Friday, 15 December 2023

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The film that gave Star Trek back to the world


Directed by Robert Wise
Screenplay by Harold Livingston
Story by Alan Dean Foster
Based on Star Trek by Gene Roddenberry
Produced by Gene Roddenberry
Cinematography: Richard H. Kline
Edited by Todd C. Ramsay
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Production company: Paramount Pictures
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date: December 7, 1979
Running time: 132 minutes
Budget: $44 million]
Box office: $139 million


Cast 

William Shatner: Captain Kirk
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Nimo: Spock
DeForest Kelley DeForest Kelley: Dr. McCoy
James Doohan James Doohan: Scotty
George Takei George Takei: Sulu
Majel Barrett Majel Barrett: Dr. Chapel
Walter Koenig Walter Koenig: Chekov
Nichelle Nichols: Uhura
Persis Khambatta: Ilia
Stephen Collins: Decker
Grace Lee Whitney: Janice Rand
Mark Lenard: Klingon Captain
Billy Van Zandt: Alien Boy
Roger Aaron Brown: Epsilon Technician
Gary Faga Gary Fag: Airlock Technician
David Gautreaux: Commander Branch
John Gowans:  Assistant to Rand (as John D. Gowans)
Howard Itzkowitz: Cargo Deck Ensign
Jon Rashad Kamal: Lt. Commander Sonak
Marcy Lafferty: Chief DiFalco
Michele Billy Povill: Lieutenant (as Michele Ameen Billy)
Jeri McBride: Technician
Terrence O'Connor: Chief Ross
Michael Rougas: Lt. Cleary
Susan O'Sullivan: Woman (as Susan J. Sullivan)
Ralph Brannen: Crew Member
Ralph Byers: Crew Member
Paula Crist: Crew Member
Iva Lane:  Crew Member
Franklyn Seales: Crew Member
Momo Yashima:  Crew Member
Jimmie Booth: Klingon Crewman
Joel Kramer: Klingon Crewman
Bill McIntosh: Klingon Crewman
Dave Moordigian: Klingon Crewman
Tom Morga: Klingon Crewman
Tony Rocco: Klingon Crewman
Joel Shultz: Klingon Crewman
Craig Thomas Craig Thomas: Klingon Crewman
Edna Glover Edna Glover: Vulcan Master
Norman Stuart Norman Stuart: Vulcan Master
Paul Weber Paul Weber: Vulcan Master
Joshua Gallegos: Security Officer
Lisa Chess Lisa Chess: Yeoman
Leslie C. Howard: Yeoman
Sayra Hummel: Technical Assistant
Junero Jennings: Technical Assistant



Trailer


(Spoilers follow below.....)


“Who are they fighting?”
“Unknown, sir.”

A cloud-like ominous entity moves through deep space, having long traversed its bejewelled beauty festooned with supernova, nebulae and innumerable star systems. This mysterious luminescence is of a size that can barely be comprehended by human or extraterrestrial intelligence. It seems to defy all known concepts of size and distance.


The interstellar intruder is about to be confronted by one such extraterrestrial intelligence in the form of three Klingon heavy cruisers. On the Klingon command cruiser bridge ‘battle stations’ is sounded. From the point of view on the tactical grid, the main viewer and from the external perspective, the three diminutive ships closing on the steadily growing luminescent cloud-like entity appear puny and inadequate in comparison to the enormity of the unwelcome trespasser.


Undaunted, the ships sweep further into the mysterious cloud as if under the influence of some unknown beckoning force together with an impelling innate force located deep within the Klingon psyche and genetic makeup. The cruisers are soon dominated by the sheer immensity of the cloud that seems to dominate and consume all the available surrounding space.


The hatches of the photon torpedo launch tubes slowly slide open to reveal red-hued harbingers of death within. The order is then given to fire and the brilliant orbs of the photon torpedoes burst forth from the tubes.

On the Klingon bridge, the tactical grid displays the three torpedoes heading directly toward the Cloud and then suddenly and unexpectedly winking out of existence before reaching their intended target.

An external shot reveals the same course of action with the same result as the other ships launch their torpedoes toward the cloud. This time, however, there is a response in the form of an orb of power emanating from within the luminescence and heading directly toward the Klingon ships.

