View unanswered posts | View active topics
Author |
Message |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:25 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Lately I've been watching (rewatching in some cases) mostly B&W Science Fiction movies from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. They used to show these on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid, and I took a liking to them. Now, I'm either picking them up cheaply, secondhand on DVDs or watching public domain flicks on YouTube. I've decided that I would post an image from each as I went along and a few comments (mainly for my own, later reference), but I thought that some of you might enjoy them, comment on them, and/or post some overly-short reviews of your own. If you want more information, actor's names, distribution companies, or whatever, well… there are Internet Search Engines that can find that. First up last week was Cat-Women on the Moon (1953). This was pretty short (about an hour) and revolves around the idea that a team of Astronauts are about to land on the moon. One of the crew is a woman, the navigator, and she's somehow gained insight about where would be a good place to land… close to where the Cat-Women live of course. The race of manless women with stick-on eyebrows essentially wishes to take the moon rocket and… I don't know, conquer Earth. This movie is just an excuse for some women to wear slinky black outfits. So… thumbs up. They could have cut out the first 30 minutes of the film and got right to that. 
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
Last edited by Beachy on Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:26 pm, edited 3 times in total.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:37 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Next up was This Island Earth (1955). This one I remember having read about in a Sci-Fi magazine from the 1970s (and in other places). The picture of the clawed-hand insect man was rather iconic in those types of historical tomes. Some high forehead dudes from the planet Metaluna appear on a whacky 3D TV screen that Cal Meacham managed to put together from an alien kit with a metal-paged instruction book. This is some sort of test to see if he has smarts enough to join a team of energy scientists being assembled. The idea is that the aliens are fighting a war that they can’t win, so they are trying to gain atomic know-how from a more backwards tech race. Umm… sure. The plan sucks, and it fails. But a couple of humans get a ride to Metaluna just in time to be of no help at all. Then the humans escape and come back to earth. I like how the humans and aliens at least had to alter their bodies to survive the rigors of space flight, or in order to live on the new planet, or whatever. Then there was that giant insect dude to fight for no damn good reason. Still…
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
Last edited by Beachy on Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:57 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
I picked up The Invisible Man Legacy Collection off eBay postpaid for like $7. I always have enjoyed the first one, probably my favorite of Universal Horror Movies, and I have seen a few of the others before: The Invisible Man (1933) The classic, Invisible Man story where Griffin comes to a quiet Inn out of a blizzard, then slowly goes mad being unable to turn himself back to being visible again. Along the way, he's an ass and upsets his landlady. I love Una O'Connor in this; she's one of my favorite 1930s actresses. The Invisible Man Returns (1940)Griffin's brother… and a sequel! Here they know the formula turns you mad as well as invisible, but it's done to help Vincent Price escape from a death sentence. Nice little role for Alan Napier (Batman's Butler) in this one. And weird, when we finally get to see Vincent Price turn visible, his moustache remains invisible. The Invisible Woman (1940)I must have seen this before when I was younger because I remember quite a bit of it. The movie is a comedy (and meant to be somewhat suggestive with the naked Virginia Bruce walking around). A decent amount of well-known people in this one, including John Barrymore as the nutty professor, John Howard as the rich playboy who funds him, Charles Ruggles as the butler (who I know most as the voice from those Aesop & Son cartoons), and even the Wicked Witch, Margaret Hamilton. And I think that was Shemp Howard as one of the gangsters, but I’m not enough of a Three Stooges fan to know for sure. I just know that they should have shown more of invisible Virginia walking around wearing nothing but silk stockings. Invisible Agent (1944)So in this one, the grandson of an earlier Invisible Man, is recruited by the British to sneak behind enemy lines to recover enemy secrets. And… well, that's about sums this one up. Throw in a pretty spy, and some bumbling Germans and Japanese, a dash of propaganda, and you have a rather bland movie. It does manage to give us Peter Lorre, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and J. Edward Bromberg as villains, so it wasn't all bad. The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944)This may be my favorite of the sequels because it has one of the better plots involving betrayal and revenge with a little mental unbalance and murder thrown in—and we haven't even gotten yet to the invisible part. Robert Griffin (the betrayed man) is an escaped mental patient and, after being betrayed again by his former diamond mining partners becomes a fugitive. Doctor Drury (played by John Carradine) takes him in and uses him as a Guinea pig to further test his invisibility chemicals (now on a human patient). A lot more to the plot that that, but that's a good start and a good reason to watch.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
