Favorite Science Fiction Films or Shows

[Tyger]

Hi All - Wondering what science fiction films and/or science fiction television shows have stood the test of time for you?

Truth is, often first impact often stands across the decades rather than intrinsic quality. I feel that way about the British series from the early 1970s 'UFO'.

A 1990s science fiction television series that maintains its hold on me, perhaps even stronger now than when it first aired, is 'Babylon 5'.

And an unexpected science fiction film that still haunts - and I can't quite figure out why, though I have some hunches, is 'Interstellar.'

 

[Randall]

Hi All - Wondering what science fiction films and/or science fiction television shows have stood the test of time for you?

My Top Ten — Not necessarily in order of preference:

1. Star Wars
2. Star Trek
3. Babylon Five
4. The Matrix
5. Hunger Games
6. Close Encounters
7. Contact
8. The Day The Earth Stood Still
9. 2001 A Space Odyssey
10. Dark City

Truth is, often first impact often stands across the decades rather than intrinsic quality. I feel that way about the British series from the early 1970s 'UFO'.

Yep

A 1990s science fiction television series that maintains its hold on me, perhaps even stronger now than when it first aired, is 'Babylon 5'.

B5 is most excellent and underrated. I have the full DVD set and just finished watching it ( again )
My favorite character is Londo — yours?

And an unexpected science fiction film that still haunts - and I can't quite figure out why, though I have some hunches, is 'Interstellar.'

Not bad — but it fell apart for me when it shifted from interstellar to interdimensional.

Some of the superhero series are pretty good ( DC & Marvel ). Currently watching Superman & Lois

Worthy Mentions:

1. Stranger Things
2. Umbrella Academy
3. Wayward Pines
4. Paradise
5. Battlestar Galactica

Fun Umbrella Academy Clip

 

[randelsmith]

i'm an old guy so my favorite science fiction films which are many, would be things like this island Earth, them, and the first episode of the Outer limits called the Galaxy being. The day the Earth stood still is also a great favorite although I tend to agree with Patricia Neil who is a friend of mine.

 

[Tyger]

i'm an old guy so my favorite science fiction films which are many, would be things like this island Earth, them, and the first episode of the Outer limits called the Galaxy being. The day the Earth stood still is also a great favorite although I tend to agree with Patricia Neil who is a friend of mine.

The old classics can be fun for unexpected reasons - like 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'. Innocent. What did Patricia Neil say? Do you mean Patricia Neal? She died in 2010 in Massachusetts.

The older films are fun just for the unintended social commentary. They are a revelation about societal norms and culture back then - remember Michael Rennie just walking into the scientist's study from the street? Different world. You see that kind of thing in the television shows - I recall a Twilight Zone episode where someone gets struck by a car and actually gets pushed down onto the street. Up he pops - driver apologizes,'victim' checks himself out - he declares he's fine - and off they both go their separate ways.

I never saw 'Forbidden Planet' in its day - probably because I was so young at the time - and only recently saw a retrospective on its importance in the genre - had no idea. Plan on watching it at some point.

 

[Tyger]

My Top Ten — Not necessarily in order of preference:

1. Star Wars
2. Star Trek
3. Babylon Five
4. The Matrix
5. Hunger Games
6. Close Encounters
7. Contact
8. The Day The Earth Stood Still
9. 2001 A Space Odyssey
10. Dark City

I stopped watching television in the teens - so my last sci-fi series was 'Andromeda' from the 00s - a pretty bumpy ride but it had its moments.

Star Wars was fabulous, of course. What a ride that film was back in the early days. Star Trek had its moments of greatness - especially with TNG. I am one of the few who loved 'Enterprise.' But most of these endeavors suffered from internal bickering and creative clashes. Sad.

2001: A Space Odyssey - outstanding.

B5 is most excellent and underrated. I have the full DVD set and just finished watching it ( again )
My favorite character is Londo — yours?

