Sci-Fi

  • Jean-Pierre Bekolo – Les Saignantes AKA The Bloodiest (2005)

    2001-2010FranceJean-Pierre BekoloSci-Fi

    Quote:
    A futuristic film set in a dystopian Cameroonian city vaguely reminiscent of the dystopian Los Angeles in Ridley Scott’s classic BladeRunner, Les Saignantes is shot in high contrast lighting in what seems to be one long continuous night. The throbbing bass soundtrack of the film underscores the pulse of its rapid, jump-cut, music-video style editing. The characterization of the future city is a pessimistic allegory of the contemporary nation in Africa. By the year 2025, nothing has progressed; rather the country is still ruled by abusive power-drunk leaders who promise contracts to their mistresses; the police still take bribes and have no authority to actually investigate the crimes of the rich and powerful. Near the end of the film the smooth woman’s voiceover, which has performed the narrator’s function throughout the film, intones “We were already dead.” Re-watching the film with these words in mind, one wonders if the film, set a few years ahead in the future in 2025, is not the portrait of the spiritual aftermath of nation that has already died.Read More »

  • Roger Corman – Frankenstein Unbound (1990)

    1981-1990HorrorRoger CormanSci-FiUSA

    Joseph Buchanan is a brilliant scientist conducting implosion experiments in the year 2031. His humanitarian goal is to develop a weapons system that will not destroy all life on Earth, but the results are catastrophic! The very core of time and space is fractured, and Buchanan finds himself thrust into 19th century Geneva. He meets fellow scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein, whose own monstrous experiment has gone haywire, killing his brother, and threatening the entire village. Frankenstein’s creature is even more horrible than the world ever imagined-and now Dr, Frankenstein is determined to use Buchanan’s scientific knowledge to create its mate!Read More »

  • Dan Milner – From Hell It Came (1957)

    1951-1960Dan MilnerHorrorSci-FiUSA

    Beware Tabonga! On a remote South Seas island, no one is safe from this hideous…and unique…monster. Tabonga is part man, part tree, all doom. Formerly an island prince, he was unjustly put to death by a witch doctor. Now he’s returned to life with roots, branches and a vengeance. Against natives. Against visiting American scientists who investigate the tree’s radioactive green sap. Against anyone unwise enough to expect a tree to stay put. A macabre medley of creature feature, Polynesian kitsch and Atomic Age cautionary tale, From Hell It Came is the killer-tree movie you woodn’t want to miss!Read More »

  • Franklin Adreon – Cyborg 2087 (1966)

    Franklin Adreon1961-1970Sci-FiUSA

    Earth’s civilization of the future sends a cyborg back to the 1960s to change the future.

    Quote:
    Garth A7 (Michael Rennie), a cyborg from the future world of 2087, travels back in time to 1966 to prevent Professor Sigmund Marx (Eduard Franz) from revealing his new discovery, an idea that will make mind control possible and create a tyranny in Garth’s time. He is pursued by two “Tracers” (also cyborgs) out to stop him.Read More »

  • Ralph Nelson – Charly (1968)

    1961-1970DramaRalph NelsonSci-FiUSA

    Quote:
    Charly is a terrific dramatic production which is based on the novel written by Daniel Keyes. The feature was executive produced by Selig J. Seligman (The High Commissioner, Garrison’s Gorillas). Cliff Robertson stars as Charly in this impressive dramatic exploration of one man’s transformation from a impaired adult who struggles to formulate even his basic thoughts and words to an intelligent gentleman after undergoing an experimental procedure that turns the befuddled gent into a super-smart genius with world-class knowledge.Read More »

  • Konstantin Lopushanskiy – Pisma myortvogo cheloveka AKA Dead Man’s Letters (1986)

    1981-1990ArthouseKonstantin LopushanskiySci-FiUSSR

    Wikipedia wrote:
    Dead Man’s Letters (Russian: Письма мёртвого человека, romanized: Pis’ma myortvogo cheloveka), also known as Letters from a Dead Man, is a 1986 Soviet post-apocalyptic drama film directed and written by Konstantin Lopushansky. He wrote it along with Vyacheslav Rybakov and Boris Strugatsky. It marks his directorial debut.

    The film was screened at the International Critics’ Week section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1987 and received the FIPRESCI prize at the 35th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg.Read More »

  • Wai-keung Lau – Wai See Lee ji lam huet yan aka The Wesleys Mysterious File (2002)

    2001-2010ActionHong KongSci-FiWai-Keung Lau

    Plot / Synopsis
    Wesley, is responsible for handling all the incidents that relate to extraterrestrial life on Earth. One day, Wesley meets Fong (Rosamund Kwan) when he is looking at a blue human bone in an antique shop. Fong is an alien from the Blue Blood Planet, she left her home 600 years ago to look for the Blue Blood Bible. Wesley tries to stop Fong going away, the Double X Unit lead by Wai and So is ordered to handle the case. At the same time, Kill and Rape arrive Earth from Blue Blood Planet. They come here to take Fong back to the Blue Blood Planet.Read More »

  • John Carpenter – Dark Star (1974)

    1971-1980ComedyJohn CarpenterSci-FiUSA

    Quote:
    As the directorial debut of John Carpenter, Dark Star has achieved a degree of cult status over the years. It’s no masterpiece by any stretch and the acting, dialogue, and pace are a bit stale, but this spacey 1974 parody of Stanley Kubrick’s classics, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove, is intriguing in that it features many of the elements that became staples of Carpenter films: a simple but effective score, anti-establishment sentiments, blue-collar characters, and a downbeat ending. Taking inspiration from 1958’s It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Carpenter began the film while attending USC in 1970 and later expanded it to feature length. He was assisted significantly by future screenwriter Dan O’Bannon (who later wrote the very similar Alien), whose multiple credits on the film include a starring role. One scene featuring O’Bannon’s character Pinback playing a game in which he stabs an ice pick between his fingers was later used by James Cameron in Aliens. O’Bannon’s most impressive contribution to the film, however, were his special effects, which are startling for a film with such a low budget.Read More »

  • Franklin J. Schaffner – Planet of the Apes (1968)

    1961-1970AdventureFranklin J. SchaffnerSci-FiUSA

    Synopsis:
    In the year 3978A.D. a spaceship with a crew of 4 crashes down on a distant planet. One of the crew members had died in space and the other 3 head out to explore the planet. They soon learn that the planet is much like their own. They then find the planet is inhabited by intelligent apes. One of the men is shot and killed and the others are taken to the apes’ city. There, one undergoes brain surgery and is put into a state of living death. The other befriends some of the apes but is feared by most. After being put through ape trial he escapes with a female human native to the planet. After helping his ape friends escape a religious heresy trial he escapes out into the wilderness with the female. There he learns the planet might not be so distant after all…Read More »

Back to top button