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The Things to Come Page, a Place for Fans of Science Fiction Movies, Technology, and Speculative Ideas
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Continue to The Things to Come Page Part 2: for a table of major tech/science themes, continued Sci-Fi film listings, and personal reflections. |
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But first I attempt to list the top 20 SF-Tech movies of all time, with the intention of surveying the exciting range of possibilities in imaginative computers, technology, and their underlying modernism. I couldn't limit this article to films dominated by computers and technology since some of the best SF visions are meditative and focus on the types of ideas that give rise to the advancement of modern technology. In ordering them, I give extra weight to SF movies that are artistically appealing, supportive of future science or technology, semi-pure to SF, timeless in their visions, or dense with gems of SF ideas. I "grade" the movies holistically (in a way Wittgenstein would approve), not by randomly nitpicking over flaws like a bad teacher, and by a poll of polls rating that averages critic ratings and user ratings (such as for #7-#16). The various other lists and the personal reflections survey many noteworthy SF movies from different periods of time and points of view; some of which are among the best SF movies ever. In most cases they must portray some aspect of technology, computers, or scientific or speculative ideas, or, for the top 100 list, at least get typically classified in the Sci-Fi/fantasy (SF/F) genre (and not for fantasy). *Spoiler Warning: It's difficult to write so much about SF movies without a few unintentional spoilers. *The poll of polls ratings combine average critic scores (from MRQE.com, RottenTomatoes.com, Metacritics.com) and average user ratings (IMDB.com, Netflix.com, RottenTomatoes.com), but some films don't have a score since they didn't have at least 4 sources. Most recent poll of polls: 03Nov09-09Nov09. The max score is 100, but because no movie is higher than 88.3/100 the curve would be: A-Excellent (88.3-78.3), B-Above Average (78.2-68.3), C-Average (68.2-58.3), D-Poor (58.2-48.3), E-Terrible (48.2-0). Specific formula: =Average(MRQE critics score; RT average ratings * 10; Metacritics critics score) + Average(Netflix user ratings *20; ((IMDB users rating * 10 + RT average community ratings * 10) / 2)) /2. |
This article has a top 20 list with the best science fiction (SF) movies of all time for technology, computers, and related science or speculative themes. It also includes a batch of other lists, such as a top 100 list of the most liked SF films as rated by film critics and users. No doubt some will disagree with a few picks or their ordering (or both), so I like to think of these movies as holistically enticing us to imagine and appreciate speculative visions of progress in the past, present, or future.|
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1968, 83.7/A. Based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It achieves excellence for its vision of realistic space flight, speculative spacecrafts, HAL 9000 (as a sentient computer or simulator of sentience), possibly an ancient alien transport and information pathway system (in the Star Gate sequence), a star child (perhaps an intelligent space dwelling being), and alien technology (the Monolith) that is so advanced in science it would look to us like magic (per one of Clarke's maxims of prediction: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"). And perhaps it flaunts a Nietzschean-like evolution of intelligence from our ape ancestors, to humans, to machines, to a star child. It also has high artistic appeal and is one of the most influential SF movies. It shows that one can fit speculative science into a SF movie without losing artistic value. It has many little gems of speculation, such as its subtle stance on artificial intelligence. Kubrick was careful to offer opposing points of view and cite difficult questions. The script never explicitly claims that HAL is intelligent or sentient; it actually remarks that some scientists claim it merely mimics sentience. And it doubts whether we could know if HAL has emotion. Though it remarks that HAL seems intelligent and emotional (and could be for all we know). [The novel suggests Turing's imitation game (aka the Turing test) as an intelligence test.] The scientific value of the movie is in its very fabric. The astronauts work methodically similar to the way I see NASA conduct its missions on the NASA channel. They use computers and communications with earth to guide their troubleshooting and repairs, for example. It also replaces the emphasis on militaristic chains of command of Star Trek or Forbidden Planet with a more modern, scientific, technical way of operating. There are scientific flaws in specific details, but science itself is littered with failed attempts that were crucial to future scientists. Where would we be without the reintroduction of the ancient Greeks into western civilization? (So, yes, Aristotle is wrong about almost everything while also being very important arguably. See James Burke's documentary series, Connections, for this sort of argument.) Timothy Ferris also uses 2001 as an example of a cosmic information intelligence network, mainly for the film's portrayal of an ancient -- yet extinct -- alien pathway system with Trumbull's light effects near the end of the movie (Coming of Age in the Milky Way, a popular science book). Ferris imagines it as nature's way of evolving an intelligence on a massive scale (much in the same way Carl Sagan does in his Cosmos series and in Contact). Even though the climax has humans combating our flaws and a homicidal computer, it leaves us with a boundless vision of advancement and future possibilities. The movie foreshadows this by (seemingly) beginning from an alien perspective and using repetition of the alien probes/monoliths to get us to feel their technological superiority and presence (or at least feel the same mystery the characters feel from their new discoveries). But it leaves us with a vision of an advanced space civilization, a new space species, and a chance for science and technology to be important to our future perhaps. Believe it or not this is rare in SF!
