ororama

I'm pretty sure that Logan's Run was the first movie that my brother and I saw because we wanted to see it, rather than a choice by our parents (if my mother had known about the nude scene, we wouldn't have seen the movie). We bought the novel, which was re-released a few months before, which had photos from the movie. It was an interesting early lesson in literary adaptation for film, since there was so much in the novel that couldn't be done on screen at the time.

I didn't find Logan's Run to be slow moving. Like the novel, it's structure was episodic, as they traveled from station to station, and you see Logan change as he discovers the lies that his society is built on.

The point of Jenny Agutter's nude scene (if you need a point) was that it was a replacement for a scene from the novel that would have resulted in an R rating. In the novel, Box's models for his ice sculptures are convicts sent to Hell. When he sees Logan and Jessica, he wants to use these attractive models for a nude love scene. They oblige, and it does not go well. It seems that in many adaptations of novels for the screen, there is an attempt to include as much as possible from the book to satisfy its fans, even if it doesn't add much to the movie (for example, Amanda Plummer as Ellen James in the movie The World According to Garp is unnecessary, and there is no explanation of her story, so if you haven't read the novel, you get nothing from her appearance).

Farrah Fawcett was a big factor in promotion for the movie, so I was surprised that her part was so small. I watched the movie again two years ago with my kids, and I was really impressed with her performance, one of the most unsettling aspects of the movie. She was really underrated as an actor.

The ending of the movie is cliche, but the ending of the novel is crazy and I don't think it would have worked.

I recognize its limitations, which are mostly a product of the time that it was made, but I still love Logan's Run.

BobO'Link

I wouldn't say reading the novel is a "must" but it certainly helps explain some of the more vague portions of the film. When it came out, *many* tickets were sold to people who were stoned/tripping just to see that last half hour. As much as I enjoy the film I usually skip the entire "kaleidoscope" sequence as it takes me out of the film and is rather boring. It reminds me of early rock concert light shows where they'd project the output of a camera shooting a plate of oil and drop in water colors and "jiggle" the plate to make swirls/shapes. Those were pretty boring too unless you in the "proper state of mind."

Farscape is one of my all-time-favorite SF programs - in spite of the muppets. I had lots of trouble at first accepting them and even in the later seasons would sometimes get "pulled out" of the show because of them. I just ignore them as much as possible and go along for the ride - which is quite fun. I still get mad ad SciFi (no... *not* SyFy - that's just stupid and only for trademark purposes) for cancelling the series with only *one* season left. At least the mini-series they *finally* produced (after fans gave them grief for some time) does a farily good job of wrapping things up.

BobO'Link

During last year's Horror Challenge I loaned a fellow DVDTalker and coworker, lrend, a copy of that, along with other pre-60s horror classics, to watch. She thought it was excellent and it convinced her that BW films shouldn't be avoided simply because they're BW.

I have a copy of the Olive films remastered version in the unopened pile. I can't decide if I want to watch it now or save it for October.

shadokitty

One of my ex girlfriends used to avoid black and white films altogether and wouldn't even watch the original Wolf Man, partially for that reason, but also for the make up, even though she was a werewolf fan. She has stopped to come around now though, and has began to appreciate some of the classics.

BobO'Link

What is it about girls and werewolves?

lrend is a werewolf fan and watched The Wolf Man *in spite* of it being a BW film. She liked it.

shadokitty

Minus the bonus features, I just finished Season One of Transformers. As soon as my set arrived, I opened it up and watched the last episode of Season One. The package is very well put together, and the bonus features look like they will be good too.

davidh777

Dimension X

I saw that one three weeks ago on B-Movie TV, or I would've watched it today. That channel has been great for catching up with stuff I've never heard of so I didn't know to look for before. I just watched Revenge (1986) with Patrick Wayne and John Carradine. It's a horror movie, so I can't list it, but who cares? I just saw a John Carradine movie I hadn't seen before.

LJG765

I have actually-last year I believe I watched this and the remake. For sure liked the original better.

Haven't decided what I'm going to watch tonight...I really want to watch a bit of Superman after all the talk but I'm also waffling about ST:TNG. I've been watching season 1 in between various challenges and it would be nice to finish it up...

BobO'Link

I just finished a first time viewing of Divergent. It was fairly predictable and the typical teen angst in a distopia type film. Aren't there a lot of those these days? Overall it wasn't too bad but it greatly annoyed me that *no one* in the film seemed to know the proper pronunciation of erudite! And that word came up *frequently*! It's *not* that hard!

BobO'Link

Which remake? There've been 3 versions of that filmed since the 1956 one:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - very good.

Body Snatchers (1993) - very good.

The Invasion (2007) - almost good.

As for your dilemma for tonight's viewing: Watch some of both.

Ash Ketchum

I just realized that Sept. 8 will mark the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, so I'd better get a lot of Star Trek TOS in this month so I have something to write about on my blog on that date.

LJG765

Had to double check but it was the 1978 one. I only really remember not liking near as much as the first-didn't like the ending if I remember right.

