The MoFo Top 100 Sci-Fi Films: Countdown

I saw Jurassic Park in 1993. It didn't leave a lasting impression at all. I saw it, I came home, I skipped every sequel it had, I'm kinda sick of it but I'll let its fans have their fun.

But Independence Day.... I thought that was the greatest movie of all time when I came home from that film. Last time I watched it, which was last year, I was still blown away.

This might be the age gap between us.


I was 11 when JP came out... you were about 11 when ID4 came out.


For me, Jurassic Park was my 11 year old world.

That's a good marketing ploy... release a movie in B&W, as well as normal... makes people buy it twice and never think about the fact they can simply press a few buttons on the TV remote... for free...

It'll be like watching an art-house movie.

Forbidden Planet was my #17. It's a great old-fashioned sci-fi adventure with a strong and truthful message that gets transferred in a very effective manner. I wrote a review of it about two years ago. I'm on my phone right now so I can't quote it, but you can find it in the reviews section. I highly recommend watching this film!

Forbidden Planet (1956)



This is a really engaging and brilliantly smart classic sci-fi film that inventively exposes what could possibly be human's greatest ultimate intrinsic tragedy.



The film's Freudian theme is very cleverly metaphorized through thoughtful, seemingly unimportant details (the cook's lust for drinking, the men's lust for the daughter, etc.) and more obvious representations (the tiger jumping at the commander and the daughter, the robot being the most likable and flawless character in the whole movie, the invisible monster, etc.) during the whole film. It's really amazing how well thought out this film is. Every single aspect of it can be given meaning in the context of the film's main theme.

Even though the story very much (almost exclusively) focuses on the specific observation that's being made about human nature, the film still feels very rich, because of the high ambition that was obviously at the basis of the film's sci-fi context.
- First of all, the technical aspect of the film perfectly works, the locations look really good (especially by the standards of that time) and it's just a joy to watch it.
- Secondly, the ideas in this story are BIG and the film cleverly takes its time to explicate the film's story and environment. We really get to know and explore this film's sci-fi universe. I love that!

The film kind of made me think of Stalker in a certain (far-fetched) way. Stylistically, the films couldn't be further apart, but both movies touch on very similar topical issues, in my opinion. So, don't expect this picture to be a high level philosophical film or anything like that. It just tells an exciting sci-fi adventure that happens to have very interesting substantial aspects to it when studied more intensively. It's said to be loosely inspired by Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.

Back to the small comparison I wanted to make between both films.
In Forbidden Planet, we witness why extremely developed technology in the hands of mankind can be dangerous (it's told in a very symbolic manner, but the argument the film's making is very clear) and in Stalker, we basically get a meditation on why the existence of the "supernatural" (a sort of "wishing room" in this case) could be more dangerous than positive, when it can be manipulated by men.
In other words, two of mankind's biggest wishes are fulfilled, but ultimately seem to have unforeseen negative side effects, because there seems to be something wrong with us.

Both films basically talk about the tragic unreliability of humanity. We can't trust other people and we can't even trust ourselves, because we never fully have control over either of the two. There's a potential monster in all of us, even if there aren't any bad intentions... The point is not to be scared, but to be aware of the 'Id'-aspect of your nature. Don't deny its existence and don't be blind for its possible consequences.

"It will remind us that we are, after all, not God."

+

OH MY GOD IT ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!!

Currently watching 2009's Star Trek... flicked the colour off, put it in French, English subtitles...

IT WORKS!!!
I now have a new thang.

Do it with Young Guns. I'm sure you'll become fluent with the new language by a week.