Science Fiction

Logan’s Run

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January 2, 2017February 29, 2024

Logan’s Run (1976) starring Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan, Peter Ustinov

Synopsis of Logan’s Run

Imagine a future world where everyone is young and beautiful, and can have anything they could ever want. Except the freedom to leave. And everyone faces mandatory death at the age of 30. Logan is a member of an elite police force called Sandmen. They hunt down and kill “runners,” those trying to escape the fate that awaits on their 30th birthday. Logan is assigned to infiltrate the group of runners, and has his own “deadline” pushed forward. Logan meets Jessica, a member of a clandestine resistance group that assists runners. He decides to escape with her to Sanctuary. This is Logan’s Run. But a fellow Sandman frantically pursues …

Master of the World

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March 27, 2016September 22, 2021

Master of the World, starring Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster, David Frankham

Synopsis of Master of the World

In Master of the World, four individuals use a lighter-than-air craft to investigate strange activity from a mountain. They fear a volcano. Instead, they find Robar, master of the Albatross, a massive heavier-than-air craft. He takes them aboard as he tries to end all warfare – by force.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

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March 27, 2016July 13, 2022

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), starring James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas

The classic Walt Disney adaptation of Jules Verne’s 20,00 Leagues under the Sea, starring James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas

Red Planet Mars

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March 23, 2016February 7, 2023

Red Planet Mars (1952) starring Peter Graves, Andrea King, Herbert Berghof

Synopsis of Red Planet Mars

In Red Planet Mars, an American scientist (Peter Graves) contacts Mars by radio and receives information that Mars is a utopia — which causes massive uncertainty on Western civilization, since their technology could disrupt farming, oil, coal, medicine, and other industries. A later message tells that Earth’s people can be saved if they return to the worship of God. Revolution sweeps the Earth, including the Soviet Union. But there remains doubt about the messages being genuine, as an ex-Nazi claims he was duping the Americans.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

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February 13, 2016February 26, 2024

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of the classic science fiction movies, and with good reason. The acting is excellent, as are the special effects and cinematography – and with a message that still resonates, decades later.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

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February 10, 2016February 17, 2022

Robinson Crusoe on Mars, starring Paul Mantee

Editorial review of Robinson Crusoe on Mars courtesy of Amazon.com

Although it is a thoughtful and surprisingly non exploitative movie, the title Robinson Crusoe on Mars might conjure up unholy echoes of cross-pollinated genre movies such as Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter or Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Well, don’t worry. This 1964 space epic is in fact an adaptation of the classic Daniel Defoe novel, and it plays fair by logic and science.

Craig Hill, Paula Raymond, Dayton Lummis

The Flight that Disappeared

by user
January 21, 2016February 17, 2022

The Flight that Disappeared (1961) starring Craig Hill, Paula Raymond, Dayton Lummis

Some people have described The Flight that Disappeared as being like an episode of the Twilight Zone. And that’s somewhat accurate, although it’s more than that. For example, unlike the relatively short Twilight Zone episodes, The Flight that Disappeared actually takes time to flesh out the secondary characters, so that the audience can care about them. For example, on board the propeller-driven airplane, this is the captain’s final flight. He’s going to be flying jets in the future. In the same way, his second in command is going to be promoted, and marry one of the stewardesses. And these are the secondary characters …