Well, I did pop in ST:TNG season 1, disc 4. Half way through the season which is nice. I'd like to at least finish this one off. I have the first 4 seasons (in various formats) that at one point was my goal to get through before getting the last 3 seasons. Think I'm going to watch at least this disc and see how I feel after if I get to Superman.

shadokitty

I decided to pop in a disc from my Mill Creek Sci-fi Classics 50 Movie set, and as a pleasant surprise, caught a peplum, The Sons of Hercules: Land of Darkness. I love the theme song of those movies. And apparently, the next movie in the set is also a peplum too, Giants of Rome.

LJG765

I was watching ST:TNG: When the Bough Breaks and recognized a guest star, Jerry Hardin. Went to IMDb because I knew I knew him but not what from-turns out it is because he also guest starred in a later 2 episodes...as Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain.

shadokitty

I just finished watching the movie version of Voyage to The Bottom Of The Sea,on FXM, and I got to thinking. I know it was made a few years before the series came out, but would it be considered a pilot, or was the series, just a series based on the movie?

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

wikipedia says the series was based on the movie.

Ash Ketchum

The series was just a series based on a movie, but Irwin Allen produced both. There were lots of series back then that were based on movies that were one to two decades old: "National Velvet," "My Friend Flicka," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "The Greatest Show on Earth," "The Asphalt Jungle," "The Naked City," "Peyton Place," etc.

shadokitty

One thing about this Challenge, is since I enjoy cartoons, I get plenty of chances to watch them, as I have quite a few sci-fi cartoon series on DVD, and there is plenty more available to stream. I just finished 'The Roteks' episode of MASK, about metal eating insects that VENOM captured and wanted to use to rule the world.

BobO'Link

I've been watching that Logan's Run series I purchased. Surprisingly, it's fairly good, although rather predictable/generic at times.

The first episode used some of the fx work from the film and got things set up quickly, even taking the "runners" to 2 different populated areas in its ~70 min. run time. I thought they could have spent more time at either and used one of the others as stand-alone topics later. Those segments were not bad although they did feel a bit rushed.

Episodes 2 & 3 were basic rehashes of SF tropes - People captured by aliens for a "zoo" and the "Most Dangerous Game" premise, neither of which are very memorable. Considering D.C. Fontana is the "Story Editor" for the series I'd have thought she'd have nixed these so early in the run. Save 'em for later after people get hooked and won't notice/care as much. Surprisingly, she *wrote* the "Most Dangerous Game" episode "Capture" using the name "Michael Richards". Just goes to show you that even people you would think would know better don't come through all the time.

Harlan Ellison wrote the treatment for a episode which Wikipedia says "was heavily revised" (imagine that). I enjoyed that episode, "Crypt," and would like to see the original treatment to see just how it differs from the final product.

David Gerrold also wrote a treatment/script, "Man Out of Time," another of the stronger episodes I've seen so far. Wikipedia says "Gerrold's script was rewritten by someone else, prompting Gerrold to use his nom de plume "Noah Ward" on the episode." I'd like to see his original treatment/script as well. While the episode was interesting it *did* have a few time travel paradoxes that didn't get resolved, at least for me. Of course I'm sure we're not supposed to actually think about the repercussions of his actions of possible ways to stop them from happening.

I've enjoyed this series enough that it's making me want to break out the movie and give it a screening.

My grandson came in last night while I was watching a episode and started asking all kinds of questions so I may have to see if it's OK for him (he's almost 13) to let him watch it with me or just watch the series pilot again so he can see what's up. I told him "I can't wait for you to be around to watch *everything* you might like... I'd never get anything watched." He agreed.

BobO'Link

Tomorrow morning at 7:33, as one of their "Prime Day" deals, Amazon will be putting "The Vincent Price Collection III" on sale. That set is currently the only way to get a pressed copy of Master of the World. It also includes the AIP print of Cry of the Banshee along with the "Director's cut" version.

I hope the price'll be good enough to wait for...

shadokitty

I've been working my way through Season One of Ancient Aliens off and on this morning. Just finished 'The Return', and only have the bonus episode left to watch. One thing I noticed about Season One, was the producers were not afraid to put in opposing viewpoints.

davidh777

Yep, movies based on young adult (YA) dystopian fiction are all the rage these days. Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, The Giver, etc.

Gobear

I bought it during the B&N 40% sale with a 15% member coupon, bringing ti down to $33. Not only does it have MotW, the set contains some terrific extras like commentaries and episodes of Science Fiction Theater starring Vincent Price.

I have a $100 GC that I got with Verizon reward points, so I'm ready if there are any good deals. Last year was a bust for movies and TV.

BobO'Link

And they're all similar enough that if you're not paying attention you can easily become confused about just which one you're watching. I've gotten to where if they're based on some YA dystopian fiction work I just ignore them, especially after watching The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Even though I'd read about Divergent first I thought it might be a *bit* different. But it was just more of the same and, while "OK," wasn't good or original enough for me to want to seek out its sequels.