It’s friday once again, and here are trailers for science fiction movies that really wanted to be the caliph instead of the caliph (huh?)…
Leviathan. Released along with a slew of other underwater films in 1989. Most likely to feed off of the scraps from Cameron’s The Abyss, which was released in the same year. This however seems more like Alien or The Thing underwater. I don’t own this, though I wish I did.
Pay special attention to the trailer voice in that one. The good ‘ol trailer 80’s ‘shit-is-gonna-happen-yo!’ voice!
Update: Another film also released in 1989, which I never saw, was Deep Star Six. Featuring and even better trailerguy, Bob Morton (from Robocop) and one ugly rubbersuit!
Outland, which I bought it recently on DVD, and I can only sum up the impetus for this movie thusly: “Alien was truck drivers in space. Aliens was vietnam in space… What about a ‘high-noon western’ in space?!”. I think it actually makes use of set pieces from Aliens, kid you not…
Moon 44, which so wishes it was directed by James Cameron and art directed by Ridley Scott, and which is just through and through a pretty horrible movie (an anal rape scene in the showers?!… WTF!). I own it on VHS:
And as a special bonus, Nemesis, which tries to be Rambo II w. Blade Runner and über 80’s action mixed in, with a healthy layer of cheese for topping:
Oh hell, now that we’re at it, here’s Zardoz. A movie which doesn’t actually try to be anything in the known universe, let alone a movie!
Other honorable mentions include Return of the Jedi, which terribly wants to be A New Hope (even down to stealing the same damn McGuffin!) and Predator, which wants to be Aliens in the jungle… and gets away with it.
If we step out of the science fiction genre, Firebirds (can’t find a trailer anywhere) and Romancing the Stone (and The Mummy, King Solomon’s Mines and so on) would definitely be up there as well…
Now please, supply your own links in the comments.
Outland is an understated classic, what’s not to love about a space movie in cramped conditions where the main character uses a shotgun?
As for Zadroz, I’m waiting for the sequel, Zardoz II: You’re The Man Now, Dog!
I’ll tell you what’s not to love… The pacing! It really really wants to be a nail-biting thriller, but all it is is hair-pullingly frustrating.
I’m the only person alive that liked Moon 44. I’m ok with that.
Thanks for wrangling these up Michael. It was fun to see Buckaroo Bonzai in the Leviathan trailer. Such great 80s stars in that one. And I don’t know which was more entertaining during the Nemesis trailer – the Harryhausen-Terminator wanna be or the guy firing a gun while doing somersaults on his way to the pool below.
Nemesis….what? Who?….is there, what? Eh….?
I really wanna see it though :)
Sean Connery?! Thank god for netflix, the Zardoz trailer simply isn’t enough.
So, it’s not exactly in genre, but you asked for links… Holy Mountain/El Topo.
Ah yes, Jodorowsky… What a character! :D
I’ve seen most of Leviathan, and have only one thing to say: WHY? As in: “Why did I just fucking watch that?” It was terrible. Curse you for reminding me of it :(
And heh, yeah, Moon 44. Directed by Roland Emerich and starring (among others) Dean Devlin before he became a producer, it’s the tale of some damn thing or other, I couldn’t stand watching it long enough to really find out. I do remember the space helicopters, though. Without Moon 44 Dean Devlin and Roland Emerich would’ve never met, and the world would’ve never been exposed to the cinematic genious of Universal Soldier, Godzilla, and The Patriot ;)
Long time no see Michael!!!
Hope you remember me. Its old Brian BBJ from Frederikshavn.
Write me on my email if you like.
Remember seeing many movies when we where very young.
But of course — You are the very reason I saw most of these movies to begin with :D
Hi Michael add my to your messenger or email me on: brian.bergh@hotmail.com
I would be very happy for it.
Deep Star Six, yeah, what a great film. Okay, maybe I’m one of the three people, who say that about the film, but I’m glad to can say that. =)
Heh, you reminded me of both Iznogood (a clearly underrated caliph… er, comic) and why I slept through a big part of the 80’ies in one post, impressive!
My fondest memory from watching these flicks is when me and my friend tricked my mother to take us to see Outland. I think I was ten, maybe eleven, at that time and, boy, I’ve never been so scared in my life as when the guy’s head blows to smithereens in the opening sequence and never been so happy to have my mom with me. Needless to say, I never tricked my mother again and she was pretty calm about it. I think she knew that I learned my lesson that time.
But what happened when I tried to see this incredible movie that made such an impression on me the first time again five years later? Yep, fell asleep…