Despite evasive maneuvers, the orb strikes one of the cruisers with a bolt of energy which engulfs the vessel causing it to dematerialize. Raising defensive shields, executing evasive turns and discharging rear torpedoes at the approaching energy orbs do nothing to forestall the fate of the remaining two cruisers. The Klingons achieve an honourable death - their passage and entrance to Sto'Vo'Kor' assured.

“Sir, it's on a precise heading for Earth!”

Meanwhile at Starfleet Monitoring Station Epsilon IX, from the outside there appears to be an air of sedate almost complacent serenity surrounding this small outpost as astronaut workers lazily and quietly waft about servicing the station’s equipment. This atmosphere is about to be shattered within the installation where a report of the battle scene has come through to the monitor room.

A text translation of the Klingon commander’s voice appears on a monitor screen:

“Intruder unidentified.
Believe luminescent cloud to be enormous
Power field surrounding alien vessel.
Our sensor scans unable to penetrate.
Imperial Klingon Cruiser Amar, continuing to attack.”

The crew of Epsilon IX know that the battle has taken place “within Klingon boundaries” but not who or what the Klingon’s were fighting. After the shock of witnessing the complete annihilation of the Klingon vessel on the viewer, their minds now turn to the realisation that the cloud will pass into Federation Space fairly close to them “on a precise heading for Earth.”

Read on for more……..

Saturday, 21 October 2023

Runaway (1984)


A lesser-known 1980s sci-fi gem that deserves far greater recognition


Directed by Michael Crichton
Written by Michael Crichton
Produced by Michael I. Rachmil, Lisa Faversham, Kurt Villadsen
Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
Edited by Glenn Farr, James Coblentz
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Production company: Delphi III Productions
Distributed by Tri-Star Pictures
Release date: December 14, 1984
Running time: 99 minutes
Budget: $8 million
Box office: $6,770,587 (USA)


Cast

Tom Selleck as Sergeant Jack R. Ramsay
Cynthia Rhodes as Officer Karen Thompson
Gene Simmons as Dr. Charles Luther
Kirstie Alley as Jackie Rogers
Stan Shaw as Sergeant Marvin James
G.W. Bailey as Chief of Police
Joey Cramer as Bobby Ramsay
Chris Mulkey as David Johnson
Sullivan Walker as K.C.
Anne-Marie Martin as Hooker At Bar
Michael Paul Chan as Wilson, Vectrocon Security Guard
Babz Chula as Construction Foreperson
Marilyn Schreffler as Voice of Lois
Elizabeth Norment as Miss Shields
Carol Teesdale as Sally
Paul Batten as Harry
Betty Phillips as Linda
Stephen Thorne as Tommy
Stephen E. Miller as Rudy
Cec Verrell as Hooker
Amber Borycki as Baby (uncredited)



Sometime in a future which we have almost caught up with, robots perform domestic house-hold, agricultural, construction and many other services. The police have a specialized department tasked with investigating and resolving cases involving malfunctioning robots that pose a danger to humans. Such robots are known as "Runaways"

Trailer

Read on for more......

Wednesday, 20 September 2023

Atragon (1963)


( 海底軍艦, Kaitei Gunkan )
'The Undersea Warship'

A fairly entertaining Japanese science fiction film with impressive-looking sets and battle sequences together with a rousing music score. However, this is probably one of Toho’s and Ishiro Honda’s lesser efforts


Directed by Ishirō Honda
Screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa[1]
Based on The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure by Shunrō Oshikawa, The Undersea Kingdom by Shigeru Komatsuzaki
Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka
Cinematography: Hajime Koizumi
Edited by Ryohei Fujii
Music by Akira Ifukube
Production company: Toho
Distributed by Toho
Release date: December 22, 1963 (Japan)
Running time: 94 minutes[2]
Box office: ¥175 million


Cast

Jun Tazaki as Captain Hachiro Jinguji
Tadao Takashima as Susumu Hatanaka
Yōko Fujiyama as Makoto Jinguji
Ken Uehara as Rear Admiral Kusumi
Yū Fujiki as Yoshito Nishibe
Kenji Sahara as Umino
Hiroshi Koizumi as Detective Ito
Akihiko Hirata as Mu Agent #23
Hideyo Amamoto as High Priest of Mu
Tetsuko Kobayashi as Empress of Mu



Strange occurrences are taking place all over the world, including disappearances and kidnappings.