2. H. G. Wells' Things to Come, Dir. William Menzies, 1936, 70.3/B-. Based on a novel by H. G. Wells: The Shape of Things to Come (Read Online, Download/Print). There is a colorized version on DVD. The first 2 parts seek to reduce to absurdity the rise of wasteful wars and rule by nationalist barbarians. The 3rd part speculates that progress and exploration toward the moon and beyond is the key to ensuring a meaningful use of human talents and resources. It has speeches that some viewers dismiss as naive or bombastic but that make others tingle with excitement. It depicts a space gun/launcher and a helicopter, along with inventive mass communication devices, elevators, flat screen panels, and wireless intercoms. It's probably incorrect about windowless buildings in the future. But it portrays a child-like vision of boundless scientific/technological investigation. To me, it seems like a movie about a group of rational minded thinkers guided by a Spinozean-like morality in their quest to immortalize themselves and live ethically through scientific advancement and a unified world government. The pro-progress characters (such as the two Cabals) believe humanity could 'live forever' by preserving our experiments and progress for future generations, always standing on our humanity as if on the shoulders of giants. Arthur C. Clarke (author of 2001: A Space Odyssey) suggested this film to Stanley Kubrick as an example of an excellent SF movie. Kubrick hated it and said he would never watch another movie based on Clarke's suggestions (source: Clarke's special millennial introduction to his 2001 novel). Though the late Clarke kept suggesting it at the top of his list whenever someone asked him about the best SF movies. It has a beautiful Menzies art design, but mediocre special effects (esp. the toy tanks). I personally loved it and think it excellently captures the zeitgeist of modernity. It is a bit naive about the plausibility of creating a society without crime for an extended period of time. It also seems implausible about the inevitability of progress. It seems to me we could just as easily go right back to the dark ages or at least become so stagnant in science that we kill ourselves off through overpopulation or through our inability to escape the next major natural disaster. But it nicely portrays the importance of taking risks against public and nanny outrage for potential threats of space accidents and deaths. It challenges us to choose the side of progress over our desires for safety or comfort or happiness: CABAL: "Too much [rest] and too soon, and we call it death. But for MAN no rest and no ending. He must go on--conquest beyond conquest. This little planet and its winds and ways, and all the laws of mind and matter that restrain him. Then the planets about him, and at last out across immensity to the stars. And when he has conquered all the deeps of space and all the mysteries of time--still he will be beginning" (quotes from screenplay). If this sounds like a rationalization for devoting all of society to progress, then the council members (of the world government) will seem like technocrats. But actually those "technocrats" allow their citizens to become artisans and to pursue other passions freely. Plus the pro-progress council members would have to be suppressed by government bans, laws against science and experiment, and other mandates and restrictive uses of power that would turn their critics into the tyrants. In fact a huge group of rebels in the plot feel belittled by all the council's developments of science and technology, so they try to put a stop to progress and an end the council's freedom to experiment. The progress oriented council will not suppress the free speech of the rebels though, only preparing its 'peace gas' in times of emergency and merely wanting the freedom and space to pursue its progress. So it's also a story about the freedom to do science, just as much as it's about the wonders of progress. Many people in our society would actually agree with some of these basic premises, except in cases of social bias (many want to ban cloning, for example) or fear/reason (some believe we aren't ready for advanced science/technology since we might destroy ourselves). But Cabal (the president of the council) has an answer to the problem of danger: "Our [scientific] revolution did not abolish death or danger. It simply made death and danger worth while" (screenplay).
3. Blade Runner, Dir. Ridley Scott, 1982, 84.6/A. Based on a novel by Philip K. Dick (P.K.D.): Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Includes replicants, an intricate empathy test, an Esper picture analyzer, genetic engineering (eyes, tiny logos), massive advertising (airships, moving images), and hover crafts/flying cars. It asks whether we ought to extend ethical consideration to replicants when we know they are machines and when Deckard must use a complicated Voight-Kampf empathy test to try to detect them, i.e. when Tyrell designs them to be "more human than human." Blade Runner is dense with SF gems and it has a strong sense of realism. None of the technology is anthropomorphized, which would horrify Disney or viewers who demand an emotional center to help them make a connection to the characters (some critics bash the Matrix trilogy for similar reasons). It's eye imagery represents the "Orwellian eye" of powerful industrial giants (DVD commentary), but it seems more likely to me that it should symbolize Orwellian governments, at least in the current climate. But Blade Runner succeeds in imagining a world resourceful enough to engineer advanced androids. We see the specialization of scientists and all sorts of moral, political, and philosophical problems associated with human-android relations. Some of the philosophical questions have been influential for movies concerned with arguing that the defining features of our humanity are murky (especially the Ghost in the Shell movies). Ridley Scott didn't think much of the novel, and P.K.D. hated early versions of the script (but he changed his mind once he saw the movie, writing that it excellently captured the setting he had imagined for his book). But Ridley Scott achieves an excellent portrayal of a futuristic cityscape with a unique and compelling vision of the future on Earth. It influenced many SF authors, such as William Gibson, who says he had to run off to rewrite his book, Neuromancer, after seeing the film since it looked so much better than anything in his book (source: interview for The Sci-Fi Files).
