Help Me Build Up My Old Sci Fi! (1 Viewer)

[David Levy]

Thought since you guys are experts, you may be able to help.

Day The Earth Stood Still did nothing for me, but recently I have bought and enjoyed:

Fantastic Voyage
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea
Destination Moon
When Worlds Collide

and am toying with getting:

Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
4D Man
Atomic Submarine
Conquest of Space
Day the Earth Caught Fire
This Island Earth (If i can ever find it!)
Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (Ditto)
Target Earth

Can anyone give me any ideas?

Oh, and please don't mention Star Wars - I may get a box of all 6 eventually, but i'm 50/50 about it.

Thanks!

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

Forbidden Planet rocks. An old favorite. It's similar to the ones you listed as "enjoyed" -- and I liked it way better than any of those. You might wanna check it out. It's even fairly eerie in a strange kind of way.

The original of The Thing (The Thing From Another World) is really fun. Fairly suspenseful, too.

This Island Earth isn't bad, and is easier to find if you search instead for Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie . It's not as funny as the best episodes of the series, but it's still got some great laughs in it, and you get to see the movie, too -- sortof.

Cheers.

 

[Lynda-Marie]

One warning on the MST3K version of This Island Earth... it WAS out on DVD for a very short time, but word came down that the powers that be at the studio were unhappy that the price was so low, and did not allow any more to be made. There are still some places you can find it online, but it is over $100.00 the last time I checked for it.

A classic sci-fi favorite is War of the Worlds.

 

[Edwin-S]

Can't go wrong with The War of the Worlds(1953). It may be dated effects-wise but it is still a pretty decent 'B' sci-fi movie. I think the Martian ships are still some of the neatest designs ever made for a sci-fi film.

Another one The Illustrated Man(1969). This film does not get a very good rating on the ImDB, but I thought the film was actually not too bad. It is not a sci-fi actioner ala Star Wars. I consider it an actual SF film not sci-fi. The film does not always succeed but the film makers at least tried to do something different from the standard sci-fi BEM (bug eyed monster) movie.

The Martian Chronicles (TV mini series) was one of the better adaptations of Bradbury's book.

Fahrenheit 451(1966). This movie is not for all tastes. I thought it was a good film, but I didn't really care for the way the film was ended.

When you are talking old sci-fi do you mean only from the fifties or from any time period? I am assuming any time period.

 

[Jim Dalton]

"It! The Terror From Beyond Space!"

 

[Edwin-S]

Charly(1968). Somebody in the ImDb review thread for the 2000 TV version of this movie said that the acting for this version was terrible. I think the guy is full of it. The lead actor for this movie did a very good job portraying the character. I found this movie rather difficult to watch. The ending was kind of depressing. My perception of this film might be colored, because the last time I saw it I was still in high school. At that time, I thought the film was a little boring, but it was also heartbreaking to see the character go through the stages that he did.

 

[Sam Favate]

You can't go wrong with some great segments of the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits for great sci-fi. Also, the original Planet of the Apes, 2001, and even THX-1138 are nice additions to any sci-fi library.

I'd also suggest Logan's Run.

 

[Randy_M]

I'd also vote for the original 1953 Invaders from Mars

 

[Paul_Scott]

excellent, EXCELLANT sci-fi movie.
the physics may be off, but the way people react to the films events is well done.
the AB disc looks great as well.

this was a blind buy for me a couple years back and after two viewings has rocketed to my all time fave list.

i liked Target: Earth too- although i don't know if i would feel comfortable recommending it- some of the films charms for me, are the things that seem to repel other people.

not mentioned yet, but i'm sure will crop up sooner or later-
Quatermass.
i was looking forward to seeing Quatermass and the Pit for the longest time, haveing heard nothing but good things about, and egged on by my very positive experience with DTECF (both being examples of highly regarded Brit sci-fi).
very disappointed in it.
started off great, but the 3rd act was a let down.
jmo, of course, ymmv.

if you haven't seen 'em yet, i would also very highly recommend both the 50s and 70s version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers-

 

[Eric Peterson]

Heresey!!! That's easily one of my top 2 or 3 Sci-Fi flicks.

Other than that, here's a few more.

THEM!!
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
The Thing (Original) - I second the motion!

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

2001 A Space Odyssey
Metropolis
A Clockwork Orange
Planet of the Apes
Lost Horizon
The Time Machine (1960)
Seconds

 

[DavidBC]

I would say watch Day the Earth Stood Still again. I didn't care for it the first time I saw it either, but now I adore it, it took a second viewing.

 

[Jim_K]

Just going with Pre 2001:ASO for the timeframe, here are my favorite classic sci-fi flicks.

