CFE's 100 Science Fiction Film Countdown

[Batspider77]

How is "The Fly" or "The Terminator" Sience Fiction?
I don´t get it.

 

[Doctor Jones]

The Fly and Terminator deal with science elements. And it didn't happen. Therefore it's fictional.

There you go.

 

[El Payaso]

^ Beautiful.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I despise 2001. pretentious rubbish (imho) reminded me of 'the fountain' another pretentious movie I hated.

Wait....if you're a movie lover 2001 is UNdespisable. Okay, well.....it might be unLIKEABLE depending on your taste...but to DESPISE 2001? That's going overboard mate. Do not forget that that movie has pretty much spawned every ****ing sci-fi movie since (science-fiction in space that it, since there seems to be some problem with the definition lately).

But I guess we should wait with 2001 discussions until CFE has posted his top 3...

 

[spider-neil]

Wait....if you're a movie lover 2001 is UNdespisable. Okay, well.....it might be unLIKEABLE depending on your taste...but to DESPISE 2001? That's going overboard mate. Do not forget that that movie has pretty much spawned every ****ing sci-fi movie since (science-fiction in space that it, since there seems to be some problem with the definition lately).

But I guess we should wait with 2001 discussions until CFE has posted his top 3...

2001 is obviously going to be in the top three but the movie just isn't for me. if I had a friend who was into (for example) comedy and they wanted to be converted into sci-fi and asked me to give them the very best science fiction have to offer knowing that if I choose badly it will put them off sci-fi for life 2001 would probably be bottom of the list I would give my friend.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

How is "The Fly" or "The Terminator" Sience Fiction?
I don´t get it.

SCI-FI IS A SETTING, NOT A GENRE.

"The Fly" and "The Terminator" are clearly science fiction. Fictional science, you know, like killer-robots and teleporters. Sci-Fi is a big term.

 

[Double Down]

2001 is obviously going to be in the top three but the movie just isn't for me. if I had a friend who was into (for example) comedy and they wanted to be converted into sci-fi and asked me to give them the very best science fiction have to offer knowing that if I choose badly it will put them off sci-fi for life 2001 would probably be bottom of the list I would give my friend.

That is confusing quality with accessiblity, though. Many of the finest things are not easily enjoyed the first time.

If I took a non wine drinker and I wanted to introduce them to wine, I might start with a white zinfandel, as a really nice pinot noir is not for beginners. But does that make white zin a better wine? Of course not.

As for "2001" being a pretentious movie, I really don't think it is. I think Kubrick had a very specific idea of the movie he wanted to make and he made it. But there certainly are fans of the movie who are pretentious. I'll definitely give you that.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Just the thought of putting Kubrick and pretentious in the same sentence is blasphemy. You might as well call him an idiot.

 

[Figs]

Just the thought of putting Kubrick and pretentious in the same sentence is blasphemy. You might as well call him an idiot.

Exactly.

I still don't see how 2001 can be called pretentious. I don't think he was trying to shove anything down the audience's throats or be really preachy with the film.

To me it's always been a damn good film showing the evolution of man and where we can end up in the future...and that's describing it in the simplest way possible.

 

[spider-neil]

each to their own. I expect a certain narrative when I watch a movie and 2001 (the fountain) is about as far away from that narrative as you can get so it wasn't for me. anymore who did enjoy 2001, fair enough, but 2001 wouldn't be in my top 50 sci-fi movies let alone my top three.

 

[Iceman]

But for me, “Aliens” remains a pinnacle of how action can be best handled…it’s a rip roaring roller coaster ride of tension, terror and adrenaline that never ceases to let up for an instant. Along with “Terminator II” and “True Lies,” “Aliens” definitely shows that, when it comes to action, Cameron is in a league all his own.

Modern actioners have louder bangs but often are unable to recreate the level of tension in Aliens.

The cast of “Aliens” is incredible…perhaps the best ensemble ever put together.

Really makes the film!

Sigourney gives, in my opinion, her best performance as Ripley here. Coupled with Cameron’s penchant for strong female characters, she’s very cleverly written by Jim and Weaver’s approach as a weathered yet tempered woman able to keep a cool head in even the direst of situations feels like a natural progression from the first film and works very much to her advantage.

This depiction of Ripley is courageous, strong…yet you can still feel an aura of fear along her spine. It’s quite empowering that the character willingly chooses to face her fear and it’s an attitude we should all look up to.

Given her performance in the film it’s no wonder that Sigourney deserved the Oscar nomination…the fact that she got one, in spite of the performance being at the helm of a sci-fi/fantasy/horror picture, clearly speaks volumes about her skill as an actress.

Agreed. This is Ripley at her best. She is not fearless but her willingness to confront her fears to help others is admirable. Very glad that she got some recognition for her efforts.

Following behind Ripley are the Colonial Marines…who very much represent the heart, soul and backbone of the film, given that it was marketed as a combat movie.

Paxton’s lovable yet slightly *****e-bag buffoon approach makes Hudson a wonderful character to watch…his sense of humor, even in light of what’s happening, helps to relieve tension and lighten the mod whenever possible. I always felt Hudson represented the spirit of the Marines, their sense of hope. He’s also easily one of the most quotable characters I can think of in terms of Science Fiction.

Then there’s Al Matthews, who brings his former real-life military career to the character of Apone with gusto. My 2nd favorite depiction of a grizzled Army Vet (behind Lee Ermey in “Full Metal Jacket&#8221, Apone best represents the mood and moral of the Marines…essentially the entire picture…while he’s on screen.

“Alright sweethearts you heard the man and you know the drill; ASSH*LES and ELBOWS!”

And who can forget his best line!?

“Naghhhhhhhhhhhh, Absolutely BAD ASS, let’s pack ‘em IN!”

I just get this big dopey smile on my fave with that line…pure 80s action bliss!

Why don't you put her in charge?! lol
How could they cut the power? They're animals!!

Hudson quotes rule! Great comedy character.

The Marines as a whole are a really good group. I like team films & these guys have good banter & a fair number of standout characters.


Apone

We also have the addition of Lance Henriksen, who’s take on the synthetic android Bishop is a great one. From the classic ‘knife’ gag to his constant attempts to prove to Ripley that he’s a valuable and trustworthy ally, Henriksen brings a sense of awkwardness and sympathy to Bishop that makes the character one of the film’s best. Being an android as opposed to a human, that’s saying something.

I love the way Ripley's distrust of androids after her experience with Ash gradually turns into respect for Bishop as a trusted ally as the film goes on.

Biddle brings a sense of character to the cinematography that’s dark, industrial…tense and scary (though I don’t think as scary as the first film).

Maybe a bit less scary overall yes.

And “Aliens,” even all these years later, still manages to kick mine everytime I see it. A wonderful indication of where the filmmaker known as James Cameron would eventually go, it’s a great benchmark in the career of a great filmmaker…and it will continue to stand the test of time, I feel, for years and years to come.

Improving on a true classic with a very different kind of film. I never get bored of rewatching this. Definitely one of the alltime best sci-fi films.

That is confusing quality with accessiblity, though. Many of the finest things are not easily enjoyed the first time.

If I took a non wine drinker and I wanted to introduce them to wine, I might start with a white zinfandel, as a really nice pinot noir is not for beginners. But does that make white zin a better wine? Of course not.

Nice comparison.

 

[CFE]

#7

ROBOCOP (1987)

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Directed by ... Paul Verhoeven
Written by … Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner

Executive Produced by … Jon Davison
Produced by … Arne Schmidt, Edward Neumeier, Stephen Lim and Phil Tippett
Cinematography by ... Jost Vacano
Production Design by … William Sandell
Art Direction by … Gayle Simon
Robocop Suit and Special Make Up Effects by … Rob Bottin
ED-209 Effects by … Phil Tippett
Costume Design by … Erica Edell Phillips
Editing by ... Frank J. Urioste
Original Motion Picture Score composed by ... Basil Poledouris