The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu which disappeared 12,000 years earlier has reappeared.

The Muans and their giant snakelike guardian, Manda are set to reclaim their supposed colonies and threaten the surface world with domination.

The world’s countries unite to resist.

Embittered World War ll Captain Jinguji has created the greatest warship ever seen, that may be the surface world’s only defence.

Despite appeals for assistance from the rest of the world and even from his own daughter, Jinguji is reluctant to help.

But why?

What will it take for Jinguji (still bitter about Japan’s defeat in World War II) to decide to help save civilization?

Trailer


Read on for more....

Sunday, 20 August 2023

Island of Terror (1966)


A competently directed British sci-fi / horror gem with a stirring and eerie musical score, colorful and crisp cinematography and an entertaining combination of suspense, humor and horror.


Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Edward Mann Al Ramsen
Based on an original story by Mann and Ramsen
Produced by Tom Blakely
Cinematography: Reg Wyer
Edited by Thelma Connell
Music by Malcolm Lockyer
Barry Gray (electronic effects)
Production company: Planet Film Productions
Distributed by Planet Film Distributors, Universal Studios (US)
Running time: 89 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: £70,000



Cast

Peter Cushing as Dr Brian Stanley
Edward Judd as Dr David West
Carole Gray as Toni Merrill
Eddie Byrne as Dr Reginald Landers
Sam Kydd as Constable John Harris
Niall MacGinnis as Roger Campbell
James Caffrey as Peter Argyle
Liam Gaffney as Ian Bellows
Roger Heathcote as Dunley
Keith Bell as Halsey
Margaret Lacey as Old Woman
Shay Gorman as Morton
Peter Forbes-Robertson as Dr Lawrence Phillips
Richard Bidlake as Carson
Joyce Hemson as Mrs. Bellows



An isolated remote island community is threatened by an attack from something unimaginable!

Will this small community be able to fight back against the encroaching deadly horror?


Trailer

Read on for more.....

Tuesday, 25 July 2023

Night of the Big Heat (1968)

ISLAND OF THE BURNING DAMNED
ISLAND OF THE BURNING DOOMED

A low budget but eerie, tense, gripping and effective sci-fi / horror film that let its characters tell the story


Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Jane Baker, Pip Baker, Ronald Liles
Based on “Night of the Big Heat” 1959 novel by John Lymington
Produced by Tom Blakeley, Ronald Liles
Cinematography: Reginald H. Wyer
Edited by Rod Nelson-Keys
Music by Malcolm Lockyer
Production company: Planet Film Productions
Distributed by Planet Film Distributors
Running time: 94 minutes


Cast

Christopher Lee as Professor Godfrey Hanson
Patrick Allen as Jeff Callum
Peter Cushing as Dr. Vernon Stone
Sarah Lawson as Frankie Callum
Jane Merrow as Angela Roberts
William Lucas as Ken Stanley
Percy Herbert as Gerald Foster
Kenneth Cope as Tinker Mason
Thomas Heathcote as Bob Hayward
Anna Turner as Stella Hayward
Jack Bligh as Ben Siddle
Sydney Bromley as Old Tramp



Trailer


In the middle of winter the island of Fara off the English coast is experiencing an oppressive, stifling and inexplicable heat wave, as if this little isolated heavily cloud-shrouded speck of terrestrial real estate was being deliberately subjected to the burning focused beam of a celestial magnifying glass.

Jeff and Frankie Callum run an inn called, The Swan. Jeff is a professional novelist who has supposedly hired a secretary, Angela Roberts who is in fact a younger woman with whom he had an affair. Angela has come to the island with the intention of re-kindling the affair, perhaps ending Jeff’s marriage with his wife and having him all to herself.

Also from the mainland is a strange and mysterious scientist, Godfrey Hanson who has rented a room at The Swan. This intense-looking, stern-faced individual with an abrupt, pompous and rude manner spends his time setting up motion-sensitive cameras and taking soil samples. For what purpose? Who knows?

As the temperature rises along with the mounting tension pervading the little island community, let’s see how the mystery unfolds…..


Read on for more.....

Thursday, 22 June 2023

The Power (1968)


Certainly not a classic sci-fi film, but it is an entertaining oddity with an impressive supporting cast and good production values.


