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Top Sci-Fi DVDs (1 Viewer)

RogerH

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Aside from the main ones like Star Wars and Star Trek what in your opinion are some of the better sci-fi dvds out there?
 

Simon Massey

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Since you mention SW and ST I assume you mean quite a broad definition of sci-fi so

A.I.
Cube
Gattaca
Equilibrium
Contact
Code 46
Minority Report
Dark City

Some of the ones I have enjoyed anyway
 

Hal F

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In no particular order:

Slaughterhouse-Five
Twelve Monkeys
Man Who Fell to Earth
The Thing (both versions)
2001
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
 

AaronMan

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Some that haven't been mentioned yet..

BladeRunner
Ghost in the Shell 1 and 2
Terminator 1 and 2
RoboCop
Akira
Planet of the Apes (original)
Matrix Trilogy
Alien
Aliens
The Time Machine (original)
Total Recall
 

Joseph Bolus

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I like 'AaronMan''s list above, but I would add to that:

The Fifth Element - Tremendous A/V quality; especially on the Superbit version.

Back to the Future - Currently only available in a box set with II and III.

Time after Time - H.G.Wells vs. Jack the Ripper!

The Abyss - Unfortunately, the current DVD presentation is non-anamorphic!

Jurassic Park - "All major theme parks have had delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked, nothing."
Dr. Ian Malcolm: "But if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists"!

King Kong (1933) - Coming to Region 1 DVD for the first time in November.

I would very much like to recommend 'Forbidden Planet' but the current DVD transfer is dreadful.

Some good "kids-oriented" SCI-FI with great DVD transfers would include:
'Titan A.E.', 'The Iron Giant', and the recently released 'The Incredibles'.

(Of course, many of the 'Superhero' movies could be considered Sci-FI. Of those, the original Superman (1978) is probably the most Sci-Fi oriented, and the current DVD of that movie is very nice.)
 

Scott Kimball

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Wow... no mentions of:

The Day the Earth Stood Still
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
E.T.
Metropolis
Minority Report
Planet of the Apes
StarGate
The War of the Worlds
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Then, there's good TV stuff:
Doctor Who
Space: 1999
UFO
 

george kaplan

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I'd second many of the ones already mentioned. I'll also suggest the following which I don't think have already been mentioned:

Soylent Green
The Andromeda Strain
Sleeper
Timecop
X-Men
Men In Black
Mad Max
The Road Warrior
Westworld
Futureworld
The Final Countdown
Logan's Run
Galaxy Quest
Cocoon
K-Pax
Fantastic Voyage
Predator
Silent Running
Vanilla Sky
Frankenstein
 

RogerH

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I have a chance to get AI for 6.99 is it worth it? Can somebody give me some background on this?
 

Kevin M

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For $6.99 I personally would say go for it but this isn't a film for everyone so YMMV.
 

RogerH

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Hmmm... I stayed away from spoiler thread ;) But from what I read in the imdb summary it sounds very interesting. While its not my typical movie the subject is something I probably will enjoy. Thanks I'll pick it up next time I'm out.
 

Scott Kimball

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I'm a Spielberg fan, and a sci-fi fan...

... and I didn't like A.I. at all.

Background: the project was started by Stanley Kubrick, and passed on to Steven Spielberg - two men with entirely different styles. Both styles show through in the film, and are at odds with one another. The whole thing seemed kind of schizophrenic to me.

And I really wanted to like that one...

-Scott
 

Will_B

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"Thoughtful" science fiction:

Gattaca
Minority Report
A.I.
Vanilla Sky
Blade Runner (but the transfer is terrible)
12 Monkeys
The Lathe of Heaven (original version, but the transfer is terrible because they lost the actual film and had to use a worn-out videotape to make the DVD)

Campy-fun or otherwise lighthearted:

Fifth Element
Stargate
Men in Black 1 + 2


More action/adventure than science fiction:

Terminator 2
Alien

Historical:

Metropolis (proves Citizen Kane doesn't deserve the hype)
 

Will_B

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Kane tends to get hyped up in film schools as being responsible for films having narrative structure, realistic sets, interesting lighting, and all the other elements which today's films have. But you look back on a film like Metropolis and it is clear that these "vikings" (as Wells dismissively called everyone who had done what he later did) had it down already. I was simply highlighting that you can look very far back in time and still find some excellent films.
 

Kevin M

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:) Well RogerH, like I said, this isn't a film for everyone, Your Milage May Vari. You may wish to rent it first as is seems to be a polarising film....not a lot of middle ground in the opinions it pulls out of people, I thought it was an extremely smart & effective film.
 

Jeff Ulmer

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What, no mention of Zardoz? ;)

Adding to that, Blade Runner, Man Who Fell to Earth, Slaughterhouse Five, Silent Running, Logan's Run, Farenheit 451, Galaxy Quest, Barbarella, Solaris (Tarkovsky)...
 

RogerH

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Well Kevin M for the price I can get it at its just as well that I buy it. I'll let you know what I think of it when I see it.
 

Nelson Au

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The titles listed are all great suggestions for Science Fiction films.

I have a grouping of DVDs that I consider the landmark titles, the ones that were influential, and are favorites of mine that I never get tired of.

In no particualr order, they are:

The Day the Earth Stood Still
2001
Forbidden Planet
War of the Worlds
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Blade Runner
The Time Machine
The Thing
Metropolis- (a title I have, but not seen yet!)
Things to Come-(a title I don't have yet)
When Worlds Collide
Earth vs the Flying Saucers

The majority of the titles are from the 50's, a golden era for Science Fiction films. The last title is kind of goofy, but it's for fun. Like today's films (2005 version of WotW) that are likely influenced by the current events of the world, the 1950's sci-fi is also infliuenced and disquised as commentary for the Communists scare of the era, particularly Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

I am also a long time Star Trek fan and I think the list should include Star Trek-The Motion Picture, of all the Star Trek feature films, it is perhaps the purist vision of Star Trek crossing over into hard Science Fiction over socially conscience content for which the original series is best known for. It's also the largest film in terms of really feeling like a feature film, director Robert Wise influence no doubt.
 

Dave Hackman

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Pitch Black
The Chronicles of Riddick
Thirteenth Floor
Existenz
Solaris
Imposter
Event Horizon
Universal Soldier
6th day
Primer
The Final cut
Brainstorm
The Arrival
Lost in Space
Species
Screamers
Returner - I’ve never seen this but is one I want to rent
Enemy Mine
They Live
Cherry 2000
 

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