The Movie Nerd Bible: Part II
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
I feel mentally secure that, bar one or two, I've seen all the movies on that list and own most of them.
Looking at some mentions of Dark Crystal though, I really like that movie, but, I can see why it wouldn't be on the list, it's rather light in certain areas. Still, any and all scenes with the Skeksis totally make up for any deficiencies in a -big- way.
Looking at some mentions of Dark Crystal though, I really like that movie, but, I can see why it wouldn't be on the list, it's rather light in certain areas. Still, any and all scenes with the Skeksis totally make up for any deficiencies in a -big- way.
Another fan of the Sci Fi mini-series.shiajun said:
Also I'm a bit geeked out that so many good John Carpenter movies ended up on your list. The only movie I ever saw from him that I didn't like was in some way shape or form was Ghost of Mars. I freakin' grew up on Big Trouble in Little China.
As for newer movies not appearing on the list I could see why they're not there. You always need a little time to assess a movie objectively. For example, I doubt we'll forgive Mutt Williams and dimensionally hopping Aliens for Crystal skull, but who knows. A fifth Indy movie may come out and be good, having used Crystal Skull to build on. Suddenly we'd have less bile towards Indy 4.
If you notice, his timeline when he mentions the Indiana Jones movies extends to 2009, so I think Movie Bob has tacit approval for Crystal Skull. It isn't that bad of a movie, it's just not Last Crusade.MDSnowman said:
The whole "Blade Runner is so deeeeeeeeeep" thing: I think it's too subdued. Normally you hate when a movie shows it's messages in neon lights and neatly summarizes the moral lesson right before the credits roll, but I guess Blade Runner is so deeeeeeeeeep it goes in the opposite direction, and the meanings are swallowed in the darkness. Yes, "Tears in the Rain" is nice, but it's a minute or two at the end of the movie. I'd say most people who talk about the deeeeeeeeeepth have read the book, and so are already aware of the meanings (that said, in the interest of fairness, I'll steal my friend's DVD and watch it again, with a more discerning eye).
I'm with you sir, and I'm surprised that neither the Scifi version of Dune nor it's sequel Children of Dune (both of which make it POSSIBLE to understand the stories without having read Frank Herbert's Dune, in fact in my opinion, I think they make it easier to understand.)Blue-State said:
Also, where is The Fifth Element, Robocop, Princess Bride, Young Frankenstein, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, The original Day the Earth Stood Still, ANYTHING by Kurosawa like Seven Samurai or Yo Jimbo because of their heavy influence on American filmmaking, Terminator and most especially Terminator II, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, The French Connection, Fight Club, Desperado, Total Recall, Dark City, The Crow, Apocalypse Now, Spaceballs, Lost Boys, John Carpenter's Vampires, John Carpenter's the Thing, Pitch Black, The Boondock Saints, Seven, Jurassic Park, Men in Black but only the first one, The Professional, Strange Days, Hotshots, The Maltese Falcon, A Touch of Evil, Event Horizon, The Shawshank Redemption, and Heat. (There are of course many more movies that I'm missing, but these are the ones that are off the top of my head.)
I mean, there's a lot of movies missing from this list and unless Bob does another one of these for the 90s, he's missing some really influential ones. I still haven't forgiven him for forgetting The Day the Earth Stood Still, which is one of those absolutely revolutionary science fiction films from the fifties. To be honest, these lists feel more like ones that Bob likes as opposed to those that have been revolutionary or important to the genre (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) or films as a whole. If this is about getting the references, then there's a lot of shit that still gets referenced (and some gets referenced more often) that's not on Bob's film list. If this is about obscure films, then it's different list that this one doesn't live up to.
So basically, what I'm saying Bob is try harder.
EDIT: Also, WHERE IS THE GODDAMNED ROCKETEER? You get James Bond doing an imitation of Errol Flynn being a Nazi spy. What's not to love?
"...it's both amazing and depressing that there hasn't really been a film since to so well explore what it is to be both a nerd and a young woman."
Have you seen MirrorMask?
Have you seen MirrorMask?
I think you guys are on to something here. I did like Kyle McLachlan's thoughtful, brooding Paul much more than the sullen, entitled brat of the miniseries. And Sting's Feyd Rautha was fantastic despite his brief screen time.Tehlanna TPX said:
Is it bad that I just thought about batch pasting from AFI's list just to sound smug 
In all seriousness though, great stuff Bob, some stuff I would have substituted for others but a solid list comprising several cross/sub genres that fit under the adage of being "nerd" worthy. Kudos to you sir for trying to make such a list.
In all seriousness though, great stuff Bob, some stuff I would have substituted for others but a solid list comprising several cross/sub genres that fit under the adage of being "nerd" worthy. Kudos to you sir for trying to make such a list.
FWIW, I opted to cut off mostly at the 90s because I'm not really sure enough time has passed to mete out what is an isn't "essential." Gauging "impact" requires distance. For example, is "The Matrix" REALLY a benchmark? At the time, everyone would've said yes - but now? I dunno, from my vantage point it looks more and more like a footnote in the BIGGER story of Anime/Hong Kong influences taking hold over American action cinema at the turn of the millenium. In other words, do you "need" Matrix on the list when you'd also already have "Ghost In The Shell" and John Woo? I don't know.
There will probably be another list for post-90s - and it'll probably open with a notation that, yes, "Terminator" and "Mad Max" should've been on here - but not right away, as these two make a nice pair and I'm honestly pretty burned-out of listmaking after this undertaking
There will probably be another list for post-90s - and it'll probably open with a notation that, yes, "Terminator" and "Mad Max" should've been on here - but not right away, as these two make a nice pair and I'm honestly pretty burned-out of listmaking after this undertaking
Great list, lots of really cool entries, but I have 1 little correction.
Conan is king of low fantasy, not high fantasy, there's little magic in that world (a hallmark of high fantasy), it's all man's effort in a world that is against him.
Conan is king of low fantasy, not high fantasy, there's little magic in that world (a hallmark of high fantasy), it's all man's effort in a world that is against him.
![[Insert Name Here]](https://eg-forums-escapist-data.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/data/avatars/l/76/76796.jpg?1620692839){kind=avatar}
Dark Crystal is one I would put there (excellent movie!), but I'm pleased by Labyrinth's inclusion. I didn't expect it to be on the list, but it does deserve to be.QUINTIX said:
