I didn't mind the steals from "The Andromeda Strain" and "Close Encounters" and even "War Games;" they were woven into something that felt almost new at times. But the script leached all the wit and tension out of the original. Gort's role is too weak, despite the special effects, and Klaatu doesn't get to deliver his message. Worse than that is the sloppy ending that says nothing and does so unclearly. How's that for a double whammy? Final Grade: C, because any remake that leaves out one of the most famous sci-fi lines of all time (you know which one I mean) doesn't deserve more.

Now there's an SF series that would look great on screen, a straight-ahead military space opera with all the trimmings: a strong female lead; a scrappy crew against a powerful enemy; space battles; an alien race unlike any we've quite seen before. And the series owes quite a bit to forerunners in British naval fiction like Horatio Hornblower and the "Master and Commander" series (itself adapted with some critical and commercial success).

Even better, author David Weber's written a crap-ton of books in the series, so if the first one's successful you've got more where it came from.

There's also Open Salon blogger and author David Brin's "Uplift" saga, another rich SF world ripe for a screen treatment in the right hands.

...isn't arguing over trivial stuff what we _do_ around here? :) And btw, I'm not a bro...;)

I suggest "The Culture" novels by Scottish author Iain M. Banks. I've read all seven of the (ongoing) series in the past year and have to say they're some of the smartest speculative sci-fi I've ever read. I actually gave up on the genre for a while, as it seems 95% of all sci-fi is crap (but I guess you could say that about all art), and have been pleasantly surprised by elegance, creativity, and even topicality of this series.

Some building block concepts are derivative, but Mr. Banks uses previously speculated ideas with great elan, and produces a new universe of breathtaking scope, while still subtly addressing issues that pertain to our lonely little world today.

"Consider Phlebas", the first work in the set, would be an especially fun ride. Think "Star Wars", if Lucas had a brain.

I don't know why anyone wanted to remake The Day the Earth Stood Still. Even my brothers (both in their 20s) thought the original black and white version was a cool and essential piece of great science fiction cinema for it's time. This new one looks ruined by CG. Although I have to say that I do like the look of the new Gort. That big lug of a robot is exactly what the old Gort would look like in CG. Almost an exact replica...except he's about the size of a building now. Gort is probably the best thing about this new movie.

I can smell the hippies lining up for this one already.

He has sucked in every film I've seen him.

High schoolers in Thespian societies are better actors. How this guy gets parts is unknown to me.

There was a real turd of a TV movie made in 2003 "based on" the Riverworld novels.

I have read all the novels, so I didn't come to the movie from zero. But I have to believe if I had come to the movie with no knowledge or expectations, I still would have thought it sucked. And the movie was, in reality, the pilot for a series.

But casting all that aside, you would need 2 or 3 movies just to do justice to To Your Scattered Bodies Go, much less the rest of the series. And can you really believe they would make the first movie without putting the riverboat(s) into it?

I would really love a series of well-made movies about the Riverworld. But the odds of that happening are so minuscule, I would prefer that it just be left alone.

Someone good needs to adapt Philip Jose Farmer's masterpiece. It would take at least 2 movies & probably 3 to do it justice.

Since everyone who ever lived (until 1983 if you go by the book as originally written) is on Riverworld, you can have all kinds of cameos (beyond the historical characters: Sir. Richard Burton, Alice Liddell, Sam Clemons, etc. who are main characters) of historical figures getting their commupence, etc.

Plus, it's a great story with good CGI possibilities. Lots of nudity too (in the early scenes & with characters who don't mind walking around naked).

Also there's at least one alien stuck there with the humans & you have neanderthals & gigantopithicus' as well.

What's not to like?

You wanna quibble tiny little tid bits of bullshit

Whilst we're talkin' about movie science fiction

And the current modern condition of IT...

There's no way THE HINDENBERG is even close to Wise's best work, especially in terms of acting. Which of his movies would you see more than once? I rest my case...:)

Maybe not "brilliant," but movie opinions are like assholes, and I've just given yours a hearing.

"Famous Monters" Ackerman has passed on...

Now if somebody would just pick up the tempo

Sci-fi could be revitalized

And carried on strong...

Am I wrong?

"Late" Forrest J. Ackerman? This is the first I'd heard, but then it was only a week ago (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/12/forrest-j-ack-1.html)

Wow.

I used to tell people that my two most important influences were Forrest J. Ackerman and (the similarly late) William F. Gaines (MAD).

"damn kisd" indeed. : -)

I don't think FP was kitchy enough to need an update.

And sure, perhaps many of the great books and short stories being written today aren't easily adaptable to the big screen, but FP and DTESS were both written for the movies, not adapted. Get some of those great authors, pair them with a good screenwriter and let them make something new for the big screen.

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/6021

Maybe some bright boy in Hollywood could rummage him out of the late Forrest J. Ackerman's attic!