Directed by Byron Haskin
Written by John Gay
Based on “The Power” by Frank M. Robinson
Produced by George Pal
Cinematography: Ellsworth Fredericks
Edited by Thomas J. McCarthy
Music by Miklós Rózsa
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-May



Cast

George Hamilton: Jim Tanner
Suzanne Pleshette: Margery Lansing
Richard Carlson: N. E. Van Zandt
Yvonne De Carlo: Sally Hallson
Earl Holliman: Talbot Scott
Gary Merrill: Mark Corlane
Ken Murray: Grover
Barbara Nichols: Flora
Arthur O'Connell: Henry Hallson
Nehemiah Persoff: Carl Melnicker
Aldo Ray: Bruce
Michael Rennie: Arthur Nordlund
Miiko Taka: Mrs. Van Zandt
Celia Lovsky: Mrs. Hallson
Vaughn Taylor: Mr. Hallson
Lawrence Montaigne: Briggs
Beverly Powers: Sylvia
Forrest J. Ackerman: Delegate A.C. Fogbottom
Daniel Elam: Scientist
William Burnside: Fun House Onlooker
Ken DuMain: Fun House Onlooker
Frieda Rentie: Fun House Onlooker
Boyd 'Red' Morgan: Merry-Go-Round Operator
Robert Deman: Young Man
Party Guests:
David Armstrong
Minta Durfee
Ed Haskett
George Holmes
Kenner G. Kemp
Joseph La Cava
John Pedrini
Anthony Redondo
Hank Robinson
Arthur Tovey
Chalky Williams

Key Scene


The power of telekinesis used not only to move just objects!

Members of a special project team being killed off one by one by means of telekinesis!

Who has the mind power to commit murder?

How can he or she be stopped?


Biologist Dr. Jim Tanner is chairman of a committee of scientists (The Committee on Human Endurance), based at the laboratory of the Space Research Commission in San Marino, CA. Tanner and the committee is tasked with tasked with;
  1. Determining the limits of human endurance involving the human body's ability to survive pain.
  2. Ascertaining the factors that would enable a human being to survive extreme physically stressful situations and make instant life-saving decisions in an emergency.
Little does Tanner realize, that he will soon find himself being pushed to the very limits of his own endurance…….


Read on for more....

Saturday, 13 May 2023

The Phantom Planet (1961)



A fun sci-fi film with minimalist production values and special effects, both matching its budgetary constraints but with interesting ideas such as anti-gravity and magnetic fields. Unfortunately, it fails to launch far enough away from the world of 1950s film sci-fi and take the viewer into the brave new world of the future. Phantom Planet will, however grow on you after a couple of viewings, especially the colourised version.


Directed by William Marshall
Screenplay by William Telaak, Fred De Gorter, Fred Gebhardt
Story by Fred Gebhardt
Produced by Fred Gebhardt
Cinematography: Elwood J. Nicholson
Edited by Hugo Grimaldi
Music by Leith Stevens
Production company: Four Crown Productions Inc.
Distributed by American International Pictures
Running time: 90 minutes



Cast

Dean Fredericks as Capt. Frank Chapman
Coleen Gray as Liara
Anthony Dexter as Herron
Francis X. Bushman as Sessom
Jimmy Weldon as Lt. Webb
Dolores Faith as Zetha
Richard Weber as Lt. Ray Makonnen
Al Jarvis as Judge Eden
Dick Haynes as Col. Lansfield
Earl McDaniels as Capt. Leonard
Mike Marshall as Lt. White
Richard Kiel as The Solarite
Merissa Mathes as Juror
Angelique Pettyjohn as Juror



Trailer

Will the real Captain Frank Chapman please stand up!

There has been a great deal of thought being devoted to the increasing use of artificial intelligence technology in recent times. On the one hand, A.I. is viewed as a useful assistive tool able to accurately handle and direct complicated and time-consuming tasks thereby freeing us to concentrate our energies on more meaningful endeavours. On the other hand, such technology is increasingly being seen as posing a potential threat to our very existence as it becomes a more pervasive fact of life in our lives.