4. Primer, Dir. Shane Carruth, 2004, 66.3/C+. Includes an extremely cheap looking quantum time machine, but it's the ideas that make this low budget movie so high on the list. Two independent experimenters accidentally invent a time machine. This is one of the great visions of technological advancement in that science and technology does not always progress intentionally and colorfully, it could just be a couple guys out in their garage making an unexpected discovery. In his search through the history of science Shane Carruth found that "whether it involved the history of the number zero or the invention of the transistor, two things stood out. First, the discovery that turns out to be the most valuable is usually dismissed as a side-effect. Second, prototypes almost never include neon lights and chrome. I wanted to see a story that was more in line with the way real innovation takes place" (official site). Primer goes on to speculate about the possibility of time travel by use of quantum theory, so this kind of time travel produces an interesting replication side effect. The story is told in a jigsaw puzzle and the script has some witty comments about scientific discovery and causation.
5. Colossus -- the Forbin Project, Dir. Joseph Sargent, 1970, NA. Based on a novel by D. F. Jones: Colossus. Includes two supercomputers and a novel vision of computer led progress. Imagines a situation in which two governments (U.S. & Russia) decide to give super-computers control of their respective nuclear weapons, replacing flawed human decision-making with superior processing and hard cold logic. (By the way, The Terminator movies also portray humans giving weaponry controls to a 'Skynet'.) The two machines develop a new mathematical language, advance us years in science, and take control of a few things too. Who says the humans always have to win? Related Links: IMDB, MRQE, Wikipedia.
6. The Andromeda Strain, Dir. Robert Wise, 1971, 67.1/C+. Based on the excellent novel by Michael Crichton. Includes a medical computer, automated decontamination systems, robotic arms, and SF questions about new forms of life. The epitome of SF: A team of elite scientists uses an intricate and secret underground research lab to investigate alien microorganisms (before it is too late). The novel includes discussions about the most likely alien lifeforms, co-evolution of life, and skepticism over the survival value of human intelligence.
7. The Matrix Trilogy, Dir. The Wachowski Brothers, 1999-2003. PR: 80.8/A- (M1), 68.5/B- (M2), 60.4/C- (M3). Just for starters it includes a computer simulated reality program, training and educational programs zapped straight to human memory, hover crafts, EMPs (Electro-Magnetic Pulses), and many designs of machines. Or it's simply the green coded world, with lots of martial arts & gunfights! The first movie is a likely SF classic, and the second tells us more about the matrix world. Watch for all the philosophical questions (such as skepticism, freewill, self-knowledge, dualism, Neo as ubermensch), the idea that the human mind can be hacked into just like a computer, causation themes, machine superiority against human resistance, and human reliance on machines.
8. Forbidden Planet, Dir. Fred Wilcox, 1956, 78/B+. Has an advanced robot (Robby!), a machine for improving human intelligence, supercomputers for running an ancient alien civilization (the Krell), a hover craft, and semi-virtually projected creatures (or a dangerous materializing-Freudian-id!). It is a movie rich in ideas as a Star Trek-like crew investigates a planet (Altair IV) and unknowingly run into a lot of trouble and a tempest (based on a Shakespearean theme). Roddenberry says it influenced his vision of Star Trek; its influence is very obvious in the first aired episode of Star Trek: The Original Series ("The Man Trap", 1966). Related Links: IMDB, MRQE, Wikipedia, GP, Transcript.
9. Minority Report, Dir. Stephen Spielberg, 2002, 77/B+. Based on a short story by P.K.D.: Minority Report. I initially hated the idea of the pre-cog seers, but I can't help appreciating the thought provoking consequences that result from this scenario. The pre-cogs were apparently part of genetic experimentation, so we also get a few glimpses of futuristic, genetically altered plants. In any case, it portrays a detailed futuristic city and excellent technology. Includes cool spider-robots, an ultra futuristic public transport system, computer chips so cheap that they come with many common products (like musical cereal boxes), awesome computer graphics, e-papers, personalized advertisements, and automatic eye identification sensors in common public places (raising major issues of privacy).
10. Ghost in the Shell & Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Dir. Mamoru Oshii, 1996/2004. PR: 75.5/B+ (G1), 68.6/B- (G2). Based on the manga of Masamune Shirow. Includes lots of androids, invisibility tech, mental implants for expanded access to the world's information, and sentient programs/ghosts. Both are serious anime movies with extraordinary visual and imaginative elements. They are influenced by Blade Runner in their tendency to question the line between humans and machines. But Oshii's Ghost in the Shell (GITS) movies have flashy contemporary-looking technology and eastern influences. Interestingly, his ghost/body dualism seems to extend to computer information or programs in a network. Oshii's visions often take place in what he calls 'borderline realms' (such as an Internet). In GITS-2 lookout for the memory hacking, loop traps, and humans as the birth of A.I.! It does have some long artsy sequences for songs and parades, witty speeches, and literary quotes in GITS-2.
11. Jurassic Park, Dir. Stephen Spielberg, 1993, 75.7/B+. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton. Portrays gene sequence manipulation and an automated park. It doubts our human hubris and discredits underground, undisciplined, business driven attempts to manipulate the near infinite varieties of nature (the author of the book pushes this theme in many of his novels, such as in The Andromeda Strain and Next, but he loves the traditional practice of science by academics like Einstein who had a conscience for any negative side effects of our scientific power). I love the computer hacker scenes, the chaos theory wisecracks (but they are better in the book), all the sciency stuff whether in digging for bones or talking about plants, and the dinosaurs are cool.
