Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have officially completed the checklist and updated it. I want to thank LJG765 for his hosting and Goldenwheels and Hamilton Books for the prizes. Once again it was a great Challenge, my second favorite (sorry, LJG765) behind the Horror Challenge. I will now be throwing myself into the Animation Challenge.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'd be down for a core group of, say, ten "gimmes" and then another group of twenty "deeper cuts" from which half gets rotated in and out of the checklist. Gimmes I'd suggest:

1. Harrison Ford
2. Samuel L. Jackson
3. Christopher Lee
4. Ian McKellan
5. Vincent Price
6. Zoe Saldana
7. Arnold Schwarzenegger
8. Will Smith
9. Akira Takarada
10. Sigourney Weaver

In the rotating pool, I'd suggest including Michael Ironside in one group and David Warner in the other. Neither is an obvious gimme, but they each have more than a hundred eligible credits on IMDb so participants may well stumble across either without actively seeking them. I'd also suggest splitting Peter Cushing and Boris Karloff. I don't have any further thoughts about the pools right now.

Also, it occurred to me that "Watch a TV mini-series or a complete season" might be a nice format option since so many of us watch at least some TV in any given year.

EDIT TO ADD
I'd also suggest removing Gene Roddenberry, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stan Lee, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells from "He's Dead, Jim" since they've each been dead for quite some time. Maybe create a "Thank the Maker" section for them since more stuff is based on things they created than things they personally wrote or directed? I'd shift George Lucas from Director to that pool and add Philip K. Dick.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That deserves to be in your signature.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have come up with 7 possible Directors so far. Robert Zemeckis has roughly 24 Sci-Fi/Fantasy credits. Robert Rodriguez has roughly 16 credits. Roland Emmerich has roughly 12 credits. Bryan Singer has roughly 10 credits but the vast majority are for the X-Men franchise. Christopher Nolan has roughly 8 credits and they are mostly for the DC movies. Alex Garland has roughly 7 credits and Duncan Jones has roughly 4 credits. I'll be focusing on the Animation Challenge now but will add more as I can.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Started season 2 of The Umbrella Academy today, and it so good that it hurts to stop at three episodes today, but I've got other stuff to watch, spreading it out over a couple more days at least will prolong the pleasure assuming I don't bread down and watch the other seven episodes tomorrow.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I revisited The Mummy this afternoon, from the Universal Classic Monsters box set. I first saw it eight years ago and was disappointed and underwhelmed. I felt the same way this time. Karloff is as fantastic as advertised, as is Jack Pierce's makeup, especially in this Blu-ray presentation. I just can't get into the story, try as I might. Its dialogue is too weighted with exposition, for one thing. But mostly it doesn't work for me because it's centered on the parallel romance stories and neither of these work for me. Imhotep is set on resurrecting Anck-su-namun because he's still devoted to her, but she isn't into him nearly as much and she does not want to be resurrected, making his scheme not only entirely selfish but also entirely pointless. Helen, meanwhile, understandably wants to live but it isn't because her passion for Frank rivals Imhotep's passion for Anck-su-namun. She's barely into Frank, really. He flirts with her, but she tells him pointblank that she has enough going on without him coming onto her. She kisses him, but it's entirely unconvincing. What's more, Frank's interest in Helen is closer to obsession than love. I'm supposed to feel sympathy for Imhotep for longing to restore his love and desperate to see Frank and Helen be together but instead I feel sympathy for Anck-su-namun for being involuntarily dragged into all this by Imhotep and I just want Helen to get away from Frank.

There are two commentary tracks on the Blu-ray I have. One is a group track with makeup artist Rick Baker, filmmaker Scott Essman, screenwriter and film historian Steve Haberman, collector Bob Burns and sculpture studio owner Brent Armstrong. It's an engaging, free-wheeling conversation about The Mummy, Karloff, Pierce, Carl Laemmle, Jr., Universal's horror pictures, and the history of the horror genre writ large. The other is a solo track by film historian Paul M. Jensen and it is, to be candid, boring. Most of the first half hour consists of giving us a play-by-play of what we can see for ourselves happening in the story, adding little insight or context. Eventually, Jensen gets into the back story of the film's production and abandoned or changed elements from previous drafts, which is interesting but he also stops speaking altogether frequently, letting whole dialogue exchanges play out before resuming. Not because he's setting it up or following it with any elaboration but just because he's reached the end of his written segment and hasn't started the next. Also, the audio quality is outright bad in places, sounding like a stream over a bad connection.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks! I'll add to the list for next year.

I've put the suggestions down so I won't forget them. Anyone want to weigh in on the bold/italicized suggestion? It kind of interests me. A short, core list that doesn't change, another list with changing directors as more (or less) make films.

I do really like the idea of a Maker/Founder/Creator section for those authors/directors/producers/whoever that creates an iconic Sci-Fi/Fantasy universe that's been transferred to film. Anyone else?

No worries, it's hard to top the Horror Challenge if you're a fan. It's pretty amazing how detailed and complex it is!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

My list is finalized! I had a wonderful challenge. Unfortunately, I got caught up in a couple of animated series in the last week and didn't finish up the checklist. Thanks to LJG765 for hosting!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Congrats!

tarfrimmer, I'm not sure if you will see this, but you are so close to blackout! Don't forget the challenge goes until dawn!

