film", due to the use of the transporter like devices, ray guns, and Naval ranks, which seems amusing that this movie was released a decade prior to the first Star Trek Episode. Coincidence?

 

Recomended: Widescreen, DVD Format

 

 

forbidden.jpeg

 

 

Stay tuned for more groovy movies......

 

 

 

:cool:

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logansrun.jpeg

Logan's Run

 

1976 Turner Entertainment Co.

 

Score: 80%

 

William F. Nolan, and George Clayton Johnson must have took the 60's catch phrase; "Never trust Anyone over 30" to heart and pened a poignant story.

 

Our story involves a Capricorn 15, a Utopia that is virtually perfect. In the year 2274, cosmetic surgery is a fad like a fancy haircut, and the answer for population control is mandatory death at the age of 30. The process is controled by a crystal imbedded in the hands of infants that flash red at the age of "renewal" which is supposedly the practice of passing on into infants minds and living again. This bizzare form of reincarnation is practiced at "Carosel" where the 30 year olds disguesed in horrible spandex and freaky looking masks, gather in a circle. A giant disco ball comes down and the members free float into a controlled anti gravity environment and get fried as spectators shout on "Renew!, Renew!".

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Logan 5 is portrayed by Michael York. Logan is a "Sandman" which is a fancy name for law enforcement. A Sandman's job is to kill anyone who tries to escape the system of renewal. Logan's life is all fun in games where he bags "runners" with a ray gun by day with his trigger happy gung ho parner, Francis 7 (Richard Jordan), and parties with beatiful women in his posh condo at night by literally downloading them off some half - assed internet. No time is wasted showing that Logan has both compassion and curiosity involving his surroundings. The beautiful Jessica (Jenny Augutter), is saddened by the loss of her significant other who has been supposedly renewed and comes to Logan for help. Logan is both attracted to her and sympathizes with her cause. Logan is soon sent on a secret operation by the city's central computer to go outside of the dome in which they live and find "sanctuary", a place beyond the city borders and destroy it. By doing this, Logan much pose as a runner in order to get outside of the city. Once Logan's crystal is activated two years too soon. Before long Jessica and Logan embark on a spactular adventure to find Sanctuary, and the surprises never stop.

 

What this movie has, is a great story about survival and the ability of humans to either choose to accept death at the age of 30, or escape it by running. Along the way there are sevaral humorous anacdotes that keep the pace and humanity of the film on the level with most non-sci-fi enthusiasts. In a sense it is a literal "coming of age" story.

 

Where this movie fails is the ways in which it is horribly dated by the standards of the 70's. You first have that annoying high end keyboard noise, you have massive ammounts of spandex. The Dialogue is very drab, you could almost miss it if your not into the story. Also really bad is the special effects. The worse effects involve Capricorn 15, which looks like a futuristic version of the living trainset on Mr. Roger's neighborhood. At times the story is more involved than the actual acting or dialogue, but if you can get past the horrible 70's cliche's, it is still worth a look at for the hidden message, poetic Irony, and a most heartwarming surprise ending.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Forbidden Planet, Logan's Run! :D Cool, but niether of those two movies can beat War of the Worlds! Damn good for a story that is well over a hundred years old. I've read the book that it was based upon so many times that I have lost track. The book is much better than the movie as the screen vesion really changed way to much around. I also listen to Jeff Wayne's musical quite often, have the PC game based on it (love playing the martians).

 

But best of all, there may be a remake of this title. If my sources are correct, I think it is going to follow the original novel more closely. Providing this project doesnt fizzle out, it may even be released some time next year (don't quote me on that though).

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Originally posted by Boss

hey groovy i Love movie and ive seen hundreds also, can i review some here to?

 

Ohh.... you seem a little soft for a mod...

 

So polite and well spoken...

 

Your a computer aren't you :D

 

(j/k - I like the rest of the LAF users respect and rever the mods and admin you keep it a safe place to post (cause we dont want to get into the **** on this one! :p ))

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as The Evil Sith Master of The Cantina and a Sci-Fi/Horror movie buff, i`d like to say that you have some great taste in sci-fi movies, my favorite sci-fi movies are Day the Earth Stood Still, frankenstein (yes its not just a horror movie its sci-fi also, and its the 1931 version with Boris Karloff, not that dang blasted 1994 version), Blade Runner (awesome movie), Star Trak (I am not a trekkie darn flabbit!), Star Wars, and a couple of other ones that I can`t name right now

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Originally posted by nova_wolf

Ohh.... you seem a little soft for a mod...

 

So polite and well spoken...

 

Your a computer aren't you :D

 

(j/k - I like the rest of the LAF users respect and rever the mods and admin you keep it a safe place to post (cause we dont want to get into the **** on this one! :p ))

 

 

im not a MOD.....

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Originally posted by Darth Slayne

Forbidden Planet, Logan's Run! :D Cool, but niether of those two movies can beat War of the Worlds! Damn good for a story that is well over a hundred years old. I've read the book that it was based upon so many times that I have lost track. The book is much better than the movie as the screen vesion really changed way to much around. I also listen to Jeff Wayne's musical quite often, have the PC game based on it (love playing the martians).