Last edited by Beachy on Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:03 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Amazing Transparent Man (1960). I probably should have watched this one last week when I was watching all of the Invisible Man movies as it is pretty much a "brother from another mother" sort of film. Short and to the point (about 60 minutes), this one features an evil mastermind bent on taking over the US with invisible soldiers, a German scientist (who's being held against his will) who helps him turn animals invisible, and a famous safe-cracker, who they break out of prison so that, invisibly, he can steal more of the needed radioactive supplies from the United States government. Not a bad little movie, actually, and one that—in the public domain—ends up frequently in those cheap Sci-Fi on DVD movie collections.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:07 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Yesterday Machine (1965) Set in the mid 60s and involving a Nazi scientist who had failed (by just a few months he feels) in developing Hitler the super weapons he needed to win World War II. The scientist apparently escaped capture by the Allies and made his way to America, where, obsessed with the idea that he had failed his Füher by just a few months, goes on to conquers time itself, and he begins experimenting on some of the locals of small-town America while perfecting his tech. Some bad delivery of dialog and exposition in this one, but it also some nice manic ranting by the scientist. Worth watching.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:12 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Earth Dies Screaming (1964). This one was quite good, although too short (at just over an hour). A few humans have survived what they reason to have been a poisonous gas attack. Oh, and there are a few mechanical-like aliens walking around in space suits, and also a few dead humans who are getting back up again with a new, white-eyed view of the world. I enjoy stories where only a handful of humans have survived and have to make do. I like the group dynamics that form, how conflicts resolve. I definitely would have liked to have seen a lot more backstory about the aliens and their invasion plans. Could have made this one really good.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:19 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Robot Monster (1953). You know those movies that are so bad they're good? Well… this isn't one of those. It's essentially just a bad movie, and I knew that going into watching it. I've avoided it for years, but, there it was for free on YouTube, and the Twins' game was called early on account of rain, so... well, it's not completely without merit, and even kind of a hoot in places (MST3K must have done it up). Oh, and liked the horror and suspense comics book covers shown as part of the opening credits and Intermission images (WHY does a 60 minute film have an Intermission?). Might have been fun to have experience this one in a theater in glorious B&W 3D… just to see that robot head helmet on that shaggy gorilla suit in one extra dimension.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
Last edited by Beachy on Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:24 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951). Okay, I bumped up the quality quite a bit tonight. I've seen this one a few times when I was a kid and knew it was good, so when I found it on DVD for just $2.50, I snatched it up. The film quality was outstanding on this DVD transfer. Very high contrast and sharp black and whites. Very nice film effects and blue (or green) screening for 1951 and an excellent story: aliens notice Earthlings are about to start space travel, so… we need to know what's what if we want to play. I know they remade this movie recently, and I should probably give it a look, but, really, why bother? I don't care what special effects tech they have today. I can't see how a remake would be better.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Simon
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:38 am |
|
 |
...
|
Joined: | 26 Oct 2006 |
Posts: | 59406 |
|
I've wanted to watch that remake (2008), but haven't bothered. I'd still like to see it just to see what's different. I've seen the original so many times it'd be good to see a different take on it.
_________________ "They'll bite your finger off given a chance" - Junkie Luv (regarding Zebras)
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Li'l Jay
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:46 am |
|
 |
It scorched
|
Joined: | 28 May 2006 |
Posts: | 68688 |
Bannings: | One too few . . . |
|
I love The Day the Earth Stood Still. It is a hopelessly muddled mashup of peacenik sensibilities and war impulses. It expressed the idea that it is both senseless but effective to develop weapons of war.
"We have learned that you are beginning to develop weapons that have a capacity for great destruction. If you do not desist, we will annihilate you."
It's like a Rorschach test.