12. Star Trek: First Contact, Dir. Jonathan Frakes, 1996, 73.8/B. Includes nanotechnology, borgized people, networking technology, various types of borg implants, warp engines, and an android. It explores the importance of discovering intelligent alien life and the birth of Roddenberry's vision of the future. The Borg, a network of zombie-like drones with a collective-consciousness, use time travel to try to assimilate humans into their collective. Jonathan Frakes says he was influenced by 2001 in scenes like the zero gravity mission outside the ship (DVD commentary). Now it's time for an introduction to one of the best Star Trek inventions ... watch this video documentary on the Borg!
13. Gattaca, Dir. Andrew Niccol, 1997, 72.8/B. Presents a future in which we bestow reverence and rank (in the workplace and society) on those with a genetic predisposition and statistical likelihood to be the best, but its system turns into harsh discrimination (as the moralizing voice over will not let the viewer forget). Parents in this world get to choose desirable genes for their children to promote good health or artistic talent, which is important since everyone has personalized gene analysis reports that guide their social worth and options. One must have the right genes to become an astronaut, for example. Quick samples of DNA (from blood, urine, or other bodily source) serve as primary identification, which further ties one's identity to genetics. Ethan Hawke's character strives to qualify for space missions despite his genetic limits. His struggle and character growth (through hard work and flexibility) demonstrates our unique human ability to adapt and overcome genetic predispositions and social obstacles. Humans really are clever sometimes! But perhaps we are clever enough to consider more variables than just genes, making parts of the scenario implausible.
14. Contact, Dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1997, 70/B-. Based on the novel by Carl Sagan. Smartly portrays themes concerning SETI, scientific inquiry, and science vs. religion. Includes computer aided radio astronomy equipment and a speculative alien space transporter. Computers are absolutely essential in this kind of radio astronomy and it usually takes supercomputers or cloud computing to make SETI projects possible (see the SETI project at Berkeley for example). It seems to mimic and improve the method of alien contact in This Island Earth and exudes a love for science. Would we cooperate enough on so large a scale to advance science and promote discovery? The book was Carl Sagan's first and only novel (and a huge bestseller at the time), coming after his very successful Cosmos series, and it contains much more scientific fascination and detail than the movie of course.
15. Total Recall, Dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1990, 69.8/B-. Based on a short story by P.K.D.: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. Douglas Quaid/Hauser gets a memory implant of a Mars vacation at Total Recall. I like the scene in which a man tries to convince Quaid/Hauser that he is dreaming (while Quaid/Hauser feels wide awake). But Quaid/Hauser doesn't believe him after the man sweats (as if that would be a good reality test...I don't think so!). Also has a tennis coach program/hologram, a robo taxi service, a vision of a populated Mars, terraforming, and behaviorism.
16. TRON, Dir. Steven Lisberger, 1982, 68.5/B-. Includes the legendary SF creation -- the Master Control Program (or, perhaps, just my personal vote for most power hungry computer program), which was created by no one single person -- and the security Tron program and a far-fetched digitizing machine. A game designer is digitized and downloaded into a video game world. It portrays programs that are skeptical of intelligent design and place faith in 'users' while battling an MCP (master control program) that is intent on total domination. Like Blade Runner, some, at first, might think that it is slow and tiresome, but after you give it a chance to draw you in, you are likely to appreciate its visual and intelligent aspects. End of line.
17. Alien, Dir. Ridley Scott, 1979, 84/A; & Aliens, Dir. James Cameron, 1986, 85.8/A+. Contains many SF themes such as a central computer and an alien race, along with a heavy dose of spaceships, androids, cryogenic freezers, and controlling corporations. In the first film, I especially like the patient opening space sequence, the investigation of the alien-infested spaceship, and the creative H. R. Giger designs. In the second film, Aliens, a group of marines enlist Ripley as an adviser to help investigate a terraforming colony (on LV-426). The marines have all sorts of weapons technology and an android (Bishop), but they bring along a watchful corporate official who secretly wants to preserve aliens for their immense biological warfare potential. The Voyage of the Beagle by A.E. Van Vogt (an influential book for the writers of Alien; free for online reading, but with ads).
18. The Day the Earth Stood Still, Dir. Robert Wise, 1951, 79.4/A-. B&W. Based on a story by Harry Bates: Farewell to the Master. Includes the traditional flying saucer, a ray gun effect, and a cool guardian robot. A Martian (Klaatu) displays a love for peace by use of robotic force, and (Einstein-like) scientists are sought as ambassadors to unite our warring planet of divided nations. I was surprised how forceful and noble this movie is since a quick glance at a summary makes the movie seem superficial, but the full idea of the robot (Gort) is fascinating and also the high esteem held for scientists (such as portraying an Einstein-like scientist and having Klaatu discuss science with an excited human child). In the short story the robots are in charge! Related Links (Limited): IMDB, MRQE, Wikipedia, GP, Script.
