The 1980's science fiction movie poll

Xpost to Tracer - thanks for the offer on Kin-Dza-Dza, but Ruscico (Russian Cinema Council) have it on their website under 'coming soon', so I'll wait for that. Check 'em out - they have a lot of Soviet era SF and Fantasy on offer. Discs are nicely put together, dubs, subs and extras.

Caught Lifeforce again on late night TV recently. What a fascinating disaster. Some classic character actors propping up utterly wooden and miscast leads, almost to the point of ventriloquism. However there's a still a cool 'Quatermass' vibe, the effects still look pretty good, and the destruction of London is quite spectacular. A LOT of money has been spent, but it still manages to look like as cheap episode of 'New Avengers' most the time. (But that vampire spaceship!)

Just imagine if this had been another John Carpenter/Kurt Russell joint, though.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

this is tough, maybe tougher than the 70s one. let's see...

Altered States - some terrible acting and lousy dialogue, but the gonzo visuals carry the day. writhing crucified man with head of an eight-eyed goat? check. snake turns into your naked girlfriend, then into desiccated dust statue eroded by desert winds? check. lava lamp soul implosion whirlpool? check. but when william hurt sits at his kitchen table watching his arm ripple, I think that's not sci-fi, that's how I spent most of my time in college.

Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior) - pound for pound this is my favorite movie on the list, but I agree with morbs that it's one of the least sci-fi. however, it is one of the most quotable and compulsively watchable. a marvel of editing. and casting - even the bit players give great face.

Escape from New York - watched this recently and was surprised by how well it has held up. also noticed how it amalgamates elements from carpenter's previous films; the tough guy bravado and urban grit of assault on precinct 13, creepy corner-of-the-frame shock scenes a la halloween, kurt russell from elvis, the fog's atmospheric claustrophobia. plus, snake plissken is the best action hero handle ever.

Scanners - huge soft spot for this movie, in spite of its flaws, which are many. poorly plotted, acting is all over the map, lead character is dishwater dull. at one point the sound even goes out of sync for several minutes?! but the set pieces are fantastic (the exploding head, the art gallery) and the concept and ideas are enough to keep this train wreck humming.

Videodrome - both more polished and more beserk than scanners, but the queasy, post-burroughs satire doesn't wear as well.

The Thing - this is always a fun watch but never a love thing for me. perhaps it's the all-dude cast, or maybe because the special effects so totally overpower every other aspect of the movie.

Liquid Sky - haven't seen this in decades but I have fond memories of fluorescent discos, rhythmic self-abuse, and killer orgasms. which is how I imagine the rest of the world spent their time in college.

Repo Man - another one that's stood the test of time. however, the movie straddles so many genres it becomes genreless and putting it in a sci-fi category does it a disservice. maybe file under "california satire"? now that I think about it, this is emilio estevez's best performance ever - never again was his dunderheaded smirking used to such advantage.

Aliens - I patiently await rrrobyn's revenge for calling this a popcorn movie, but it really *is* one, a movie's movie. thrills! chills! spills! it's one hollywood cliche after another executed with such jackhammer precision that there's no reason not to strap yourself in and yell "we're in the pipe, 5 by 5!"

The Fly - has there ever been a more successful sci-fi remake? it nails the type of heartbreak altered states strived for but failed to deliver, breathing life into a universal message that hits home with every generation; honey, I love you but I'm willing to undergo horrific genetic mutation for my job. hope you'll understand.

I took the lefthand path and voted for

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/edwardiii/scanners.gifhttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/edwardiii/scanners.gifhttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/edwardiii/scanners.gif

I never noticed this before, but there's a moment mid-explosion when he looks really surprised.

"woah, wasn't expecting that"

lol

Hi Jordan,
We've updated your homepage! The movies below were selected based on your ratings and past activity. Over time it will change as we learn more about what you like.
Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy
from the 1980s
Based on your recent interest in:

* Outland
* Blade Runner: The Final Cut
* Predator: Collector's Edition

TronTronAdd to Queue
3.7 Stars

Star Wars: Return of the JediStar Wars: Return of the JediAdd to Queue
4.6 Stars

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars: The Empire Strikes BackAdd to Queue
4.6 Stars

The Road WarriorThe Road WarriorAdd to Queue
3.9 Stars

Also, no Tetsuo? Not sci-fi enough?

(from earlier in the thread)

Altered States - some terrible acting and lousy dialogue, but the gonzo visuals carry the day. writhing crucified man with head of an eight-eyed goat? check. snake turns into your naked girlfriend, then into desiccated dust statue eroded by desert winds? check. lava lamp soul implosion whirlpool? check. but when william hurt sits at his kitchen table watching his arm ripple, I think that's not sci-fi, that's how I spent most of my time in college.

Blair Brown nekkid vs. Saturn 3 Farah Fawcett
Bailey vs. Jennifer

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

give me one (1) break!

how did aliens get no votes? and nobody repped for innerspace either. Oh, we are a failure, aren't we.

Blair Brown nekkid

I parsed this incorrectly and it conjured up some very disturbing imagery.

Alien won the first poll, and there are way more options on this poll, so I can understand it.

how did aliens get no votes? and nobody repped for innerspace either. Oh, we are a failure, aren't we.

Better movies were released in the 1980s and Inner Space is a vast wasteland of suckage.

I expected three of ILX's top five to put me to sleep. I was right, and I haven't even seen the other two.

good for you! good for you!

so does anything cool happen towards the end of Blade Runner?

she's a he

but we did sort of have a renaissance of aliens love, between this and the aliens poll.

honestly, i thought the thing would be #1 or #2.

btw blade runner: the final cut just arrived today from netflix.

honestly, i thought the thing would be #1 or #2.

I thought so too. (I voted for The Quiet Earth though)

No *batteries not included, no credibility

Still, I would have thought Aliens might have gotten at least one vote. I expected a bigger turn out anyway.

aliens more likely to get repped in an action poll.

83 votes is not bad for a poll, they rarely get over 100.

*batteries not included,

isn't this about old people?

what is it with 80's sci-fi flicks about old people

do the star trek flicks count as part of this sub-genre?

this poll was too hard was the problem

seriously. so many notable flicks.

I, for one, couldn't choose.

what is it with 80's sci-fi flicks about old people

Cocoon was a hit, ripoffs ensue.
No MAC and me on this poll...so sad.

tom - 90's poll? :>

predicting Virtuosity for the win

vs. Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace

watched Robocop last night, and noticed that it featured at least two england footballer lookalikes, David Platt and Wayne Rooney

No MAC and me on this poll...so sad.

totally;_;

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8cqqjOUdgAw

more like Big Mac and me amirite

yeah I didn't vote - too hard. surprised to see Videodrome place so high and the Thing place so low tho.

I am pleased that Repo Man came in ahead of E.T..

Oops, forgot:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SZPWZJT8L._AA280_.jpg

And Alan Rudolph's Endangered Species is either about aliens or black helicopters.

Oh, and with a similar poster, it turns out:
http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/celebrity/images/Movie/poster-endangered.JPG

everything thru the thing (and several after) i would take over any on the 90s list

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/d/d5/Zapped.jpg

I guess 80s teen science fiction is a whole other category.

of the top ten, i haven't seen videodrome or they live.
what are they all about and why do i love them>

oh man you need to see both asap, dude

i miss neon grids.

Videodrome is maybe DC's finest theorem about the New Flesh, I think of it every time I shoulder past some zombielike texter on the sidewalk