I'm in the same boat with Babylon 5 - I have the DVD set and faithfully rewatch it periodically. Poor J. Michael Straczynski the creator and writer - he was given so much grief but by the last couple of seasons he became pretty much the sole writer and so we were treated to lyrical writing, brilliant character development and complex plot progression, along with unforgettable individual scenes. (Londo's reaction to discovering he'd been 'played' by Mr Morton). I think its power lies in that it was a human story. Had Straczynski not had so many issues one wonders what the whole series would have really looked like - we for sure would not have had a President Sheridan and that whole storyline, I don't think.

My favorite character is Captain Sheridan - mainly because Bruce Boxleitner is pretty easy on the eyes and his character is just *chef's kiss*.
Loved the actor and complex character of Londo, and the interplay with G'Kar. So many perfect performances - but also unfortunate storylines. Overall, though, a great achievement.

Never came across your 'worthy mentions' but your clip reminded me of that one-of-kind cult classic: 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

 

[Richard Hawkins]

Hi All - Wondering what science fiction films and/or science fiction television shows have stood the test of time for you?

Truth is, often first impact often stands across the decades rather than intrinsic quality. I feel that way about the British series from the early 1970s 'UFO'.

A 1990s science fiction television series that maintains its hold on me, perhaps even stronger now than when it first aired, is 'Babylon 5'.

And an unexpected science fiction film that still haunts - and I can't quite figure out why, though I have some hunches, is 'Interstellar.'

Plan B from outer space.

 

[Paranormal bug a boo]

Hi All - Wondering what science fiction films and/or science fiction television shows have stood the test of time for you?

Truth is, often first impact often stands across the decades rather than intrinsic quality. I feel that way about the British series from the early 1970s 'UFO'.

A 1990s science fiction television series that maintains its hold on me, perhaps even stronger now than when it first aired, is 'Babylon 5'.

And an unexpected science fiction film that still haunts - and I can't quite figure out why, though I have some hunches, is 'Interstellar.'

There were many great films in that time in the late 60s and 70s. One of my favorites was Colossus or the Forbin Project. It’s a great film that really has stood up over time. For those who may not know, Colossus was the name of an AI super computer designed and constructed by a computer scientist named Forbin. It becomes self-aware and begins managing the affairs of humankind. “ in earnest@ LOL. IT’S A VERY GOOD FILM. I think you can get it on YouTube. Anyway, great question thanks.

 

[Randall]

I'm in the same boat with Babylon 5 - I have the DVD set and faithfully rewatch it periodically.

Yep — same. So many of the actors are gone now — Mira Furlan (Delenn), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Richard Biggs (Franklin), Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Stephen Furst (Vir Cotto), and Michael O'Hare (Sinclair) — have all passed "beyond the rim."

Poor J. Michael Straczynski the creator and writer - he was given so much grief but by the last couple of seasons he became pretty much the sole writer and so we were treated to lyrical writing, brilliant character development and complex plot progression, along with unforgettable individual scenes. (Londo's reaction to discovering he'd been 'played' by Mr Morton). I think its power lies in that it was a human story. Had Straczynski not had so many issues one wonders what the whole series would have really looked like - we for sure would not have had a President Sheridan and that whole storyline, I don't think.

Indeed. I'd like to see a reboot — but only if it was done right. It's a sensitive topic, but they did a really good job on the Galactica reboot — so it could be done if anyone had the will and means.

My favorite character is Captain Sheridan - mainly because Bruce Boxleitner is pretty easy on the eyes and his character is just *chef's kiss*.

Ha — pretty boy Sheridan — but his character worked out better than expected.
Lochley was also "easy on the eyes" — but I never liked her character. Not sure whose fault that was.
Ivanova had potential, but never seemed to fill-out the character as well as other actors did.

Loved the actor and complex character of Londo, and the interplay with G'Kar. So many perfect performances - but also unfortunate storylines.

Yes — that's why I picked Londo. His depth of character and it's development over time, along with his brilliant acting, make both he and his character legendary in my mind ( and he's still alive ). Certainly he couldn't have done it without Katsulas — who IMO is a close second.

