Science Fiction Film Canon Meme, Modified

[filkertom]

Nicked from redaxe

This is the Science Fiction Film Canon, 50 most influential (not necessarily best or worst) films as listed by John Scalzi in his Rough Guide to Science Fiction Films. As usual, bold those you've seen; italicize those you want to see and strike those you have no desire whatsoever to put before your retinas.

Modification: Put an asterisk after the ones you own on DVD. (I do own a few of the others on VHS, but I haven't even turned that thing on in three years.)

* The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!*
* Akira*
* Alien
* Aliens
* Alphaville
* Back to the Future
* Blade Runner*
* Brazil
* Bride of Frankenstein
* Brother From Another Planet
* A Clockwork Orange
* Close Encounters of the Third Kind*
* Contact*
* The Damned
* Destination Moon
* The Day The Earth Stood Still
* Delicatessen
* Escape From New York*
* ET: The Extraterrestrial
* Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers (serial)
* The Fly (1985 version)
* Forbidden Planet (Why don't I have this on DVD? Must rectify that very very soon)
* Ghost in the Shell (I actually had this at one point, tried to watch it, couldn't make sense of it -- I'll try again)
* Gojira/Godzilla
* The Incredibles*
* Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 version)
* Jurassic Park*
* Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior (ditto -- must get this soon)
* The Matrix
* Metropolis*
* On the Beach
* Planet of the Apes (1968 version)
* Robocop
* Sleeper
* Solaris (1972 version)
* Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan*
* Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope*
* Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back*
* The Stepford Wives (I presume they mean the original version)
* Superman*
* Terminator 2: Judgement Day*
* The Thing From Another World
* Things To Come
* Tron*
* 12 Monkeys
* 28 Days Later
* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*
* 2001: A Space Odyssey (damn! Another one I can't believe I haven't bought yet)
* La Voyage Dans la Lune
* War of the Worlds (1953 version)

Comments

[ericcoleman]

I'm mildly amazed at your not wanting to see Flash Gordon, if for no other reason than it influenced so many.

Of course, it is absolutely terrible.

I just picked up Road Warrior for 5 bucks. I hadnt seen it in years. It still amazes.

And yeah, why don't I own Forbidden Planet either ???

[ericcoleman]

Hmmm ... I do notice that it dosnt say if you have seen any of the striken before ... if so ... ignore that last comment, or at least some of it

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

It says to "bold" those you've seen. A few of those, I wish I hadn't.

[aylinn.livejournal.com]

out of curiosity, why DON'T you want to see destination moon?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

...


At this late date, what possible reason do I have for doing so? Y'know what it brings to mind? A contest in F&SF Magazine years ago, the idea being to write the goofiest sentence from a non-existent Verne-era novel, something that got things completely wrong. Can't remember precisely, but the one my brain latched onto was along the lines of, "'Indeed, Fenwick,' said Professor Carstairs, 'thanks to the etherial pressures harnessed by my experimental Maguffinoid, at this very moment we are hurtling towards the Moon at over five hundred miles an hour!'"

I have seen Rocketship X-M, Marooned, and the MSTies of Rocketship, Twelve to the Moon, and King Dinosaur. Don't feel the need for D:M.

[aylinn.livejournal.com]

Just was curious.

It was the only movie Heinlein ever personally worked on. That's the reason I watched it.

but that's me

[arensb.livejournal.com]

Huh. I too was puzzled by your not wanting to see Destination Moon, especially since it won a Retrohugo.

I can understand being burned out on cheesy first-trip-to-the-Moon space opera, but in this case you may want to reconsider. As I recall, it was a lot better than I expected: the rocket wasn't built by some mad scientist in his garage, but took planning and organization; most of the trip was in free-fall, and weightless objects still had inertia; that sort of thing.

I'd say it's kind of like going to see a fifties aliens-and-robots-land-on-Earth movie, and getting The Day the Earth Stood Still.

[orawnzva.livejournal.com]

Bold + strikeout!

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. interesting list, no where near complete. Many great films missing, but a very good start. Like Tom, "*" means I own it on DVD or in my case LD.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!
* Akira
* Alien
* Aliens
Alphaville
* Back to the Future
* Blade Runner
Brazil
* Bride of Frankenstein
Brother From Another Planet
A Clockwork Orange
* Close Encounters of the Third Kind
* Contact
The Damned
Destination Moon
* The Day The Earth Stood Still
Delicatessen
* Escape From New York
ET: The Extraterrestrial
* Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers (serial)
The Fly (1985 version)
* Forbidden Planet
Ghost in the Shell
* Gojira/Godzilla
* The Incredibles
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 version)
* Jurassic Park
Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior
* The Matrix
* Metropolis
On the Beach
Planet of the Apes (1968 version)
Robocop
Sleeper
Solaris (Yes, seen it. Yes.. Never want to see it again)
* Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
* Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
* Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
* The Stepford Wives
Superman
* Terminator 2: Judgement Day
* The Thing From Another World
* Things To Come
* Tron
12 Monkeys
28 Days Later
* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
* 2001: A Space Odyssey
La Voyage Dans la Lune
* War of the Worlds (1953 version)

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

These are the 50 movies John Scalzi notes as his "Most Influential" in his new book. He acknowledges that the list isn't necessarily the best -- or the worst -- sf/f movies ever made, and that YMMV. But hey, it's a list to check off against, eh?

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Funny thing...

I posted this over on my LJ and it turns out that the author of the list has an LJ. He's listed at scalzi. He replied to my entry right away.

Cool beans.

[sylverwolfe.livejournal.com]

Ghost in the Shell is good, as is the sequel. especially good if you're having a thoughtful/sociologically inclined day. the stuff that will really make your brain work in overdrive (in a good way, let me assure you) is Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. SAC is the tv serial featuring some of the main characters from the two movies, but you do not in any way need to be familiar with the movies to enjoy the show, or see the show to make sense of the movies. it's all wonderful stuff, especially since there's stuff that could so very probably happen based on the way technology is evolving nowadays.

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

What amazes me is how very few of these I do have on DVD... although I think my collection would stand up well (if shakily) against this list. :)