 

But best of all, there may be a remake of this title. If my sources are correct, I think it is going to follow the original novel more closely. Providing this project doesnt fizzle out, it may even be released some time next year (don't quote me on that though).

 

War of the Worlds is being remade, and I am exited about it, because they are not using the typical hollywood formula this time, they found a newer upcoming effects company and are sticking to the original novel as close as possible. I posted threads on this at the Swamp and Geebee.com but only a few poeple actually paid any attention. The buzz won't catch on till they have an official trailer with some technoguitar noise in the background and alot of **** blowing up. click here for the original thread.

 

 

 

Alright DG, unleash your Groove thang upon these two favs of mine - Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within & Titan AE.
I did not see Final Fantasy yet, I did see Titan A.E., but it will be difficult for me to review, because I fell asleep during a most of the movie.

 

hey groovy i Love movie and ive seen hundreds also, can i review some here to?

 

Go for it, that is the purpose of this thread. And since you good people have shown a genuine interest I shall be posting some more reviews here shortly. :cool:

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ah yes classic let's see:

 

Invasion of The body Snatchers

remake with Donald Sutherland.

 

Mad Max and The Road Warrior

(Thunder Dome kind of okay)

 

Dark Star

 

Silent Running (where the R2's get their ancestry)

 

Rollerball the original (not the poorly developed new version)

I mean they should of remade the original and given

James Cann the part of the owner of the team.

 

newish film (Earth Girls are Easy)

& (Amazon Women On The Moon)

 

Delicatessen

 

City Of The Lost Children

 

*please remake the Man Who Fell To Earth*

recast David Bowie bu t get it right this time.

 

**someone make The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress**

 

**also I'ld Love to see The John Carter Warlord of Mars

books turned into films. all hail Bartoom! and beware

the Holy Thurns, and the Great White Apes. but the Green

men of Mars totally rock! as do the big headed spider dudes.**

 

and a fav of mine Blade Runner

 

also if you have seen this movie I am impressed:

"100 hundred stones three times."

"60 stones, 60 stones the chalenge match their still playing"

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start.jpg

BRAZIL

1985, Universal Studios

 

Breaking the molds of every barrier in movie makeing and was never repeated. This movie often misunderstood and misinterpreted still has a resounding cult following and elements of its making have been repeated to this day in movie making.

 

The film simply opens "somewhere in the 20th Century, 8:49pm" we know little about the world where the movie is placed, only that it is overcrowded, technologically advanced and that there is alot of people with British Accents. It is sort of Charles Dickens meats H.G. Wells in the 1920's inpired by Citizen Kane, and 1984.

 

Sam Lowry (Jonathan Price) is your typical bachlelor who is content with his boring life working in the records department for the Government. Sam has these vivid dreams often depicting himself as a silver winged warrior rescuing a damsel in distress(Kim Griest). Matters are worse when an innocent man Archibald Buttle is mistaken for a revolutionary terrorist, Archibold Tuttle (Robert DeNiro). Sam is called upon by his spineless boss (Ian Holm) to refund the family for the mistake of a lost husband. During the gruling process he is stumbles upon his vision. It turns out that his Damsel in distress is actually Jill Layton, Buttle's concerned neighbor. Sam reluctenlt decides to use his mother (Katherine Helmond) and her wealth to get a postion in "infromation retrieval" which will enable him to persue his dream of finding Jill.

brazil09.jpg

 

As it turns out, Jill is attached to the same terrorist/revolutionary movement as Tuttle, and it is not long before Sam gets caught up in the whirlwind of Chaos and deception.

 

brazil53.jpg

 

Brazil is both humorous and action packed. It is also surreal in it's conception, a Dali painting come to life. From his mothers rediculous pursuit of the fountain of youth through plastic surgery to commercials about updating your "old fashoined ducts" this movie is a joy from star to finish. There is a fine line between fantasy, comedy and sci-fi here that has not been seen since the likes of A clockwork Orange. Yet Terry Guilliam (director of 12 Monkeys) keeps this film fresh and his use of perception and animation keep you breathless and desperately klinging for more. He uses perception of depth and size and space from an artistic stand point. There are several versions of this film which are all included on the Criterion Collector's edition DVD. A DVD which holds the record for the most I as a person have ever spent for a DVD. The movie is loaded with suspense, Action, Romance, Comedy, and Tradgedy. This movie is timeless and brilliant. Brazil should not be missed by anyone who enjoys a good film. It is that rare kind of film that makes you want to revisit as often as possible.

 

Overall score: 98%

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Originally posted by Darth Eggplant

groovy old chap if you have seen the directors dvd version with the 28 odd minute fly's eye camera shot, then you are a real hard core fan.:D

 

I have to confess that I have yet to watch all three discs of this movie. I have only looked at the Director's cut so far. I have seen the thumbnails for some scenes that were ommitted from the film, like the sea of eyeballs dream sequence.

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