[PeteG]

This has been a classic to me since it came out in the early 70's
it's one of those rare movies that grab me and never let go.

Well it's been 10+ years since I've seen it (on tv) and when warner bros.
release it in it's original theatrical ratio I jumped on it.

The picture looks absolutely great for the year it was made, the
only down side is the mono sound track. To me the movie & story
hasn't aged at all.

[navi]

sounds delicious!

[DVV]

This has been a classic to me since it came out in the early 70's
it's one of those rare movies that grab me and never let go.

Well it's been 10+ years since I've seen it (on tv) and when warner bros.
release it in it's original theatrical ratio I jumped on it.

The picture looks absolutely great for the year it was made, the
only down side is the mono sound track. To me the movie & story
hasn't aged at all.

It's a slow moving movie in comparison with some, but still stands tall today, even after George Lucas has bombarded us with video technology.

Try renting "Pitch Black". It's another sci-fi movie, where by name you have heard only of Vin Diesel, but have seen the rest of the cast many times in supporting roles. Because it's not an A production, you don't expect much of it, and it hits you between the eyes when it delivers the goods, and then some.

Totally different from "Soylent Green", much more action and suspense orientated, with some mystery thrown in, but I do believe it will also stand tall 20 years from now. Oustanding photography, solid and credible story, good performances all around, and it's far removed from the B production runs.

Cheers,
DVV

[DVV]

Sorry, I forgot ...

Also rent "The Omega Man", again with Charlton Heston as the good guy and Anthony Zerbe as the bad guy. This is something along the lines of "Soylent Green", but different of course. Worth seeing.

Cheers,
DVV

[PeteG]

I'm sure it's a little slow compared to Pitch Black, which is a very good movie too but I watched Soylent Green in the theater 30 years ago and at that time there was not a lot of sci-fi movies with a good story.

Good movies you watch as a kid/teenager seems to have a bigger inpacted and
stays with you longer.

[DVV]

I'm sure it's a little slow compared to Pitch Black, which is a very good movie too but I watched Soylent Green in the theater 30 years ago and at that time there was not a lot of sci-fi movies with a good story.

Good movies you watch as a kid/teenager seems to have a bigger inpacted and
stays with you longer.

That's true. I agree completely.

Also, in those days, they didn't have the digital magic they have today, effects were harder to do, so they had to rely much more on the story and plain, old fashoned acting.

To give just one example, see Jack Arnold's "The Creature From The Lagoon", made in mid-50ies. OK, it's in black and white, small screen, no stereo, let alone Lucas THX, but hey, it's a movie you thoroughly enjoy watching for the movie of it.

That's the trouble with technology - it gets out of hand and starts leading rather then supporting. Thus it serves as a cover-up for the lack of any really meaningful story.

"Soylent Green" is a very good example. Special effects? What special effects, there were hardly any? But the story is good, the acting is better, and yes, our age was different. Today, they would probably show you the whole metamorphosis to soylent green, much zapping and teeth kicking, etc.

Cheers,
DVV

[nathanm]

That's the trouble with technology - it gets out of hand and starts leading rather then supporting. Thus it serves as a cover-up for the lack of any really meaningful story.

Yep!  You mean like Attack of the Clones?  I watched the BTS stuff on that DVD and basically the whole movie was made by computer animators.  Really cool and all, but they should've gone the extra step and made Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman completely digital characters cause they sure as hell can't act to save their lives.  It really wasn't so much a movie as it was George Lucas playing with all the toys money can buy.

I never saw Solyent Green, but I do have strong memories of the jacket art -  some kind of giant front end loader scooping up people, right?  It was one of the movies I saw on my first visit to a video store as a kid.  Ahh, movie art before the invention of Photoshop...

[DVV]

Yep!  You mean like Attack of the Clones?  I watched the BTS stuff on that DVD and basically the whole movie was made by computer animators.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later, and it's happening now. Nate, I had to disagree with you sometime, and this is that time.

Really cool and all, ..

Frankly, I didn't find it cool at all; as a matter of fact, I found it grossly repetative and rather boring. Not one thing in it we didn't see everal times before. The coolest thing there was Samuel L. Jackson swinging a light sabre. Never saw him do that before.

but they should've gone the extra step and made Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman completely digital characters cause they sure as hell can't act to save their lives.  It really wasn't so much a movie as it was George Lucas playing with all the toys money can buy.

Back to normal - I completely agree with this. That movie is 100% a George Lucas ego trip.

I never saw Solyent Green, but I do have strong memories of the jacket art  ...

If you want a contrast with the above, do see it, it's well worth the time and trouble. Also see "Pitch Black", very different, also much digital animation, but in this case, made to a point, not for the hell of it.

I have to come clean here - I may come across as a very strict viewer, but I have been an avid SciFi fan for over 30 years now. I have a fairly complete collection of books, notably by Philip K. Dick, James Blish, Isaac Asimov, and yes, Robert Heinlein (not many ideas, but a GREAT story teller). Obviously, I think these people are good.

But for truly great, you have to read Alfred Bester ("The Demolished Man" and especially "Extro"), a totally unique blend of intelligence, ideas, mastery of language second to none and incredible wit. This man is way out. Also, by all means, read the collected works of Theodore Sturgeon. And for a down home town, Bible belt SciFi, do not miss Clifford Simak.

Now, if George Lucas wanted to do some filming, he would bring Alfred Bester to the screen.

Cheers,
DVV

[nathanm]

Well, I just mean that I always enjoy any kind of behind the scenes computer graphicky extra stuff on DVDs, whatever it may be.  You're right about the repetetive part though.  Still, as far as pure results in the movie itself are concerned I prefer actual puppets\physical effects as opposed to computer creatures, even though their movements are limited.

Was anyone else bothered by the fact that the flying droid which dropped off the nasty centipede creatures in the beginning had no problem flying with a full grown man hanging onto it!?  Now THAT's some great engineering!  Go and try that with a model airplane and see how far you get.

I have seen Pitch Black actually, when I used to have satellite TV.  The creatures were well done and scarier because of how they were obscured.  It seems that is always the ticket to being scary; by showing less and implying more.

[DVV]

Well, I just mean that I always enjoy any kind of behind the scenes computer graphicky extra stuff on DVDs, whatever it may be.  You're right about the repetetive part though.  Still, as far as pure results in the movie itself are concerned I prefer actual puppets\physical effects as opposed to computer creatures, even though their movements are limited.

Me too. Somehow, puppets come across as more palatable - Yoda being a case in point.

Was anyone else bothered by the fact that the flying droid which dropped off the nasty centipede creatures in the beginning had no problem flying with a ...

As a curiosity, modelling sometimes finds its way to real life. Did you know that one of the memorable planes of WW2, the deHavilland Mosquito, was made of metal only from its twin Rolls-Royce engines to the body and just a bit up and down from those points, while the rest, including wings and the entire tail, were made of modelling wood? This gave the plane a weight to power ratio second to none, enabling it to do things no other flying machine in those days could do, including the famous dam busing runs with hopping bombs.

Cheers,
DVV