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Date Posted: 13:47:41 02/21/08 Thu
Author: Officer Torch
Subject: Monsters in Science Fiction Movies

Well, the lunar eclipse/full moon event last night brought back some memories from yesteryear. While I did not turn into a werewolf or experience bizarre events, I recalled scifi movies from bygone days. If you're a boomer, war baby, offspring thereof, or simply an oldies scifi fan, perhaps you might like to share, add, comment here.

As kids, we'd scare one another..and ourselves too! Hmm..sometimes nightmares, checkin' under the bed for monsters, etc because of some shows in a theater, on TV or wherever. Maybe as we aged, and VTRs became within our reach, we somehow got ahold of the movie, and chuckled at the guy in a zippered suit or campy helmet. But to us, back then, it was perhaps scary enough. Hmm...maybe your kids had similar feelings if they were watched along with you? Aahh..they'll be ok..just counsel them properly (and don't let 'em catch you checking under your bed for monsters). OK, so here's a laundry list of sorts of...well...maybe scary monsters. All subjective, all in fun. Feel free to add, comment, critique. Some are from Universal films. Some are oldies, others more recent. With this in mind, I bid you welcome, and may the force be with you.

- This Island Earth..1955..those Mataluna Mutants with their lobster-like claws scared the daylights out of me.

- Earth vs. the Flying Saucers..1956..Those robot like outfits with characters shooting rays from cannon openings where hands should be got me good.

- The Day the Earth Stood Still..1951..Gort got me..along with the spooky music I guess.

- Invaders from Mars..1953..those Mutants and the silvery head in the goldfish bowl....whoa! I can still see that picket fence image in my minds eye from decades ago!

- The Mysterians (Japanese title was Chikyu Boeigun)..1957..that bird-like huge robot "Mogera"..Whoa!

- The Lathe of Heaven..1980 PBS version..those sea turtle like inspired aliens were eerie to say the least.

- The Black Hole 1979..a Disney movie..tell ya...that huge red killer robot Maximilian scared my son big time! (Didn't bother me though...I just had my eyes closed.)

- Aliens (movies), Independence Day...nasty looking later day scifi monsters...CG kinda, but bad lookin' anyway.

Ok..there are more, lots more. Your turn guys.

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Replies:

[> Re: Monsters in Science Fiction Movies -- Tim, 23:13:00 02/21/08 Thu [1]

Some great selections there, Officer Torch.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) It is pretty scary when Gort raises his visor just before Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) utters the magic phrase in the nick of time.

Invaders from Mars (1953) A strange and disturbing movie, surreal and effective despite its low budget.

Forbidden Planet (1956) The "id" monster conjured by Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) is one of the coolest science fiction monsters of the Eisenhower decade.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) Although not a monster by definition, that spider is certainly a terrifying monstrosity to titular character Scott Carey (Grant Williams). And it's a Universal picture.

First Men in the Moon (1964) Before CGI there was Ray Harryhausen and stop-motion animation.

Alien (1979) Classic alien-monster by H.R. Giger.

The Thing (1982) Although I think the 1951 Christian Nyby version is a better film, this John Carpenter remake is a suspenseful and effective science fiction monster picture.

Tim


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[> Re: Monsters in Science Fiction Movies -- Alan, 12:55:54 03/01/08 Sat [1]

Hi guys. It's been a long time since I've revisited the early science fiction films I enjoyed as a kid, so this thread shook loose a few long-dormant memories. Here's a few entries, in no particular order...

"This Island Earth" was never a big fave of mine, but Universal did produce several other noteworthy sci-fi films, like "The Deadly Mantis", "It Came From Outer Space", "The Incredible Shrinking Man", and my favorite, "Tarantula". I like it, but I imagine Leo G. Carroll probably wished he was back on the set of one of the six films he made for Alfred Hitchcock.

The 1951 version of "The Thing" is one of my favorites... smart, suspenseful, beautifully shot. I have a high regard for Carpenter's remake too.

Ray Harryhausen's "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers" is enjoyable, as is "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" and "It Came From Beneath the Sea". Best of all, IMO, is "20 Million Miles to Earth", with the Ymir making a shambles of Rome. I met Harryhausen at a convention in 1991; really nice guy.

The original version of "Not of This Earth" unnerved me as a kid. The aliens with dark suits and porkpie hats looked like a cross between secret-service men and The Blues Brothers...until they removed their glasses!

I found "The Vampire" (1957) recently, a pseudo-science update of vampire lore, aided tremendously by a poignant performance by John Beal.

Toho's "The Mysterians" was effective, as Officer Torch says. I like the first "Rodan" too, and an obscure scifier from them, "The H Man" (1959, I think). But the best monster film Toho ever did was their first; "Godzilla" was a darn good film, with a pre-Perry Mason Raymond Burr providing a strong lead character. The original Japanese version is even better.

The original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a fine piece of work, but as bizarre creatures go, who can forget the half man-half dog in the 1978 remake. I never have.


"The Day The Earth Stood Still" is a classic. Gort is one imposing figure, and I agree with Tim about the 'face-off' between Gort and Patricia Neal. Great stuff.


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