Take the recent development of Chatbot gpt. On the surface, it’s capacity to learn, interact with users and generate relevant material is quite astounding, not to mention its potential applications. However, such technology raises the spectre of blurring the lines between what is accurate, true or factual and what is quite plainly, ‘fake.’ As it becomes more sophisticated, how will we be able to tell the difference? This may have profound implications for our very system of democracy, learning and education, the provision of news and information, and so on. Could we in fact over time become intellectually lazy (if we’re not already there) by being over-reliant on such technologies? Will we fail to detect the human-generated mistakes and biases that could gradually creep into the technology and wind up governing the way we live our lives and see reality?

If we are not careful, we may be setting the stage for our own demise as a species as our own technology simply by-passes us and views humans as being an irrelevant irritant or nuisance that needs to be replaced, superseded….
eliminated! At the very least, we may be faced with a new kind of technological and algorithmic dictatorship or tyranny.

Anyway, to lighten things up and generate a bit of thought on the matter, I have included below four journal entries written from the point of view of the protagonist, Captain Frank Chapman after the events depicted in the film, The Phantom Planet (1961.) This task will require a knowledge of the film’s plot and an exercise of imagination. One version has been written by me, a human being more or less, while the other three were composed by Chatbot gpt. Just for a bit fun, can you guess which one is the product of a human mind? No. 1, 2, 3 or 4? The answer will appear at the end of this post. (If you know the film it should be pretty obvious)


**********





No 1: Journal Entry: May 10, 1961

Captain Frank Chapman,

It's been a day since the astonishing events that unfolded on our mission to the mysterious Phantom Planet, and I find myself struggling to put into words the extraordinary experiences we encountered. The cosmos has never ceased to amaze me, but this mission has taken me to the very edge of my understanding.

We set out on this journey with hopes of exploring an uncharted asteroid, but little did we know that it held the key to a hidden world beyond our wildest imaginations. The Phantom Planet, as we came to call it, was a realm of unknown dimensions, filled with wonders and perils that stretched the boundaries of human comprehension.

Our spacecraft, the MR-1, was enveloped by a strange energy field upon entering the planet's atmosphere. It became apparent that we had been miniaturized to a microscopic size, and our entire crew found ourselves in a surreal new reality. The planet was inhabited by a race of invisible beings, who guided us through their invisible cities and taught us the secrets of their existence.

I cannot adequately describe the awe-inspiring sights we witnessed. The Phantom Planet was a tapestry of vibrant colors, floating islands, and ethereal landscapes. Every step we took brought us face to face with a breathtaking vista, as if we had been transported into a cosmic dream. The rules of physics seemed to have been rewritten, with objects defying gravity and time losing its meaning.

But amidst the beauty, danger lurked at every turn. We faced colossal beasts, hostile forces, and treacherous terrains that tested our courage and resilience. The invisible beings, who had initially aided us, became divided in their intentions, and we found ourselves caught in the middle of a conflict we barely understood.

Through it all, I relied on the unwavering loyalty and bravery of my crew. Lt. Ray Makonnen, Dr. Andre Ferneau, and Lt. Webb Sherwood stood by my side as we navigated the unknown. Their unwavering commitment to the mission and their unwavering belief in the power of discovery fueled our determination to survive against all odds.

In the end, we managed to restore harmony to the Phantom Planet and find our way back to our own dimensions. We emerged from this incredible adventure forever changed, with a renewed sense of wonder and a humbling respect for the mysteries that lie beyond our reach.

As I pen these words in the quiet confines of my cabin, I am filled with a mix of emotions. Relief, certainly, that we made it through the ordeal unscathed. But also a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to be a witness to something so profoundly extraordinary.

The Phantom Planet will forever occupy a special place in my heart and mind. It serves as a reminder that there are countless uncharted territories awaiting exploration, both within ourselves and in the vast expanse of the universe. And as long as there are dreams to chase and stars to guide us, humanity will continue to journey into the unknown, seeking answers to the questions that define our existence.

Captain Frank Chapman, Mission to the Phantom Planet


***********

Read on for more......

Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Speculations & Ruminations - The Lost Last Volume 12 of The Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook Series

Sci-Fi Film Fiesta
The Lost Last Volume 12
“Speculations &
Ruminations”


The Lost Last Volume That Was Never Meant To Be!

The Lost Last Volume 12 “Speculations & Ruminations” deals with various implications, themes and ideas that often arise out of the world of science fiction films and literature referenced in the other volumes of this eBook series.