Don't worry, I'm not finalizing anything and will give plenty of time for people to write down their last watches and finalize your lists, but I wanted to get a head start on looking through everyone's lists and checklists. I'm amazing at how many watches people are getting! Congrats to everyone who participated and I wish everyone could get a prize!

Unfortunately, I can't do that, so will continue with tallying all the entries into the prize drawing! Remember to earn entries for the prize drawing you need to:

1. Have a numbered list! (I have run into at least one that isn't!)
2. Have at least 5 entries on the checklist
3. Complete the checklist (don't have to watch something that fulfills every entry, but need to watch what the requirement)
4. Blackout the checklist (meaning complete every single entry)

Finally, you do need to have an United States postal address to be eligible to win. Thanks again to HamiltonBooks and GoldenWheels for sponsoring the challenge!

Last thing: I will give everyone until Thursday, August 6th, 2020, 11:59 Central time to finalize your lists and checklists. What is there on midnight, August 7th, will be what I use to determine how many entries you've earned into the drawing.

Please let me know if there is any questions and I'll do my best to answer them. I also appreciate any feedback for next year! Hope to see everyone in the Animation Challenge!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'm also going to shout out alyxxstarr who not only blacked out their checklist but added several categories on their own! KaBluie is also close to blackout, so make sure you get your last watches in tonight and don't forget to finalize the checklist!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

My checklist is finalized, very enjoyable, I'll definately do it again next year.
Thanks LJG765 for hosting

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thank you LJG765 for hosting this shindig. I didn't complete the checklist but I did get through a lot of Star Trek.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

:thumbsup: to LJG765 for hosting this thang. This was my first time trying a checklist, and I found a few new things I liked, and one I did not **cough** 2012 **cough**.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I managed to watch about two thirds of my list as first time viewings, my personal favorites included.
The Vast of Night
Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Border
Mandy
Dagon
Her
Alien Raiders
The Old Guard

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Props to LJG for a great challenge and a fun month.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I didn't Blackout the checklist. But I did complete the required items!

I put this at the top of my list:

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks, everyone! I think this was one of the best challenges we've had in a while! :)

I did see this, but when I was looking it over, I saw how close you were so wanted to try to encourage you and make sure you didn't have any final watches you needed to add!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for running things LJG!

I didn't watch a single qualifying thing last night - my 3 youngest grandkids (4, 6, 9) arrived from the NW part of the state to stay with grandma and me for a few days. I hung out and played with them instead of watching movies. They'll help my progress in the animation challenge as that's about all they watch if we watch TV (regrettably, it's mostly newer animation programs I just don't like) so there's that. I'm hoping we spend more time playing games (the older 2 can play some simpler board games). Their 10yo cousin (my daughter's youngest) is also staying as she's not going to miss a chance to play with her cousins.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Looking Back
I had dual objectives this year. I wanted to log some of my un-logged library, and I wanted to go outside the usual suspects and see some new-to-me stuff. I only logged three from my library: The Mummy, War of the Worlds, and Woman in the Moon. I did better with my second objective; most of my viewers were first time. My favorite by far was Solaris, which I was so into that I ordered it from Barnes & Noble (love that Criterion sale!). My second favorite was surely Woman in the Moon, which wowed me with its dedication to detail and imagining of what a rocket launch would be like. I would have watched more, but baseball is back (for the time being)!

Also, let me add my signature to the Thank You card for LJG765 for hosting! Some hosts get a bit prickly about critiquing the checklist once the challenge is underway, so I appreciate your openness. Well done!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Good Challenge, had fun. My list is complete and my checklist has at least five entries.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for running the challenge LJG765!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I really liked The Vast of Night and The Old Guard as well.

Thanks to LJG765 for running the challenge!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks LJG765 for a fun and entertaining challenge!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Finally got around to finalizing my list.

And adding my thanks to LJG765! I had a... really rough June, and the escapism of watching a bunch of SFF in July was exactly what I needed. I appreciate that you keep the challenge pretty loose and super friendly, but still put thought and effort into putting together/refining the checklist. (I am one of those people who will waste a good bit of my watching time trying to pick out something to watch, so having the checklist helps guide my choices so I actually decide on something in time to watch it. Plus I just really enjoy checking items off of lists, LOL.)

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Quick reminder, that tonight, 11:59 p.m. is the deadline for a completed list. Not saying I'm doing the counting at 12 am, but it's possibility! But also, keep your eyes open here, because I will be posting the winners here (and p.m.ing them)!

I don't mind suggestions and plus, the check list is for participants. I want to make sure it works for people and isn't tedious to do, if that makes sense. The whole challenge is done to have fun, entertain us, and sometimes get us out of our comfort zones, but really, I just want it to be enjoyable, so feedback is totally welcome! :)

I'm sorry you had a rough June! I'm glad that July helped you! I have the same watch problem. I think it's because I have way too many choices so it takes forever to pick and like you, the checklist helps me narrow the options down! I also enjoy that it makes me get out of my comfort zone and watch things I would never have before. While sometimes it's not successful and I wouldn't watch it again, I have several that have become favorites that I've watched multiple times. And there is almost nothing more satisfying that having a complete list! lol!