19. Fantastic Voyage, Dir. Richard Fleischer, 1966, 69.4/B-. See the novel by the same name by Isaac Asimov. An excellent illustration of a voyage to the small [also look for The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) and Innerspace (1987)]. In the plot a scientist invents stable and longer lasting miniaturization technology, but he gets injured before he teaches his discoveries to anyone, locking the secrets to how the improved technology works in his mind. So a doctor and some military personal use a miniature vessel (the Proteus) to help heal the scientist. Most such ideas about the micro world lack explicit scientific credibility, but they allow us to adopt a different perspective and to use similar thought processes that some scientists use in thought experiments. For example, Carl Sagan compares us to little universes (Cosmos #2), Einstein used various thought experiments in his thinking, and, more recently, Brian Greene pretends to travel to the minute quantum level as an analogy to quantum concepts (see The Elegant Universe). Related Links (Limited): IMDB, MRQE, Wikipedia, GP, Transcript, Crowther's Chirpy Review.
20. Logan's Run, Dir. Michael Anderson, 1976, 65.1/C+. Based on the novel by William F. Nolan and George C. Johnson. Showcases a civilization policed by sandmen (privileged police officers) and governed by strict age limits and religious-conditioning (involving beliefs about 'afterlife renewal'). The best part is its portrayal of a hedonist lifestyle that encourages sandmen to summon beautiful people from some sort of teleportation system! Includes an authoritarian computer, imaginative technology, cosmetic surgery, and quite a weak ending.
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Summary Tags: Find the best science fiction movies ever for technology, computers, and related science or speculative ideas with the top 20 SF movies and the next best Sci-Fi films. Don't miss the new poll of polls list of the top 100 science fiction movies of all time (as rated by critics and users). Continue to part 2 (see link above) for a table of computers, androids, and related tech/science or speculative themes in film; and read the honorable mentions and my personal reflections on the state of technology and science in Sci-Fi movies.
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Great article, Rizar. Thank you for taking the time and effort to put it together.
Thanks also to those who provided comments, many as interesting as the original article.
Regarding the film "Gog," I am old enough to have seen that one in a theater (with my parents) and I still remember it a half century later! If you can find it, see it.
Thanks. Well, "Gog" isn't on Netflix/Amazon ... too bad. Maybe if enough people request it some site somewhere will provide it!
Most sites that allow you to watch it online have safety problems, but this one looks possible (I can't try it with dialup):
http://motionempire.com/Watch_Gog_-1954-_Movie_Online_for_Free_8162.html...
I tried it. You get a pretty low-res version but I watched anyway.
The lesson is that if you have a pleasant memory, just leave it alone. The film is now hopelessly dated and more than a little cheezy. It hasn't held up like "Forbidden Planet" or even "Destination Moon". *sigh*
I guess there's a good reason why you can't find it on DVD.
If you think 2001 Space Odyssey is the best, then I don't think much of your review. 2001 Space Odyssey may be in competition for the worst, most boring, movie of all time--science fiction or otherwise.
Although '2001' got mixed reviews initially, on average '2001' gets extremely high critic averages (88.3 AVG for Metacritic/RT/MRQE, compared to 88.5 for Metropolis), so it would be second highest for critics of all the movies I sampled for SF (of all time, excluding "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" -- since it only gets a single critic source with its high RottenTomatoes score).
It's also high on SF and non-SF lists when critics are the judges, such as #6 on the highly regarded BFI Sight & Sound list (http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/critics-long.html / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Films_considered_the_greatest_ever). And it tops the OFCS list and is high on the AFI list.
But it also trickles onto populist lists, such as #5 on Peter Sykes' top 100, which is based on user ratings and user suggestions. And it's #11 on my poll of polls list, which includes user ratings as 50% of its final score. It's lowest rating comes from Netflix at 3.7 (*20=74/B), but it has high user ratings on IMDB (A) and RottenTomatoes (A). It gets a B from Yahoo.
In general the more regular people you average, the lower its standing (as on Netflix, and Blockbuster probably: in the B range), but the opposite is true with critics (it goes straight to the top to A+). And on smaller samples of user ratings it gets A to B ratings.
I personally think it's a masterpiece and has a great sense of the possibilities of our humanity. But I feel your pain, but more so for movies like "Gone with the Wind" (also a cherished classic by many) which puts me straight to sleep every time (so far). I had problems with "2001", "Blade Runner", and "Tron" initially, but over time I came to appreciate and enjoy them, and now I can re-watch films like them over and over and always find something else to like in them.
Your comment about "regular people" is very astute. I think the majority of professional movie critics outsmart themselves. They may have particular reasons for liking a movie, but the overall movie-watching experience is what counts in my book. 2001 is painfully boring, regardless of the artistic awe that some ascribe to it. I give it a 3 on a scale of 1 to 100. (I give a root-canal a 5.)
What about five past midnight? Great sci-fi film upstaged by crap spoof Groundhog day.
One of the very best SciFi movies of the pre-Star Trek era is Battle In Outer Space by Toho Studios Japan. Readers who are too young to remeber this era should treat themselves. A very good movie!
Jerry DeN
I think that Space 1999 and the legendary Moonbase Alpha was inexplicably omitted. A British science-fiction television series.
We all remember how it started. Nuclear waste from Earth stored on the moon explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the moon out of its orbit and sending it and the 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling uncontrollably into outer space. The series was the last produced by the partnership of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, famous for the TV series Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Fireball XL5, and UFO.
(1975-77)
Wes
Regards
Thanks, Rizar, for an amazing compilation of amazing movies. I have passed it on to my family and friends, even those not known to be sci-fi buffs, just because you did such a geat job.