All of this material is organised into four broad sections:

Part 1: “Going Forward”
Part 2: “Dystopia Now”
Part 3: “Poetic Ponderings”
Part 4: “Sci-Fi Future Is here & Now”

The content of this FREE volume is intended to encourage a bit of thought and debate about the world we live in, the kind of future we would (and wouldn’t) wish for ourselves and for future generations, along with an appreciation of the sometimes abused, tenuous and fragile nature of what many of us take for granted such as freedom of thought and speech and our system democracy.

CONTENTS

Introduction

**PART 1: GOING FORWARD
  • Going Forward
  • Who Will Be To Blame?
  • What If? Sci-Fi Film Scenarios
  • You will comply
  • Biometric Technology & Government Surveillance
  • Digital Dictatorship
  • Giant Leap Turns Into A Stagger

**Part 2: DYSTOPIA NOW!

  • Speech &Thought Policed & Prescribed
  • Sci-Fi & The Future of language & Thought
  • Stalinist Wasteland

  • **PART 3: POETIC PONDERINGS
    • World In Upheaval
    • O Grave New World!
    • Once more unto the Moon, dear friends, once more!
    • Technology & World Control
    • A Warning
    • Sci-Fi Blues
    • Future Fears For Now
    • The Quest For Immortality
    • Invisible Invaders*
    *
    *PART 4: SCI-FI FUTURE IS HERE & NOW
    • Mind-controlled exoskeleton suit
    • Look, Up in The Sky! Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane?No, It’s A…..Drone
    • Surveillance Society Sneaks Into Our Lives
    • Big Brother Casts A Shadow
    • To Be Known, Or Not To be Known? –THAT Is The Question!
    • Surveillance Society Starts At School
    • Gene Editing
    • 3D Printing Human Organs?
    • Pig brains partially revived four hours after death?
    • In A Pig’s Eye! Or…..

    Afterword


    The Complete Sci-Fi Film Fiesta series:

    Volume 1: “Here Be Monsters”
    Volume 2: “Into Space”
    Volume 3: “Other Worlds”
    Volume 4: “Journeys Within”
    Volume 5: “Alien Contact”
    Volume 6: “Alien Invasion”
    Volume 7: “The End Is Nigh!”
    Volume 8: “Big Bugs & Crazy Critters”
    Volume 9: “Accidents & Experiments”
    Volume 10: “Supersized & Miniaturized”
    Volume 11: “A Tribute To….”
    Volume 12: “The Lost Last Volume – “Speculations & Ruminations”


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    This will definitely be the last and final volume of the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series. There will be no 'baker's dozen! Thank you so much for reading and please check out the other volumes in this series if you haven't already done so. I'll soon get back to presenting some great classic sci-fi films of the 1960s -1980s in this blog, so stay tuned.

    Friday, 3 March 2023

    Sci-Fi Film Fiesta - Volume 11: 'A Tribute To.....' Final Volume in the eBook series


    This 11th volume “A Tribute To….” of the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta series is dedicated to the actors, directors, producers, special effects artists, writers and other involved in the pioneering work of science fiction movie making.

    Part 1: A Tribute To…. focuses on some of the prominent directors, producers, actors and special effects people involved in science fiction films of the 1950s. Brief biographical information is provided on each one, along with their contribution to the pioneering work of sci-fi film-making in the 1950s.

    Part 2: A Tribute To Classic Sci-Fi Ladies provides a brief introduction to each of the female co-stars and supporting actors in the films featured in the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series.

    Part 3: A Tribute To Science Fiction Authors references some of the works of fiction that inspired and were adapted into various classic 1950s sci-fi films.


    CONTENTS

    Introduction

    ***Part 1: A Tribute To….

    Ray Harryhausen
    George Pal
    Roger Corman
    Richard Carlson
    Jack Arnold
    Richard Denning
    Faith Domergue
    Hugh Marlowe
    Whit Bissell
    Morris Ankrum
    Ishirō Honda
    Russell Johnson
    John Zaremba
    Peter Graves
    Beverly Garland
    Paul Birch
    Peggie Castle
    Paul Blaisdell
    Val Guest
    Willis O'Brien
    John Agar
    Bert I. Gordon
    Eugène Lourié
    Warren Stevens
    Yumi Shirakawa
    Robert Wise