Peter Weller ... Officer Alex J. Murphy / RoboCop
Nancy Allen ... Officer Anne Lewis
Dan O'Herlihy ... The Old Man
Ronny Cox ... Richard 'Dick' Jones
Kurtwood Smith ... Clarence J. Boddicker
Miguel Ferrer ... Robert Morton
Robert DoQui ... Sergeant Warren Reed
Ray Wise ... Leon C. Nash
Felton Perry ... Johnson
Paul McCrane ... Emil M. Antonowsky
Jesse D. Goins ... Joe P. Cox
Del Zamora ... Kaplan
Calvin Jung ... Steve Minh
Rick Lieberman ... Walker
Lee DeBroux ... Sal
Mark Carlton ... Ron Miller
Edward Edwards ... Manson
Michael Gregory ... Lieutenant Hedgecock
Freddie Hice ... Bobby
Neil Summers ... Dougy
Gene Wolande ... Prisoner
Gregory Poudevigne … Slimey Lawyer
Charles Carroll ... Bail Bondsman
Ken Page ... Kinney
Yolanda Williams ... Ramirez
Tyress Allen ... Starkweather
John S. Davies ... Chessman
Laird Stuart ... Cecil the Clerk
Stephen Berrier ... Roosevelt
Sage Parker ... Tyler
Karen Radcliffe ... Technician #1
Darryl Cox ... Technician #2
Jerry Haynes ... Dr. McNamara
William Shockley ... Creep
Donna Keegan ... Rape Victim
Mike Moroff ... Hophead
Marjorie Rynearson ... Grocery Mom
Jo Livingston ... Grocery Pop
Diane Robin ... Chandra
Adrianne Sachs ... Tawney
Maarten Goslins ... Salesman
Angie Bolling ... Ellen Murphy
Jason Levine ... Jimmy Murphy
S.D. Nemeth ... Bixby Snyder
Bill Farmer ... Justin Ballard-Watkins
Leeza Gibbons ... Jesse Perkins
Mario Machado ... Casey Wong​

In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.

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Part Man…Part Machine…All Cop. The Future of Law Enforcement.​

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When it comes to the handling of action in the 80s, it’s clear what worked for audiences…big, brassy action chock full of explosions, bullets, blood and guts…brought to multiplex’s courtesy of Rambo, John McClane, the Predator and others.

But, interestingly, one of the greatest sci-fi action films of the period…perhaps of all time…has something that all of the others lack.

It’s with this intangible yet exceedingly important trait that we enter the dystopic cyberpunk thriller landscape of 1987’s “Robocop.”

Detroit…a city plagued by an increasingly violent crime rate. Its streets are disgusting and the board rooms don’t fair better. In light of the surge in criminal activity, City Hall has agreed to enter into contract with Omni Consumer Products (OCP), a giant conglomerate based in the city, to fund and run many of the city’s community services and other aspects of infrastructure that Detroit on its own can’t possibly afford.

Among them is local Law Enforcement.

With plans to reconstruct Detroit from the ground up as Delta City, a gleaming glittering example of corporate dominance, OCP must first secure the issue of Urban Pacification and clean up the streets of its criminal slime. To do so, secondary firm Security Concepts steps in to provide OCP with a robotic police offer that can accomplish the task with ease.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Police Department’s Metro West division gets a new officer in the form of transferring cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) a noble and good hearted police officer who, teamed up with partner Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) begins his first day on the job in the new sector.

The day, however, is doomed to be one of infamy…both for Murphy and for Detroit…as Murphy, while in pursuit of wanted unofficial crime boss Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) and his gang, is maliciously gunned down by Boddicker and his thugs and left for dead.

With physicians unsuccessful to bring him back, Murphy dies…only to be resurrected by Bob Morton (Miguel Ferrer) and his team of doctors and technicians as the Future of Law Enforcement; Robocop.

Armed with a devastating Auto-9 firearm, Robo takes to cleaning up the streets of Detroit with wonderful efficiency…only to find that something strange is beginning to overtake his programming…something unusual…

Something human.

With fragments of his humanity still intact, Murphy sets out to have vengeance on his murderers…and reclaim the identity previously thought to be all but lost.

As a boy growing up on comic books and the notion of heroes, “Robocop” has always had a profound impact on me.

Right off the bat, I’m exceedingly attracted to the idea of a man, beaten down by both sides of right and wrong, who finds his own sense of individuality when everyone around him insists on being blind and conformed to society…and becomes empowered to stand up for his own believes of justice.

What makes “Robocop” work so well and one of my favorite films is the crucial component of direction…here, it’s taut and very well calibrated in the form of Paul Verhoeven (“Turkish Delight,” “Spetters”).

Among the film’s charming factors is its running undercurrent of social satire that masquerades behind the sci-fi action veil that the picture operates under. As a Dutch filmmaker, Verhoeven isn’t conditioned with an American eye…as a result his examination of American society is vastly different from someone born State-side. Paul uses the parameters of “Robocop” to comment on everything from capitalism to overt-sex in television (Bixby Snyder’s TV show that dots the landscape of the film here and there) to the constant stream of media bytes that come at as (“You give us three minutes and we’ll give you the world.”) to our obsessive desire to answer societies problems with violence…to corporate dominance over everything from the economy to the military (“We practically ARE the military.”).

As a first-time audience, Verhoeven’s stance on the American lifestyle might seem blown out of proportion…even to the point of almost comic book like absurdity.

But just take a look at the world we live in!

The Government is bending over backwards to bail out…survey says…Corporations…lest their downfall leads to that of the economies.’

War and Death are marketed as figures of fun. While “Robocop” has the ‘Nukem’ board game, we’ve got kids spending their holiday playing ‘Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare.’

Paul’s satirical edge in “Robocop” is cynical, hilarious...even scary to some extent. From my perspective, he managed to pretty much accurately describe the way a lot of things were going to be from ’87 up to today.

As with many films, “Robocop” is a product of its time…very much in line with the Reagan Administration and attitudes towards violence and corporate superiority in the 1980s…but what makes it scary is that given all of the mistakes and sins of this past decade, “Robocop” is just as relevant today, if not more so, than it was when it was released.

Even further beneath the surface, “Robocop” can also clearly be seen as an allegory for Jesus Christ.

Yes…THAT Jesus Christ.

Bear with me and consider…

Here you’ve got a noble man wandering into an area rife with decadence and sin prepared to cleanse and purge it as a savior…and for his trouble, he gets crucified by the decedent and sinful Roman Centurions (WHILE Mary looks on, helpless!). Then he is resurrected as a magnificent metallic messiah, ready once again to bring salvation to the people…only this time with rare and unique gifts and abilities.

There’s even a moment in the film’s finale where Robo walks on water…that CAN’T be a coincidence. And, given Paul’s own fascinations with Christ, it’s not.

Not bad for a film that, based on its goofy title, might seem like just some silly B-Movie for kids.

The cast of “Robocop,” much like that of the original “Terminator,” is wonderfully diverse and full of flavor and life…each one of them bringing a different dimension to the streets, back alleys and board rooms of Detroit.

Peter Weller, for better or worse, will forever be remembered for the role of Robocop. I say worse because its common knowledge that he hates the idea of being typecast to a single part…rather than enjoy it like, say, Adam West. Nevertheless, there’s a calmness to Weller that works for the character…a strong quality of morality and honesty that makes him instantly likeable. It also makes it that much harder to stomach his ‘death’ and the fact that all of these horrible things have to happen to him.

There’s a touch of sadness in his face without him going emotionally overboard when he sees his face for the first time in the film’s third act. It’s handled so beautifully and when Murphy breaks through and reclaims his identity it’s a triumph not just for the character…but for the audience as well.

Weller’s physicality in the Robo-Suit is also something to behold. Planned to resemble the fidgety and sharp gestures of birds, Robocop’s movement as a machine is both plausible and striking. There are some shots in the film where I actually believe that the character on screen IS a robot…and that’s all Peter!

The supports are filled out quite nicely.

Falling in line with a technique thought of by Verhoeven in which actors with established personas would be completely changed up, Nancy Allen loses her trademark curls to become the tough as nails Lewis…Her attitude for the character is charming, not overtly heroic per say nor is it played as a cliché female cop. Lewis can hold her ground in a fight and there’s a weight in Nancy’s portrayal that makes her chemistry with Weller seem downright honest.

Joining in this technique as well is Ronny Cox…who up until then had played generally wholesome nice-guy roles. His performance as OCP official Dick Jones, however, is anything but. He’s manipulative, he’s malicious…he’s a complete 180 from the roles Ronny had been subject to and you can tell that Ronny is loving every minute of it.

Kurtwood Smith is extremely unrecognizable (at least in terms of emotion and personality) as Clarence Boddicker. Now more recognized as Red Foreman on “The 70s Show,” to see Kurtwood…who’s been regarded often as a very nice, well mannered guy…go to town as the absolutely scummy bastard that killed Murphy is a striking performance.

Then you’ve got wonderful turns from Miguel Ferrer (son of “Lawrence of Arabia”s Jose Ferrer) as Bob Morton, the quintessential yuppie. Initially meant to just be another assh*le executive there’s a grain of likeability in him when he’s so nice to Robo that makes his death sort of a sour note. The late Robert Do’Qui has attitude to spare as Metro West Sergeant Reed, which is a wonderful character (unfortunately he doesn’t get that much to do as a character until “Robocop III”…also unfortunately; “Robocop III” is nowhere near the level of the first film).

Visually, I’ll admit that “Robocop” isn’t as bombastic as “Aliens” or the “Terminator” films…but that’s not the point of what makes Robocop so great.

To me, many people have mistaken something with the “Terminator” films…

What they have, in my opinion…is soul. There’s soul in Cameron’s films that works and works well.

But “Robocop” is a film that has heart. It has a central figure that you can follow…feel pity for…feel empowered for…and eventually cheer on to victory.

The scene that hits home the heart angle is literally just that…the scene in which Robocop visits what was formerly the Murphy household.

In a wonderful trick invented by Verhoeven and DP Jost Vacano, Robocop has flashes in his cybernetic mind…his vision literally fades into static and snaps into Murphy’s memories. He sees images of his wife and son professing love for him. It’s so artfully done and layered with such tragedy and emotion that it’s incredibly compelling and dramatic.

However, all heart and emotion aside yes…”Robocop” can still kick a ton of ass as an action picture.

With Paul’s affinity for non-elliptical and overdone violence, the action in “Robocop” is exciting, grisly and awesome!

You’ve got that great fight between Robocop and ED-209 in the OCP tower, which is beautifully put together thanks to Phil Tippett’s stop-motion work. And the kick ass shoot out in the Cocaine Factory where Robocop takes out everyone without a single scratch on his armored physique (that ‘Behind-without-looking’ shot? Priceless!).

Of course the best action sequence is the film’s climactic showdown as Murphy finally has his vengeance on Boddicker and his boys. Unlike, say, “Robocop II” the final battle isn’t between Robo and another robot…rather than go for the visual slam-bang Verhoeven and company choose to go the with the emotional one and it works out great!

Who can forget the single most disturbing, funny and terrifying image of the film that takes place here?

You know where this is going…

The one…the only…‘Incredible Melting Man.’

When Emil tries to run Murphy over, he piles his van into the side of a huge vat of ‘Toxic Waste’ that pushes him out the back. Combined with an absurdly delightful over the top performance by McCrane and Rob Bottin’s ghastly make up, ‘Toxic Waste Emil’ shocked me when I first saw it. That hilarious moment where Emil catches up to Leon begging for help and Leon screams “Don’t touch me, MAN!” Hahaha!

All capped off by having Boddicker run into him with his 6000 SUX…ripping Emil’s acid-scarred and fragile body apart in a wash of blood and guts (notice the head stays in place just before bursting onto the windshield!!!).

A sheer work of blood soaked art, ladies and gentlemen.

Jost Vacano, a well known Verhoeven alum, does wonders with his camera work here. I always loved that technique he employed of placing the camera lower to look up to Robocop in order to make him appear larger.

“Robocop”s production design, handled by William Sandell, is pretty good…though minimal since the budget necessitated more location shooting than anything.

The majority of the film was shot in my own hometown of Dallas and maybe that’s yet another reason why I love the picture. I’ve driven by City Hall (which was altered and extended, through matte painting, to be the OCP Tower) and I’ve seen several of the streets downtown that were used in filming…I’ve also seen the Baylor Medical Center where Murphy’s initially taken to in order for doctors to try (and fail) to safe his life.

Sandell’s futuristic set dressing for the Main OCP floor is gorgeous with its metal and glass finishes…a stark contrast to the seedy streets below. Truthfully, the OCP set and Bob Morton’s swanky apartment are the only bits of futuristic angle in the design (to an extent…Morton’s pad wasn’t a set; a real couple rented their abode out to the production). Aside from those two the remainder of the film is more in line with ‘Old Detroit’ than it is with any sort of sci-fi whiz-bang locales.

The Metro West Precinct is wonderful earthy and old-time with its wood finishes and classic front desk (the design was changed for the sequels, unfortunately) and I was always partial to the 80s disco that Robo crashes in his search for Boddicker…complete with pulsing synth beats and red neon (look out for a cameo from Verhoeven himself as a dancer going mad for the camera!).

The Robocop suit itself…beautifully designed, rendered and produced by effects man Rob Bottin (“Total Recall,” “Fight Club”) is one of the best robotic designs I’ve ever seen. As screenwriter Ed Neumeier comments, the suit looks like the result ‘if Braun had manufactured a knight in shining armor.’ It’s sleek, it’s powerful and it’s optically striking as the film’s visual lynchpin. From Robo’s visor to his bulked chest to the freaking awesome gun-holster built into his leg, Robo himself just looks COOL!

Without computer generated effects, “Robocop”s visual effects were provided by Academy Award winner Phil Tippett…whose work on the original “Star Wars” trilogy had garnished him the Oscar. His approach to ED-209…the bulky, all robot numbskull product of Dick Jones…as a puppet is inspired. Unlike many visual effects created characters today, ED-209 has character…a personality. This is the result of Tippett putting his own attention into the character.

That moment where ED can’t even go down a flight of stairs? That’s Phil…

To give “Robocop” a voice, the tack of the film’s score fell to late “Conan the Barbarian” composer Basil Poledouris.

While it’s certainly arguable that his “Conan” score is superior, I’ve always enjoyed Poledouris’ work on “Robocop.”

Fitting with the man in the machine concept, Basil manages a simple and yet very clever trick of having Murphy’s human side be represented by organic, orchestral motifs…primarily with strings and woodwinds such as the flute or the oboe…while Robocop is best represented musically by synthesizers and very metallic sound attributes.

Poledouris’ “Robocop March” is a triumphant theme for our character and remains one of my favorite themes in contemporary cinema.

There’s also the haunting tinker-like chime in the “Home” cue as Murphy visits his house…very sad and lonely as Robo walks through the rooms and halls of a life all but forgotten, like any other lost memory in his databanks.

Another wonderful cue is “Betrayal,” which plays both when Robo’s humanity wills him to leave Metro West and when Robo is fired upon by Lt. Hedgecock and his fellow officers in the OCP parking garage…Poledouris takes the theme and just makes it sing with heavy brass and lament.

But my favorite cue has to be “Showdown” for the film’s finale. It’s dynamite, hinting on Robo’s theme, motifs from the “Van Chase” in the beginning of the film and it just has a power to it.

That moment where Murphy walks out on water and confronts Clarence and the theme just swells in all its synthesized glory…WOW!

“Robocop” is very much a film unlike any other…It’s a science fiction action extravaganza yes…filled with as much blood and bullets as you could ever want.

But much like the title character himself, there’s something deeper going on in the recesses…there’s a strong streak of humanity and heart in the picture that you just can’t help but love it…at least I never could.

You cheer for this man, in spite of all that’s done to him, and his successes give you an incredible rush of pride and triumph that’s just so wonderful to me.

“Robocop” will always be a favorite of mine.

Wait, let me rephrase that…

Because it’s not ‘Robocop’ that makes the man a hero…As our guy answers when asked for his name at the end, it’s simply…

“Murphy.”