Thanks again!
Two more you might want to consider in your "Other Science Fiction" films list are:
The Questor Tapes, Dir. Richard A. Colla, 1974, and
Android, Dir. Aaron Lipstadt, 1982.
Both films fit your scientific-progress theme in that in both, scientists advance the state of robotics and artificial intelligence by creating artificial humans.
Jon
How can an article about computers in SF movies fail to include Demon Seed or Zardoz?
As a sci-fi fan from childhood I really liked this movie roundup. Thanks.
Same here - Looking forward to exploring it. Thanks Rizar!
It's nice to see so many personal favorites here, and it is worth making special mention of two of the directors represented by these films, William Cameron Menzies ("Things to Come;" "Invaders From Mars") and Robert Wise ("The Day the Earth Stood Still"). Those interested readers who look them up might be more than a little surprised by what they discover.
To this list I would offer the following additions (by no means complete):
"The Thing (From Another World)" (1951) is a true classic of the genre (no less than author Michael Crichton called this "the best Science Fiction film ever made"). Though departing from John W. Campbell, Jr.'s original 1938 novella "Who Goes There?", this picture still more than holds its own, with fine acting and production value. While the directing credit goes to producer Howard Hawks' long-time film editor Christian Nyby, the picture is covered with Hawks' fingerprints (the rapid-fire dialogue he perfected in "His Girl Friday," the elements of screwball comedy). In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed this film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. **
"When Worlds Collide" (1951), a big-budget Technicolor picture based on the 1932 novel of the same name, was directed by the legendary Rudolph Maté and won the 1951 Academy Award for Special Effects. More than a half-century later, this is still a compelling, well-acted and thought-provoking film.
"The Magnetic Monster" (1953) is a little gem of a film with an unusually well-written and literate script. Produced by Ivan Tors (who also co-produced Science Fiction Theater, which ran two seasons on television, from 1955-57) and directed by Curt Siodmak, it's a truly novel science fiction film in terms of its rather cerebral plot and low-key, quietly intense execution and stands up remarkably well today - more than fifty years after its release. Much of the special effects were lifted (quite effectively) from the remarkable 1934 German film "Gold." **
"GOG" (1954), produced by Ivan Tors and directed by Herbert L. Strock was shot in widescreen, color and 3-D (though it was released at the end of the 3-D craze and therefore shown conventionally in most venues). A typical Tors picture, like "Magnetic Monster" it was based more on the extrapolation of science fact rather than science fantasy, and upon its release garnered generally "good" to "very good" reviews. With an effective cast and production value, this story of computer-driven technology running amok is well worth seeking out.
"This Island Earth" (1955) was one of the last films to be shot in three-strip Technicolor. Based on the novel of the same name by Raymond F. Jones and directed by Joseph M. Newman, the film was hailed at the time by critics and audiences alike for its ground-breaking special effects, dazzling color photography and well-written script.
"X: The Unknown" (1956) is a relatively little-known picture from the British Hammer Studios that is recommended by an above-average script, acting and production value. Released two years before Steve McQueen's debut picture, "The Blob," one can't help but wonder if "X" had had an effect on that film.
"Kronos (Ravager of Planets)" (1957), is a science fiction film directed by Kurt Neumann. In the years since its release, Kronos has been widely praised both for its above-average storyline and its farsighted portrayal of the consequences of the overconsumption of resources, achieving a minor cult status. An above-average script and decent special effects make this eminently watchable. **
"Robinson Crusoe on Mars" (1964) is a little-known, yet surprisingly well-made, picture that has also stood up quite nicely over the years; indeed, it puts a number of more recent (and much better-known) films to shame. Directed by Byron Haskin (who also directed the 1953 "War of the Worlds"), much of the principal photography was done in Death Valley. It was released for the first time on DVD by The Criterion Collection in 2007. **
"Crack in the World" (1965) has an interesting premise. Alas, as it turned out, the picture was released just a few years before plate tectonic theory became mainstream (and the commonly-accepted fact of today). Nevertheless, with its fine acting, photography and production value, this is still an enjoyable sci-fi film.
Decent, full-length transfers of films market with ** (and many others) can be downloaded for free at http://www.veoh.com/search/videos/q/publisher:andy249
Wow, thanks!
I added The Thing to the list as it was hidden in the same way as Soylent Green with a mere mention of its literary base.
"This Island Earth" is loaded with interesting sci-fi ideas, even though it failed to hold my attention very well. Maybe I'll take another look at it and also "When Worlds Collide".
I want to see "Gog" but have had trouble finding it. I'll keep a look out for the others as well as I haven't seen them yet.
Yes, those are two excellent directors. Wise also directed the classic Andromeda Strain. I listened to a DVD commentary (for the new release of The Day the Earth Stood Still) in which the director of Star Trek II, Meyer, fired highly scholarly and probing questions to poor Robert Wise. Wise answered the way I usually answer such artsy and complicated questions...shrug shoulders, say very little, answer quickly! Though it's a top-notch commentary just to hear Meyer pose all his well thought-out questions, even if they sounded a bit odd to Wise.
Even better, though, is the raw 1966 radio interview of Stanley Kubrick. One of the very best special features ever! It comes with the new "2001" DVD (released in 2007).
