I'm a writer. Of sci-fi and fantasy, but my debut and current series The Cluster Cycle is a science fiction space opera spanning a millennium of history. As one might expect, I have actually experienced a goodly amount of classic science fiction films. And a usual allowance of filmic drek. I've seen people recently either recalling memories of older titles they watched way back when or talking about their experience watching them.
Now, disclaimer time, I've not watched EVERY classic sci-fi movie. I've never watched The Thing yet because it didn't look that appealing and I've never clicked with Carpenter. I've just not come across Event Horizon to watch. Others that I can't name off the top of my head... Well, the fact I can't name them off the top of my head should be indication enough that they didn't stick. So here in no particular order are twelve movies I saw back in the day, my memories of first watching them, and what I think of them through older more cynical eyes. Plus opinions on the music for free.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: I'd experienced Star Trek through its series broadcast on TV (Star Trek OG and Next Generation on reruns, and Deep Space Nine and Voyager during their debut UK broadcasts). The Undiscovered Country was my first Star Trek film, I think, and it provided a post for measuring others I came across. Its tone felt right to me, and still feels pertinent when compared to...super soldier shenanigans and time travel. Also that music. Oh, that music...
The Fifth Element: I hadn't seen this film in full for ages, but I'd seen parts of it. When I saw it in full, I knew: instant favourite. Not for Willis's character, terribly bland and bleh IMO, but for everything and everyone else. The art style, the gender-defiant fashion, Eric Serra's delirious score, the blending of grim elements with humour which I still find pretty funny. This has aged well for me, and continues to linger in the back of my mind.
Blade Runner: This is one of the rare instances where I first saw it and wasn't impressed because I was too young and too inexperienced in cyberpunk to get it. I rewatched it years later, and I got it. This isn't a film for everyone, it's grim and fatalistic and deliberately ambiguous. But unlike other titles in this article that play the ambiguity card, Blade Runner pulls it off. It also (eventually) manages to paint a sympathetic portrayal of the antagonists. And for the time it released, that still seems to have been comparatively rare in mainstream films/
Alien (1979): I'd heard vaguely about this through pop culture osmosis, but it hadn't been shown on television yet. Then the original Alien tetralogy was broadcast on Channel 4 during the 2000s. I think it was on a tape recorder or an earlier DVD recorder (I forget which, probably the former), but my sister recorded it, and I watched it the following morning. No need to go into details, just...wow. Still love it. And for my taste, theatrical cut over director's cut. Also, if you can, find Jerry Goldsmith's original cut of the musical score before Scott butchered it. It's an audio revelation.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: I'm just going to say it, this was one of the most boring film experiences I have ever encountered. It wasn't that I can't take slow movies (I mean, I like the OG Star Trek film, which is commonly dubbed "The Slow-Motion Picture"), but this movie just felt like it had no idea what a plot was. It may be because I wasn't brought up within Roswell culture that the alien elements fell flat (Lindsey Ellis's Axiom's End and Stephen Cox's Child duology are doing a better job of introducing me to that aspect of American culture). I watched to see what all the fuss was about. I still don't get what all the fuss was about. And...the music feels like it's trying to make up for the movie's shortcomings, and because I don't tend to click with John Williams, it fails completely.
Ghost in the Shell: I'd heard about this franchise through references, got a recommendation, and decided to try my luck and watch it. What I got was a film that has only grown more enjoyable with age. It's an enjoyable cyperpunk-style sci-fi title that knows exactly what to do. It doesn't spend too long on scenes unless those scenes need to be long, it balances conversations and contemplation with some grade-A animated action. Yes, it's a little old, and the dub hasn't aged well, but I still find it a great title and a strong sci-fi experience regardless of its animated presentation (yes, the snobbery towards animation was and to a point is very real). Also, Kenji Kawai's score...chef's kiss.
Star Wars: My experience with this film series is odd, because I experienced the prequel trilogy as it was releasing, and my opinions on it have remained soft. Yes, it has problems, but it's not the worst by a long way. I saw the OG trilogy through my oldest sister's VHS versions, and I found them enchanting. I don't like the later re-edits, but thankfully the original films got a DVD release that we own. Do I wholeheartedly like Star Wars? No, but I appreciate it, and I do like the original trilogy as it seems to be saying something. Also Lucas had the restraining hand of other writers, which is where I think the prequel trilogy suffered. The music's...okay.
The Matrix: I saw this when I was...very young. And while I shall always have a soft spot for the first two sequels, the original Matrix is completely appreciable as a standalone experience. The fact that whole schools of scholarship have been dedicated to this film...isn't that surprising. I don't find Neo that great of a lead, but Trinity and Morpheus make up for it, and there is some genuine tension and serious questions about reality and desire that have aged like a fine wine in this era of AI-generated content and virtual reality. I liked it well enough when I saw it as a child. I like it even better now. And, once again, the soundtrack is incredible.
2001: A Space Odyssey: I love Arthur C. Clarke as a writer, A Fall of Moondust is one of my favourite books. But I loathe this film. I think it's because of the Kubrick influence that this whole film feels like it doesn't know what to say from one scene to the next. It jumps about with very little rhyme or reason, every scene is at least five minutes longer than it needs to be, and the ending is a confusing jumble that tries to give you a migraine. As I've said, I can enjoy slow movies, but not movies that seem to be suffering from both ADHD and impaired movement. Also, I can never forgive Kubrick for the fact an excellent original musical score was scrapped for royalty-free classical music. The Blue Danube and Also sprach Zarathustra are forever tainted by this mess of a movie.
Predator: Once again, heard about this through pop osmosis, and I was shocked. Compared to my previous Schwarzenegger experiences, this was quite the tonal whiplash. Having watched it later in life, I still like it, even if I don't watch it for a deep story. I watch it for its unique building dread and vicious deconstruction of the action man archetype that still attempts to infest modern films. I even enjoy the sequel, which takes things to the next level creating a lead that is...difficult to like. Predator isn't a film I'd rewatch often, but it has an appeal when I'm in the mood. Also, while I don't tend to enjoy Alan Silvestri's work, his score here is engaging and genuinely creepy.
The Day the Earth Stood Still: It's shocking how well this movie holds up. I saw this as a kid, remembered it fondly, and still think of it fondly. It has the subtlety of a sledgehammer during its final ten minutes, but then that's forgivable in sci-fi of that era. It paints a still-pointed image of humans as scared and sectarian, and within the production limitations (AKA self-censorship) of the time, it conveys a lot of disturbing messages and warnings. Oh yes, and a tiny note: NOT THE REMAKE! NEVER THE REMAKE! And the music's all right too, though I've never much liked 50s music.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: I suppose I should mention this one, as I did think it would be good. But...eh. I suppose I liked it well enough as a child, experiencing its approach to aliens for the first time. But I never wanted to rewatch it. And as I've grown older, that wonder has been replaced by a feeling that this film's story could have been told in 100 minutes rather than the 140-plus the original release used. I get it was aimed at a young audience, or at least I assume it was, but I as a child wasn't impressed. And the latter half is so full of needless dramatic cliches. Also, unlike most of the other films I've covered in this post, I really don't like the music, which wobbles between overdramatic and bland.
So, there we are. Twelve opinions, and depending on the movie hot takes that might get me cancelled. I don't know. Being honest about one's views and opinions is coming back into vogue now, so maybe we can say we don't like something other people do like. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it to a point if you got this far, and take care out there. We might enter a dystopia within the next few years, but let's hope not.
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