On DVD


Metropolis (1927)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Invisible Man (1933)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
The Thing From Another World (1951)
When Worlds Collide (1951)
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
The War of the Worlds (1953)
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
Them! (1954)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
X the Unknown (1956)
20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Abominable Snowman (1957)
Mysterians (1957)
Quatermass 2 (1957)
The Fly (1958)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
The Time Machine (1960)
Village of the Damned (1960)
Mysterious Island (1961)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Seconds (1966)
Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Planet of the Apes (1968)

Not on R1 DVD
Quatermass Xperiment (1956)
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Gojira (1954)
Rodan (1956)
Mothra (1961)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Godzilla vs. Mothra (1964)
Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster (1964)
Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)
Dagora the Space Monster (1965)
War of the Gargantuas (1966)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

Definitely go for TARGET EARTH and CONQUEST OF SPACE, good cheesy fun on excellent DVDs. JOURNEY TO THE 7TH PLANET is recommended, too.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Actually, the following are available on R1 DVD:

* RODAN (1957, english-dubbed edition) Sony Wonder/Classic Media
* DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968, widescreen/english-dubbed edition, though otherwise a no-frills DVD, not even a menu) ADV Films

Other R1 DVDs worth considering (some classic, some cheese):

* I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958) Paramount
* THE BLOB (1958) Criterion
* KRONOS (1957) Image
* FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (1964) Columbia
* MATANGO: ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE (1963) Media-Blasters
* DONOVAN'S BRAIN (1953) MGM
* FIEND WITHOUT A FACE (1958) Criterion
* THE BLACK SCORPION (1957) Warner
* THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951) MGM
* THE CRAWLING EYE (1958) Image
* FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS (1962) Image
* X THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES (1963) MGM
* WILD IN THE STREETS (1968)/ GAS-S-S-S (1970) MGM
* INVISIBLE INVADERS (1959) MGM
* RETURN OF THE FLY (1959, paired with THE FLY on a double-feature DVD) Fox
* THE 10TH VICTIM (1965) Anchor Bay
* PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965) MGM
* THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD (1957)/ IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (1958) MGM
* ANGRY RED PLANET (1959) MGM
* BARBARELLA (1968) Paramount
* ROCKETSHIP XM (1951) Image
* THE LOST CONTINENT (1951) Image
* INVASION U.S.A. (1952) Synapse
* DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS (1954) Image
* THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958) Image
* ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE (1958) MGM
* DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS (1965) Anchor Bay
* DALEKS -- INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. (1966) Anchor Bay
* PANIC IN YEAR ZERO (1962) / THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964) MGM
* GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER (1966) Columbia
* SON OF GODZILLA (1967) Columbia
* GAPPA, THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER (1967) Media-Blasters
* REPTILICUS (1962) MGM
* DINOSAURUS! (1960) Image
* THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE (1959) Fox
* VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS (1965) MGM
* WAR-GODS OF THE DEEP (1965) MGM
* STARMAN VOL. 1: ATTACK FROM SPACE (1958/1964) / EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE (1958/1964) Image/Something Weird
* STARMAN VOL. 2: INVADERS FROM SPACE (1959/1964) / ATOMIC RULERS OF THE WORLD (1959/1964) Image/Something Weird
* DIE, MONSTER, DIE (1965) MGM
* THE TINGLER (1959) Columbia
* THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR (1961) Disney
* BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES (1970) Fox
* ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (1971) Fox
* CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (1972) Fox
* BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (1973) Fox
* THE OMEGA MAN (1971) Warner
* THE INCREDIBLE TWO-HEADED TRANSPLANT (1971)/THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (1972) MGM
* GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971) Columbia
* GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972) Columbia
* GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974) Columbia
* WESTWORLD (1973) Warner
* SOYLENT GREEN (1973) Warner
* THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN (1971) Universal
* SILENT RUNNING (1971) Universal
* DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE (1971) Anchor Bay
* S-S-S-S-S-S (1973) Universal
* ZARDOZ (1974) Fox
* LOGAN'S RUN (1976) Warner
* BUG (1975) Paramount
* THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN (1977) Miramax

Coming soon to R1 DVD from Media-Blasters:

* VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE (1958)
* DOGORAH THE SPACE MONSTER (1964)

Coming this Fall, supposedly remastered in widescreen (currently available in --blecch-- "foolscreen"), from Sony Wonder/Classic Media:

* GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA (1964)
* GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO (1965, aka INVASION OF THE ASTRO-MONSTER)

 

[Chris Stainton]

Logan's Run is my personal favorite.

 

[Jim_K]

Thanks for the heads up, though I'm only interested if they're the un-cut OSL versions. Otherwise I'll pass & just stick with the versions I currently have.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Definitely get Journey to the Center of the earth. Also get First Men in the moon. Both gorgeous OAR DVD transfers in R1.

not sure if it was already mentioned (haven't read the whole thread yet) but the 1950's "War of the Worlds" is being remastered/released as an SE on DVD sometime soon to coincide with the theatrical release of the new movie.

Oh...get THEM on DVD too...a classic for sure.

And the original Time Machine with Rod Taylor...cheezy costumes but imaginative and captivating...at least in conjunction with my childhood memories of the film...

And I LOVE Logan's Run. 1970's Dated and a bit too much EE, but still a great 16x9 transfer and a very provacative film once you get into it and look past the 1970's styling.

 

[Dane Marvin]

Yes, by all means, get The Twilight Zone!