_________________ Rom's kiss turned Rogue a hero.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:57 am |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Simon wrote: I've wanted to watch that remake (2008), but haven't bothered. I'd still like to see it just to see what's different. I've seen the original so many times it'd be good to see a different take on it. Wow. The remake is already over ten years old. Seems like just a few years ago that I saw previews of Keanu Reeves and his giant robot.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:05 am |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Li'l Jay wrote: I love The Day the Earth Stood Still. It is a hopelessly muddled mashup of peacenik sensibilities and war impulses. It expressed the idea that it is both senseless but effective to develop weapons of war.
"We have learned that you are beginning to develop weapons that have a capacity for great destruction. If you do not desist, we will annihilate you."
It's like a Rorschach test. I think you're right. The part about all the alien races having surrendered to their robot police force is a nice touch, essentially, "We've built the ultimate weapon and we're helpless against it." 1951 is still pretty early in the Cold War, but I got a sense of the nuclear-weapon stockpile idea, mutually-assured destruction. Peace can only come through the threat of total annihilation.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
JohnG
ICE Mod |
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:25 am |
|
 |
Boney Fingers Jones
|
Joined: | 03 Aug 2006 |
Posts: | 40800 |
Location: | Sunny Massapequa Park, NY |
|
Beachy wrote: The Earth Dies Screaming (1964). This one was quite good, although too short (at just over an hour). A few humans have survived what they reason to have been a poisonous gas attack. Oh, and there are a few mechanical-like aliens walking around in space suits, and also a few dead humans who are getting back up again with a new, white-eyed view of the world. I enjoy stories where only a handful of humans have survived and have to make do. I like the group dynamics that form, how conflicts resolve. I definitely would have liked to have seen a lot more backstory about the aliens and their invasion plans. Could have made this one really good. Funny movie. It’s the end of the world but they are drinking tea from teacups and making dinner. Peggy keeps running around in a skirt and high heels and forgetting to lock the door behind her. At the end our hero says let’s take a plane south and then you see a large Pan Am jetliner taking off from an airport. I was expecting a small prop plane. 
_________________ "Every day a little sadder, A little madder, Someone get me a ladder."
ELP
“You can't have everything. Where would you put it?”—Steven Wright
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:39 am |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
JohnG wrote: Beachy wrote: The Earth Dies Screaming (1964). I enjoy stories where only a handful of humans have survived and have to make do. I like the group dynamics that form, how conflicts resolve. I definitely would have liked to have seen a lot more backstory about the aliens and their invasion plans. Could have made this one really good. Funny movie. It’s the end of the world but they are drinking tea from teacups and making dinner. Peggy keeps running around in a skirt and high heels and forgetting to lock the door behind her. At the end our hero says let’s take a plane south and then you see a large Pan Am jetliner taking off from an airport. I was expecting a small prop plane.  I find the clinging to normal routines endearing. As for the plane, the Jeff Nolan character was a big name test pilot or something, so I'm just fine with him flying something big and comfortable. They probably packed up a lot of supplies, too, to make it all seem like England wherever they ended up. Probably all sorts of smaller planes can be found in the south as needed later on.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Li'l Jay
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:43 am |
|
 |
It scorched
|
Joined: | 28 May 2006 |
Posts: | 68688 |
Bannings: | One too few . . . |
|
Beachy wrote: Li'l Jay wrote: I love The Day the Earth Stood Still. It is a hopelessly muddled mashup of peacenik sensibilities and war impulses. It expressed the idea that it is both senseless but effective to develop weapons of war.
"We have learned that you are beginning to develop weapons that have a capacity for great destruction. If you do not desist, we will annihilate you."
It's like a Rorschach test. I think you're right. The part about all the alien races having surrendered to their robot police force is a nice touch, essentially, "We've built the ultimate weapon and we're helpless against it." 1951 is still pretty early in the Cold War, but I got a sense of the nuclear-weapon stockpile idea, mutually-assured destruction. Peace can only come through the threat of total annihilation. And you could just as easily make the United States (as the first developer of nuclear weapons) into Gort, applying Kluatu's moral logic to a decision to preemptively strike any nation developing them after the first. It's presented as almost a morally justified choice (though not intentionally, I don't think).