    ***Part 2: A Tribute to…..Classic Sci-Fi Ladies

    ***Part 3: A Tribute To…..Science Fiction Authors
    (& The Inspiration They Provided)

    John W. Campbell Jnr
    Paul W. Fairman
    W. J. Stuart
    Harry Bates
    Raymond F. Jones
    Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer
    John Wyndham
    Jack Finney
    William F. Temple
    H.G. Wells
    John Mantley
    Curt Siodmak

    I hope you'll enjoy this final volume of the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series along with the other volumes. My original intention in writing about classic science fiction films of the 1950s was to present it in the form of a book but I instead chose to do so via this blog. Having completed featuring sci-fi films of the 1950s and moving on to films of the 1960s through to the 1980s, I decided to go back to my original idea. With the amount of information such a book would encompass, I then decided to present it in a freely available eBook format consisting of 11 manageable volumes devoted to various general themes for easy reference.


    The Complete Sci-Fi Film Fiesta series:

    Volume 1: “Here Be Monsters”
    Volume 2: “Into Space”
    Volume 3: “Other Worlds”
    Volume 4: “Journeys Within”
    Volume 5: “Alien Contact”
    Volume 6: “Alien Invasion”
    Volume 7: “The End Is Nigh!”
    Volume 8: “Big Bugs & Crazy Critters”
    Volume 9: “Accidents & Experiments”
    Volume 10: “Supersized & Miniaturized”
    Volume 11: “A Tribute To….”


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    Thursday, 2 February 2023

    Volume 10: Supersized & Miniaturized - New eBook in the "Sci-Fi Film Fiesta" Series


    Sci-Fi Film Fiesta
    Volume 10:
    "Supersized & Miniaturized"



    This 10th volume in the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series features a handful of films from the 1950s, all of which have managed to achieve a kind of iconic status and a level of cultural significance. Collectively, the five featured films serve as a metaphor for much of the human condition and are therefore of relevance to audiences of any era.


    Contents
    1. The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)
    2. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
    3. Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
    4. Attack Of The Puppet People (1958)
    5. War Of The Colossal Beast (1958)

    The five featured films do depict the amazing spectacle and notion of people being enlarged in size or being miniaturized. They also have quite a lot to say to us about us and do so in some very interesting ways.


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    Keep an eye out for Volume 11: “A Tribute To…..”
    It will be the final volume?? in the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series featuring science fiction films from the 1950s.




    Saturday, 21 January 2023

    ACCIDENTS AND EXPERIMENTS: Volume 9 in the "Sci-Fi Film Fiesta" eBook series!



    SCI-FI FILM FIESTA
    Volume 9:
    "Accidents & Experiments"




    This 9th volume “Accidents & Experiments” of the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta eBook series features classic science fiction films from the 1950s whose subject matter involves discoveries and breakthroughs made through experiments or even by sheer accident. The important point about such discoveries, though are the consequences that result from them.

    The collection of entertaining cautionary sci-fi screen tales from the 1950’s raise interesting questions about humanity’s drive to command, control and master nature and treat it as if it exists purely for our own benefit, while often ignoring the price to be paid for doing so.

    Featured Films:

    • The Magnetic Monster (1953)
    • Donovan's Brain (1953)
    • Four Sided Triangle (1953)
    • The Atomic Man (1955)
    • Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)
    • The Gamma People (1956)
    • X: The Unknown (1956)
    • The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957)
    • The Unearthly (1957)
    • Teenage Monster (1958)
    • Terror from the Year 5000 (1958)
    • Curse of the Faceless Man (1958)
    • Giant from the Unknown (1958)
    • The Colossus of New York (1958)
    • The Fly (1958)
    • The H-Man (1958)
    • The Woman Eater (1958)
    • 4D MAN (1959)
    • The Manster (1959)
    • Terror Is a Man (1959)
    • The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)
    • The Killer Shrews (1959)
    • The Tingler (1959)
    • The Head (1959)
    • The Wasp Woman (1959)

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    Other eBooks in the Sci-Fi Film Fiesta series:

    Volume 1: “Here Be Monsters”
    Volume 2: “Into Space”
    Volume 3: “Other Worlds”
    Volume 4: “Journeys Within”
    Volume 5: “Alien Contact”
    Volume 6: “Alien Invasion”
    Volume 7: “The End Is Nigh!”
    Volume 8: “Big Bugs & Crazy Critters”