That means I can legitimately include here Spacehunter: Adventures In the Forbidden Zone, which came out in the summer of '83, while Jedi was still in theaters. Although not generally well-regarded, I happen to like the movie, and sometimes wish that it had done well enough to merit sequels - I would have enjoyed seeing more adventures of Peter Strauss' Wolff.
I remember going to see it with my girlfriend at the time (in 3-D, 'natch), and both of us agreeing that it was more fun than Jedi!
I haven't thought about this movie in years. I remember little proto-John Hughes Molly Ringwald who, if I recall correctly, whined an awful lot. But she was, in the end, endearing (I'm a sucker for redheads). Strauss was just fine as a low octane sci fi Indiana Jones-type. I remember expecting crap, but enjoying the story. It reminded me of BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS so far as it was better than I was anticipating.
ReplyDeleteI'm remembering this was my first 3D movie, but I could be wrong. I'd have to look up released dates on IMDb to be certain. I did see it theatrically though, and thought it was fun. I've seen it on DVD too, and it's still pretty good. I remember being really surprised that Peter Strauss was starring in a cheapjack 3D sci-fi movie, because he was a highly acclaimed TV dramatic actor then.
ReplyDeleteI remember being very disappointed when I rented it on video in the mid 80s, I missed it in theatres. I haven't seen it since.
ReplyDeleteMore than a decade after its release, I found an old issue of Heavy Metal which contained a (curiously short) comics adaptation of the movie.
Thanks for posting this- I've always loved this movie. Really liked the vehicle design, Michael Ironside as Overdog, and Peter Strauss was great. Lots of great humor in this one. Hot Amazon chick: "I bet breeding with us would kill him." Wolff: "I'll take that bet." Plus, Ernie Hudson- how can you go wrong?
ReplyDeleteI'll be writing more about this movie one of these days.
ReplyDeleteAre they missing any limbs? I hate it when they have missing limbs.
ReplyDelete'68 to '83 is a good timeframe and really does, in my opinion, represent a distinct era in sci-fi/fantasy.
ReplyDeleteNow this is one that went under my (then tween) radar. Thanks for the referral, Chris. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteWell I guess you have to set the line somewhere, it is your blog and RotJ was the final original Star Wars film.
ReplyDeleteTo me tho by 1980 films really had started changing from 1970s* films as Star Wars filtered down and Thatcher/Reagen took over in the Real World. I don't see ESB, Flash Gordon, Saturn 3 or Superman 2 for example from 1980 as 70s films. By 82 & 83 you have films like Blade Runner, Escape From New York, Liquid Sky, The Road Warrior, Star Trek II and Tron, definitive 80s films.
If you're going to set the line at 1983, just a year later you get 1984, 2010, Buckaroo Banzai, Dreamscape, Dune, Ghostbusters, Ice Pirates, Last Starfighter, Star Trek III, Starman, and Terminator. Are they appreciably different from RotJ or Spacehunter? Not particularly IMO.
* hrm, Alien and Mad Max in 1979...something of a dividing line too IMO
As for Spacehunter, all I remember is Ringwald, a big vehicle/combine and a lot of dirt pits. And some Starlog article, this being when Starlog was about the best most accessible source for sci-fi film & tv news and info.
ReplyDeleteThis movie really is largely forgotten/ignored, even among B-movies, and I don't know why. It is quite decent, and has great banter between the leads. It's always been one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember much about Spacehunter, other than it had Ringwald (great actress), and it was low budget. I seem to remember they used some modern jargon in the dialogue which I thought was neat at the time. As far as setting a date for this blog, I hope either you find a way around those dates, or enter the 80's and 90's somehow, I really enjoy reading these columns!! You seem not to include any Dr. Who during this timeframe. I assume you're a fan. I think the 70's/80's were prime Who. Have you ever seen the films: ZPG (Zero Population Growth), Demon Seed, Quintet, or Incredible Melting Man?
ReplyDeleteI guess what I haven't made very clear is that I really think of this blog being about the sci-fi from *my childhood* and I graduated high school in 1983.
ReplyDeleteNothing is set in stone, though. This is, after all, a weblog, which means that it's subject to its author's whims. If, say, I happen to feel like writing about The Ice Pirates one day, I will, even if it didn't come out until '84.
While I am a Doctor Who fan, I didn't discover the series until I was an adult. It's not part of my childhood at all. Again, that doesn't mean it will *never* get mentioned....
YAY!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet other fans of Spacehunter!
It's one of those that many have seen, but few bother to look close enough at to see the coolest bits.
The subtlety is probably the best part, although the film would have been truly amazing if it weren't for the usual interference of studio execs, who think they can make a movie better than the actors or director.
Above Star Wars, BSG, Buck Rogers and all the rest, Spacehunter was the only one with all the elements that appealed most to me.
Now, almost 30 years later, it is still my favourite film!!
Hm. I think SW mainstreamed SF&F. Prior to that, we fans were terribly marginalized. Lucas ushered in a slew of product that made our favorite genres into tropes everyone recognized.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I didn't discover Dr. Who until my adult years, either. But Tom Baker rules. ;)
The fans have their own forum now:
ReplyDeletehttp://spacehunter.phpbbhosts.co.uk/
I remember seeing this in a theater in 3D when it came out. It was very much a mishmash of Indiana Jones, Mad Max, and Star Wars. But a good experience. I think it might have been my first 3D movie. Shortly after this I think I saw Friday the 13th in 3D and then the 3D fad went away again until recently. Thanks for bringing this movie back to mind.
ReplyDeleteAlthough everybody (here) loves this movie, these's one thing I have to ask: why do the three ladies who need to be rescued have no names or personalities?
ReplyDelete