_________________ Rom's kiss turned Rogue a hero.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Kid Nemo
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 1:15 am |
|
 |
Hen Teaser
|
Joined: | 05 Apr 2011 |
Posts: | 17960 |
Location: | on Floogle St.,at the Susquehanna Hat Company |
|
MST3K did riff on Robot Monster and even they couldn't wring much comedy out of it.They had better luck with The Amazing Transparent Man and This Island Earth though---they even used the latter for their own big screen movie. I think The Day the Earth Stood Still has the finest musical score of any sci-fi movie.One of Bernard Herrmann's best.
_________________ What will be will be even if it never happens.
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Simon
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 6:01 am |
|
 |
...
|
Joined: | 26 Oct 2006 |
Posts: | 59406 |
|
The George Pal version of War of the Worlds belongs in this thread, as does his take on The Time Machine. There are many, many others worthy of mention but those two spring to mind.
_________________ "They'll bite your finger off given a chance" - Junkie Luv (regarding Zebras)
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 9:46 am |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
Thanks. Kid. And I will eventually get to those two movies you mentioned, Simon, as I own copies of them, but I've watched both of them too recently to watch them again. Same with Incredible Shrinking Man and a few others. The Invisible Man (1984) Last night I revisited a 1984 BBC TV adaption of The Invisible Man. It's not much for special effects, and not a movie either; it's six 30-minute episodes that do a very nice job of capturing the original text story by H. G. Wells. I've even been listening to the Librivox audio book in between episodes to compare. Most of the dialog is taken verbatim. Good stuff. I wish they would have released this in the states on a NTSC DVD. Glad it's on YouTube at least.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 4:06 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Gamma People (1956). Two reporters (and American and Englishman), through an apparent mix up where their train car gets separated from the engine, roll into a seemingly backwards little European country where a doctor is experimenting with gamma rays on the young minds of children, turning them either into child prodigies or mindless thugs. Stars Paul Douglas, Eva Bartok, and Leslie Phillips. Decent enough film.
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 9:56 pm |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
The Day of the Triffids (1962) This is one of those movies that I've known about for a long time (my Dad had a comic adaption of it in some Sci-Fi magazine or another), but this is the first that I've watched it. Nice little idea: man-eating, walking plants, whose spores have come to Earth riding on meteorites have fairly easy pickings because these same colorful meteors the night before have blinded every human who watched their dazzling night show. As I said earlier, I do enjoy movies where a few humans (in this case, the ones who still have sight) have to pick up and try to survive after some disaster or another. This one mostly stars Howard Keel, and it was a little hard for be watching this because I'm used to watching Howard in musicals, and… well… I kept expecting him to break out into song. (Okay, not really  ).
_________________ Staging Areas Approach Area Area of a Triquetra Area of Effect Life Longing
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Simon
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 12:32 am |
|
 |
...
|
Joined: | 26 Oct 2006 |
Posts: | 59406 |
|
Day of the Triffids is a favourite of mine.
There's a BBC TV version (from the 80's I think) which is more faithful to the novel than this movie is, but this one's a classic in its own right. I like the various reasons why certain people weren't blinded, and the way some people are altruistic and others become exploitative. The plot revolves around how they all respond to the Triffid situation but the 'end of the world' setup is what really drives the character development and it's interesting.
_________________ "They'll bite your finger off given a chance" - Junkie Luv (regarding Zebras)
|
|
Top |
|
 |
Beachy
|
Post subject: Overly-Short Reviews of Classic Sci-Fi Movies of the Mid-Twentieth Century Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 5:53 am |
|
 |
Mr. IMWANKO
|
Joined: | 18 Sep 2005 |
Posts: | 73854 |
Location: | the Moist Periphery of Pendulum Tide |
|
|
Top |
|
 |
|
Page 1 of 3
|
[ 54 posts ] |
|
View unanswered posts | View active topics
Who is WANline |
Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot] and 1 guest |
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
|
|