Well, you're most welcome, Rizar - but really, thanks must go to you for creating this page (and, of course, to Gizmo for creating the site)!
Not to go too far afield, but film music is often overlooked and yet can add significantly to the cinematic experience - even with science fiction. John Williams' grand Wagnerian symphonic score for "Star Wars" (1977, and the subsequent films in the franchise) and Michael Nyman's minimalistic score for "Gattaca" (1997) are but two very different examples (and, though the 'small screen', the music from "The Twilight Zone," "The Outer Limits" and "Star Trek" are still well-remembered today; some may even recall the classic theme from "Science Fiction Theater" of the late '50s). William Cameron Menzies commissioned British composer Sir Arthur Bliss to score "Things To Come." If you can find a copy of the CD entitled "Bernard Herrmann Conducts Great British Film Music" (Decca/London 448-954-2), you will hear the suite of the film's score in a performance that I doubt will ever be equaled, let alone surpassed (and would certainly be forgiven if the performance of the Epilogue moved you to tears).
With "Invaders From Mars" (a U.S. release; the British version had a somewhat different ending), Menzies' use of a wordless choir to create an other-worldly sound effect was most effective (and a technique later employed by Stanley Kubrick with the music of György Ligeti for "2001: A Space Odyssey").
Though not science fiction per se, "Fail-Safe" (1964), expertly directed by Sidney Lumet from the critically-acclaimed novel by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler, is another riveting cautionary tale about misplaced faith in sophisticated technology and the possible ramifications therefrom (as in "Colossus - The Forbin Project"), perfectly enunciated in this exchange:
KNAPP: "The more complex an electronic system gets,
the more accident-prone it is.
Sooner or later, it breaks down ....
A transistor blows, a condenser burns out.
Sometimes they just get tired, like people...."
GROETESCHELE: "But Mr. Knapp overlooks one thing.
The machines are supervised by humans.
Even if the machine fails, the human being
can always correct the mistake."
KNAPP: "I wish you were right. The fact is
the machines work so fast, they are so intricate,
the mistakes they make are so subtle
that very often a human being can't know
if a machine is lying or telling the truth."
Of course, the obvious comparison will be made to Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964), based on the novel "Red Alert," by Peter George (originally published in the UK as "Two Hours to Doom" under the pseudonym of Peter Bryant). It was not a comedy (nor was it as well-written as the Burdick-Wheeler novel). Kubrick and George turned it into the black comedy classic it became.
With Kubrick having substantially more clout than Lumet at that time, George suing Burdick and Wheeler for plagiarism and Columbia Pictures releasing both films, though "Fail-Safe" was 'in the can' first, it was held back - and the movie-going public got to yuck-it-up over the prospect of nuclear annihilation. After all, the Cold War had recently heated to a boil with the Cuban Missile Crisis, Stanley Kramer's film "On the Beach" (1959) hadn't yet faded from the minds of the public - and President Kennedy had just been assassinated. People needed to laugh, if even at a black comedy.
Niels Bohr's famous quip, "There are things that are so serious that you can only joke about them," notwithstanding, an earnest discussion on trying to avert the total destruction of the planet is deadly serious - and on every level, "Fail-Safe" remains a riveting and truly outstanding film.
Wow, this is great! I've watched a couple of technology-related films lately, including older ones. I'll make sure to look at a lot of these.
Thanks, Rizar.
My fall-time favourite sci-fi, other than 2001 ASO, is Soylent Green. I'm ratehr surprised at its non-rating here. It covers the key mega-science issues of today: overpopulation and global warming.
Thanks Rizar. I really enjoyed this post. I've seen all but "Primer" in your top 20, and it was already on my to-see list. From the rest I have added "Avalon" and "The Final Cut" to my to-see list. It's not often I find a science fiction movie list that contains decent movies I'm not aware of.
Here are two movies you might want to consider in your "Other Science Fiction Films" section, if you haven't already considered and rejected them.
La Jettée, Dir. Chris Marker, 1962
Dreamscape, Dir. Joseph Ruben, 1984
Dreamscape may not be science fiction as your article describes science fiction, however, I think the processes of consciousness, thought, and dreaming represent enigmas to the current state of scientific understanding, that must someday be addressed and explained. Hopefully, as in Dreamscape, computers and technology will help us achieve that understanding.
In your remarks on "Things to Come" you might want to change "Clarke still loves it" to "Clarke loved it" since Clarke died in March 2008.
Thanks for the movie lists and interesting article.
Jon
Anybody seen the rough trailer for Tron 2?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/
http://tron-2-trailer.blogspot.com/
Too much to digest in one sitting, but something jumped out:
Solaris. By Stanislaw Lem, not Stanislaw Lern.
I think you may have missed a trick with Star Wars. Something it did that might have been genuinely innovative: the technology often looked old, used, grubby -- like it would if it were real -- which most sf films previously had never really done; tech was shiny, clinical and sterile, very often.
You mentioned Harlan Ellison. He once suggested that a better label than sci-fi was "speculative fiction" and I'd agree with it. So anything that says "what if...?" is sf. You might argue that's too broad but I'd say most other definitions are too narrow!
Thanks for the correction.