Overall, though, a great achievement.
Never came across your 'worthy mentions' but your clip reminded me of that one-of-kind cult classic: 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

There are a dozen other worthy mentions out there, but I decided to leave a few in case someone else picked-up on them. One involves an eccentric Time Lord who travels in a phone booth, and another a stainless steel car that could also travel through time — so long as it could get to 88 MPH.

 

[Burnt State]

I live in a 1970"a sci fi framework for the most part as I was raised on those and classic 50'&60's sci-fi. Consequently I can watch the original The Thing endlessly for its rapid fire dialogue and definitive premise of a group of people closed off and isolated from the world while dealing with a lethal unknown. That's why I Like John Carpenter's The Thing equally as much.

Prophetic movies that shaped my brain and mirror current society from the 1970's and near there:
Soylent Green
Omega Man
Blade Runner
Solaris (by Tarkovsky)
Colossus, or The Forbin Project
Logan's Run
Rollerball (sheer Genius)


This specific movie, along with the opening montage sequence of Soylent Green, deserve special attention. Both do what sci fi does best - use a future time setting to talk directly about the here and now. The attention to detail in Rollerball is unparalleled for how we use media and entertainment, how we treat women, celebrate violence, surrender to the god of the corporation and light the planet on fire for fun, IMHO is us right now.

This is also us right now.

 

[Richard Hawkins]

I live in a 1970"a sci fi framework for the most part as I was raised on those and classic 50'&60's sci-fi. Consequently I can watch the original The Thing endlessly for its rapid fire dialogue and definitive premise of a group of people closed off and isolated from the world while dealing with a lethal unknown. That's why I Like John Carpenter's The Thing equally as much.

Prophetic movies that shaped my brain and mirror current society from the 1970's and near there:
Soylent Green
Omega Man
Blade Runner
Solaris (by Tarkovsky)
Colossus, or The Forbin Project
Logan's Run
Rollerball (sheer Genius)


This specific movie, along with the opening montage sequence of Soylent Green, deserve special attention. Both do what sci fi does best - use a future time setting to talk directly about the here and now. The attention to detail in Rollerball is unparalleled for how we use media and entertainment, how we treat women, celebrate violence, surrender to the god of the corporation and light the planet on fire for fun, IMHO is us right now.

This is also us right now.

Very good movie.

 

[Richard Hawkins]

Very good movie.

The other movie is one from the 70s called farenheit 451 it says a lot about today. Also I want to say if you can't support Gene financially then this is the next best way.It is great to see this forum hyper active again

 

[Burnt State]

The other movie is one from the 70s called farenheit 451 it says a lot about today. Also I want to say if you can't support Gene financially then this is the next best way.It is great to see this forum hyper active again

Probably Bradbury's most political novel, in a collection of works that are so easy to read and engaging. But here he really nails the freedom of speech issue down and warms us, as he often did, about surrendering to technology as it so easily gets used to monitor us, control us and kill us at a distance.

While not sci fi and more fantasy, I reserve special time every Fall to watch Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes (along with my other two guilty autumn pleasures: The Wickerman and The Trouble With Harry).

 

[Burnt State]

Some highly honorable sci fi mentions:

 

[Tyger]

The other movie is one from the 70s called farenheit 451 it says a lot about today.

Excellent film, that comes from the pen of the superlative writer Ray Bradbury.

Loved the sleeper of a film 'The Illustatred Man' - based on Bradbury's short story of the same name, or was it a novella? - tattoos before tattoos were a 'thing'.

And I did like the 1970s television miniseries of 'The Martian Chronicles'.

 

[Tyger]

Some other excerpts from the 1970s 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury - "Yll and Ylla lived in a house made of crystal pillars."

And the full 5 hours - so many marvelous inspired stories - hard to forget -
Ray Bradberry's "The Martian Chronicles" [Absolutus Momentum Channel] - Click on 'Watch on YouTube'

 

[Randall]

For a more cerebral spin on AI — these are exceptional