Previous SFF Author: Gemma Files
I’m reviewing these films together because they’re available in this handy double feature DVD. Village of the Damned is also available on Amazon Instant Video.
Village of the Damned: These eyes…
A fairly faithful adaptation of John Wyndham‘s 1957 sci-fi thriller The Midwich Cuckoos (reviewed by Ryan), Village of the Damned was released in June 1960. Sporting the admonitory warning “Beware the Stare That Will Paralyze the Will of the World”
June 13th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 5 | John Wyndham | Film / TV, Horror | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Monster on the Campus: Another winner from Jack Arnold
In the five-year period 1953 – ’57, director Jack Arnold brought forth five sci-fi/horror classics that are still beloved by psychotronic-film fans today: It Came From Outer Space (’53), Creature From the Black Lagoon (’54), Revenge of the Creature (’55), Tarantula (also ’55) and one of the all-time champs, The Incredible Shrinking Man (’57). Following up Arnold’s string of crowd-pleasing entertainments came the lesser-known Monster on the Campus in 1958,
June 6th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4 | Film / TV, Horror | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
“I need a woman ‘bout twice my height, statuesque, raven-tressed, a goddess of the night.”
By the time future baby-boomer classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (the lack of a hyphen in the title is annoying) was released in May 1958, moviegoers in theatres and drive-ins across the U.S. had already been exposed to all sorts of radiation-induced terrors. Jump-started by the prehistoric rhedosaurus unleashed by atomic testing in 1952’s The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, the trend was soon followed by another prehistoric radioactive nightmare,
June 4th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3.5 | Film / TV, Horror | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
The Novel Solaris was written in 1961 by Stanislaw Lem in Polish before being made into a feature film by famous Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972. Four decades later, both James Cameron and Steven Soderbergh expressed interest in doing a remake, with Soderbergh getting the nod in 2002 because Cameron was busy with other movies. I saw the Tarkovsky film in 1995 and the Soderbergh film in 2002.
The planet Solaris is covered by a single, massive ocean, and after its initial discovery scientists begin to observe unusual movements and formations in the ocean.
May 30th, 2015. Stuart Starosta | Stanislaw Lem | Film / TV | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Conan the Barbarian (the film)
The latest Hollywood adaption of Robert E. Howard’s legendary hero seems to be taking an especially tough beating. Speaking as a life-long CONAN and Robert E. Howard fan, by Crom, I don’t hate. I saw the film on a Sunday afternoon – and yes, I got suckered into paying for 3-D. I’ll be the first to admit my disappointment, but it’s nowhere near as bad as the rants imply. In fact, there is much in Conan the Barbarian that can be commended.
August 26th, 2011. Greg Hersom´s rating: 3 | Robert E. Howard | Film / TV | SFF Reviews | 14 comments |
Paul Atreides is just fifteen years old, and small for his age besides, but he’s not to be dismissed. Paul is bright, well trained, and the heir of House Atreides. Paul’s father, Duke Leto, is an exceptional leader who commands the loyalty of his subjects with ease, thus earning him the respect of his noble peers. Consequently, the Emperor has assigned Leto a new task: control of Arrakis, or “Dune,” a desert planet that is home to the “spice,” a substance that allows for many things, including interstellar travel.
July 11th, 2011. Ryan Skardal, Kat Hooper, Jason Golomb and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 5 | Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson | Audio, Film / TV, Hugo Award, Nebula Award | SFF Reviews | 26 comments |
Go, And Catch a Falling Star…
If you like fantasy stories filled with magic, adventure and romance, but are getting sick and tired of boring, long-winded fantasy epics, then look no further than Stardust. There are no long histories, family trees or endless descriptions of culture, landscapes and back-story. This is just a sweet, simple fairytale told by a great storyteller. Though be warned — the original fairytales were not written for children, and Stardust follows in their literary footsteps,
September 25th, 2007. Rebecca Fisher, Rob Rhodes, Ray McKenzie, Kat Hooper and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 5 | Neil Gaiman | Audio, Film / TV, Mythopoeic Award, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Previous SFF Author: Gemma Files
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…