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[Vengeance]

One of my favourite films, easily in my top 5 sci-fi films.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Robocop and Aliens?

 

[thejon93]

I despise 2001. pretentious rubbish (imho) reminded me of 'the fountain' another pretentious movie I hated.

I don't think that it's fair to call '2001' pretentious. Every movie has a right to take itself seriously. Although I personally never really liked the movie, I respect it in the way I respect movies such as Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil'. They're made to be virtual picture-books. These films do a tremendous job of pulling off these images and I have the utmost respect for them, overwise how I feel about the movie itself.

'Robocop' is one of the best action movies of all-time. Just like 'Batman', the score is phenomenal. Phenomenal to the point where it builds your excitement for a simple action sequence. I absolutely loved the shootout in the "cocaine-mill". Perfect example of the phenomenal score kicking up to an absolute new level of awesome. Great movie.

 

[dark_knight08]

RoboCop is one of my favorite science fiction films.
I can't wait for number one.

 

[cerealkiller182]

How is "The Fly" or "The Terminator" Sience Fiction?
I don´t get it.

How are they not? I would say that the accepted definition of science fiction is usually the establishment of advanced science and the consequences of them. Both The Fly and The Terminator fit that definition to a tee.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

How are they not? I would say that the accepted definition of science fiction is usually the establishment of advanced science and the consequences of them. Both The Fly and The Terminator fit that definition to a tee.

That's not even enough. Alternate history can be without advanced science and still be sci-fi. Most superheroes fall also under the sci-fi category.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Please enlighten us.

 

[spider-neil]

robocop an utterly brilliant sci-fi movie. easily in my top 10.

 

[Sentinel X]

Ugh. I dont like robocop

 

[cerealkiller182]

That's not even enough. Alternate history can be without advanced science and still be sci-fi. Most superheroes fall also under the sci-fi category.

Superheroes fall under advanced science; radioactive spiders, alien physiology, and mad science accidents. Alternate history usually has advanced science that isnt advance in relation to the present but most likely to the time period involved. I would also extend "advanced science" to be advanced innovations (which I should have done in the first place) to cover government/philosophy/existential aspects, but stories like 1982 and Brazil still have advance science aspects.

 

[darkseid26]

can't wait for the top 5, great reviews CFE.

 

[Evil Twin]

I'm with CFE 110% on ROBOCOP. Flat out terrific with a great performance from Peter Weller at the center of it.

I don't hold it against a science fiction film when it doesn't predict the future that actually happens. That's not necessarily the point of sci-fi. But, ROBOCOP does score bonus points in being uncannily accurate in many respects. Corporations and "privatization" being a big one. The return of the gas guzzling dinosaurs being another. Frankly the tv show that runs throughout ROBOCOP is just one step removed from FAMILY GUY. Of all the science fiction films, you can make a case that ROBOCOP has come closest to actually predicting the future.

Sharp eyed viewers will notice a shoutout to Howard Chaykin near the end of the credits. While not a direct adaptation, there's no question that ROBOCOP owes at least a debt of influence to Chaykin's seminal AMERICAN FLAGG! Why they hired Miller and not Chaykin to write the sequel will always be a mystery to me.

 

[Evil Twin]

each to their own. I expect a certain narrative when I watch a movie and 2001 (the fountain) is about as far away from that narrative as you can get so it wasn't for me. anymore who did enjoy 2001, fair enough, but 2001 wouldn't be in my top 50 sci-fi movies let alone my top three.

I think you're misusing "narrative" there. 2001 has a pretty straightforward narrative. Dawn of man, "man" rises from ape under influence of monolith, develops weapons and uses them, jump cut to 2001 and from one weapon to another, find out about a monolith on the moon, follow an expedition to Jupiter, see Hal go insane and Dave Bowman triumph over Hal, Bowman encounters a monolith, trippy things happen, Bowman's human body dies and he's reborn as the star child, the apparent next step in evolution.

It might not all be spelled out via expository dialogue, but it's pretty straightforward. It's no Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance if we want to truly talk non-narrative films.