The Star Wars comment reminded me of the recent Hubble mission. All the work was televised live on the NASA channel.
It was a mixture on this issue. All the technology had to be extremely clean, clinical, and sterile. They didn't even want the astronauts to touch certain pieces of equipment and they made them inspect their gloves before touching anything. Technology often has to be protected by radiation shielding, which is shiny! Sorry to be so contrary this morning!
Though, I have also seen footage of the ISS and it is anything but orderly; though, again, whenever the technology is concerned, it still has to be treated clinically as in "2001."
The one major difference is that it's smaller, so they tend to store supplies all over the place. So the ISS is a bit cluttered at times, but still they have to be very careful with the instruments and technology since they don't want to constantly recalibrate, replace, and correct their data for any experiments they do.
Yes, you are right about my view of sf. Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Groundhog Day, Memento, and The Truman Show are all excellent thought experiments, but definitely not sf in my view. But your sort of definition is very popular and is more fit as a practical classification of the history of sf (I tried to capture my version of it in the 1% third definition). The Sobchack definition I quote in the article is basically the same idea but a little more restrictive.
Um, very nice, but what has this got to do with reviewing free software?
It's interesting that CNET now has a section on "Webware," which basically lists and discusses in a blog many web services. It's amazing the way we can share information over the Internet nowadays.
There are also articles on free books online, Charles Darwin, and the history of computers; none of which discuss free "software" per se.
I'm surprised with Metropolis getting such short shrift with it really being the first 'full length' film with a robot. It really kicked off the genre.
-John
Ah, it's mainly because I agree with H. G. Wells' review of it. He actually wrote the review in 1927 just after he saw the film and even then he thought it had outdated technology and an implausible vision.
H. G. Wells on "Metropolis" (1927):
http://erkelzaar.tsudao.com/reviews/H.G.Wells_on_Metropolis%201927.htm
The robot is more a "mechanical monster" of sorts and is not really based on ones and zeros like we would portray a modern robot, which is evidenced a little when it magically transforms into a female humanoid -- Frankenstein all the way.
But it loses points big time for its lack of sci-fi ambiance. It is more about social harmony than about scientific or technological advance. It's interesting that Roger Ebert compares "Dark City" to "Metropolis" in his commentary for the "Dark City" DVD. But he has great difficulty saying that either is sci-fi. And, in fact, the message and emotional ambiance of "Metropolis" has much more in common with an anti-rationality film like "Dark City" in my view than it has in common with "Things to Come".
As far as personal likes are concerned, I liked the skeleton imagery and their excellent theme song in Lang's "Metropolis." But otherwise I agree with Wells.
You forgot Equilibrium with Christian Bale, a 1984-like future without emotions and feelings. Very nice one !
What happened to this site. I wish the old two pages of info were still up. I gave up a little while ago when I read an article that just ahd a bunch of links and a "find out for yourself" attitude. Now here's one that has absolutely nothing to do with freeware!
Sorry Gizmo, I was a fan up until you went wiki and things went to hell.
The "old two pages list" is still here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/top-freeware-picks-category-edit...
Plus about 3000 additional pages of information that weren't on the old site including reviews of over 1000 freeware products.
I thank for your kind thoughts about my old site but frankly the new site is much better and a credit to all the volunteers who work on it.
And sure there is some material on this site not related to freeware but there was on my old site and in my old newsletter.
So nothing much has changed other than things have got bigger and better.
Gizmo
You're anonymous (like me) so I'm guessing you weren't a donating fan, nor apparently from your comment an open-minded one either. Should you have considered the typical(?) users of this site to be the techno-files, geeks and nerds that we are, you might have realized that this type of information is right up our alley. If you had shown more forethought and understanding in your reply...a well written argument of why such information shouldn't be posted on this site...and added to the discourse, rather than whining about change(s) you don't personally concur with, or if you contributed positively to the content of the site, I might say you would be missed. However, since you are anonymous and judging by this comment, I can only assume that you've not donated anything but armchair warrior gripes, and have taken a lot of free information without so much as a reach-around, and thus I wave you goodbye with enthusiasm and vigor.
Adieu,
-John
We concentrate on providing and exchanging information. Topics like this are provided for those who wish to read them; it's not compulsory.
I second that. The freeware program reviews are still there but evolving in a wiki way. They're also - I trust - easy enough to locate either from the homepage or search box. Their number is growing because of the many categories of useful freeware and thanks to community driven input. This is all virtually a physiological process.
This article on the other hand provides a stimulating and helpful directory for lots of free online material which it would take me eons to chase up through cyberspace.
Thumbs up and kudos to the editor, Rizar.
bob
I 3rd that.
I think the article is a good stimulus for discussion and a helpful listing.
For those who feel as you do about the old Gizmo approach, the Editor's Choice List hopefully will suffice (and probably should be featured more prominently).
Marvellous stuff Rizar.
Did you mention Dark Star? Sorry, I haven't manage to finish this yet, perhaps it's in there :) Can you do a Kindle version?
chris.p
Thanks chris.p!
Hackers 2 was an enjoyable film I thought. Directly relevant to computing / Internet, but not of course SF - it's real...
Well, maybe there's another category in there, then? Internet / computing tech-oriented films.
Kindle was just a joke, a big article like this needs reading on the train or something :)
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