Yes it's true, Battlefield Earth, or BE as I will call it, is one of the prime examples of a terrible, terrible science fiction movie, with lame acting, rip offs of better movies, and in some cases sloppy special affects with a plot that wasn't fully explained.

And I love it. I don't know why but I just really enjoy watching this movie every time I catch it on HBO, is there something wrong with me? Does someone else have this BE fetish?

What about evil dead?

It really sucks

Its to stupid to be scary but i can't stop watching it

Mabe it's those girls with the huge tongues? Great party tricks.

Originally posted by Pollux V
...is there something wrong with me? Yes. Definitely. :D

I read the book because of all the hype when the movie came out. "They made a movie out of this steaming pile of offal?" kept running though my head for the first 525 pages. Then the numbness set in and I finished the last half on autopilot.

I've really got to learn to put bad things down and walk away.

I watched the flick at my brother’s house, and even though I did not pay, I want my money back. The director apparently has a hard-on for shattering glass, flying dirt, slow motion, and weird camera angles. The plot is pretty damn dumb, and the acting was too painful. Why Travolta pushed, hard, to get this movie produced, and insisted on starring as an 800 pound purple alien escapes me. It deserved to crater like it did.

The whole deal makes me want to walk up to Travolta and make
a hand-motion that looks like a clam opening and closing its shell

Peace.

Well I don't think Travolta is generally known for his acting skills, at least from my perspective, and the camera angles are always tilted, and there is a lot of flying debris reminiscent of The Matrix. I acknowledge that it is awful, that it is a prime example of the one movie that you should avoid watching.

But I just enjoy watching it so much. There is something wrong with me.

Yes Adam, that chick with the long tongue made my heart skip a beat (hahhahha just kidding)

I've never watched evil dead, is it that show with that guy who pops up in little roles all over the place but who lacks a household name?

I can't believe you've never seen "Evil Dead", a Film which is part of a Trilogy.

The first was made starring a young Bruce Campbell as Ash going to a shack out in the woods in the out-back and beyond.
He's going there with some friends to enjoy some timeout (ladies included), but when they get there things start happening and they find hidden in a basement. a book (the Necronomicon) and a tape recorded by the Professor that use to own the shack.

Real problems arise when the tape gets played, and the professor quotes an incantation. Ash and his pals, now end up on the receiving side of all that is Evil and Dead. (The incantation comes from the Necronomicon)

This is just a taster of a film that was suppose to be a scarey movie, that was just made so funny by the overkill of it.
With each sequel the storyline, and Ash gets a more and more amusing role.

The most recent film being Evil Dead: Army of Darkness, and last year Evil Dead: Hail to the King was released.

Evil Dead has been the inspiration behind Duke Nukems ("Come get some!") and behind the Resident Evil games.

I could start a poll on this, Which is better Ash with a chainsaw for an arm, or a Metal hand?

the problem is that travolta who is not a great actor anyway made this movie because its about his religion!

faith and hollywood are a terrible mix

I know Travolta is a Scientologist (hence my reference to the clam thingie) but how is the movie about Scientology?

Peace.

off topic but NAME THIS SCIFI MINISERIES (very good I might add)

"Doctor Kynes is our planetologist."

Well, the movie is stupid, and Travolta is probably stupid too (after all he made the worthless piece of crap). So maybe oeddie meant that he was a 'stupidologist.' Or a 'stupidorarian.'

I HAVE seen evil dead

All three

I love when the hand gets cut off B\W

It is so funny, reminds me of Thing

Its just NOT scary

Its SO FUNNY

i have seen it like 100 times because its so funny

Maybe I'll have to see it then. But you still haven't guessed the quote.

Dune.

Another suck movie (and mini-series), but the books were brilliant.

Are you nuts? The movie sucked but the miniseries was incredible!! What was wrong with it?

Perhaps I’m the only person on the planet who thinks this way, but I detest all film versions of books. From the lowest Tom Clancy to the most sublime classic, the book is always, always, better than the movie. The bitter pill of a Hollywood bastardization is all the harder to swallow when the hatchet job is done good books. Dune is a great novel and possibly (open to debate) the greatest science fiction novel. Its deep religious and philosophical bulwarks especially can not be reproduced on film.

The miniseries of Dune could have been an opportunity available to convey the complicated plot and characterization from the book, but it fell terribly short. The casting was terrible, the costumes cheesy, and this version did nothing to help those who hadn't read the book understand the complex story line.

I guess you weren’t disturbed by whoever the actor was that portrayed Paul Atreides? To me the mini-series Paul was a whiny brat, constantly arguing his lot in life with others. The Paul from the book was much more thoughtful on cognizant of his place in things and maintained an air of authority and bearing missing in his mini-series counterpart.

Miscellaneous issues that pop into my brain: The gratuitous scenes with Irulan
Duke Leto on Prozac
The "Batman" camera angles whenever they were shooting the Harkonnens
Frequently awkward direction - parts of it looked like a student film
Gurney didn't come across dangerous at all
Duncan McIdaho's Scot's burr could cut haggis
Way-silly Sardaukar hats Apart from assorted other annoyances, the Fremen eye treatment really bugged me. Herbert refers simply to "blue-in-blue" eyes resulting from spice consumption. Why is it required to make them eerie radiantly blue Jawa peepers?

I watched the whole thing, but was disappointed. I was left with the feeling that I’d just watched an extremely long episode of Outer Limits, complete w/bad acting, bad costumes, and bad acting. Oh yeah, and bad costumes.

Peace.

Highlander?
(Okay so I was just going to shove a 1 word post in and had to add this line just to make sure that the post was longer than my signature.... Well a little bit longer.)

Originally posted by Pollux V
And I love it. I don't know why but I just really enjoy watching this movie every time I catch it on HBO, is there something wrong with me? Does someone else have this BE fetish?

Since my family sees almost all scifi movies, we rented it - then decided it is not worth buying...

There is only one redeeming quality about the movie - if I can remember. The humans learned the technology of the aliens to beat them in their own game. There is hope...On the otherhand...

(Same can not be said for our business leaders of today. Polaroid still can not learn...even if we try to spoon feed them....)

My signature rules...

Originally posted by kmguru
My signature rules...Though it was probably penned by
Heidi, and Alvin just stole the credit.

"Behind every man..." etc, etc. :D

Peace.

Sorry about not getting back sooner, I had posted a reply but sciforums lost it. Let's get to it then, goofy!


but I detest all film versions of books

You have a right to do this, the books are always, always better than the movies, but that does not mean that the movies cannot be good in their own right.


Dune is a great novel and possibly (open to debate) the greatest science fiction novel

You're probably right, Dune is the Lord of the Rings of science fiction, but there's also the Foundation Series and the 2001 Series to keep an eye on. There's plenty of good scifi out there, you just have to know where to look. Awhile ago I read 'The Stone Canal' by this scottish author guy, I can't remember his name but it was pretty good. I recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.


The casting was terrible, the costumes cheesy, and this version did nothing to help those who hadn't read the book understand the complex story line.

The storyline for Dune is very, very complicated with loads of new words, and in the book Herbert really introduced most of them all at once (except for maybe the Bene Tlielaxu, christ I have no idea how to spell that), using them as if we were supposed to know what they meant when we were still newbies to the series. It's usually the best way to go with science fiction but it was really complex and I think that the miniseries really solidified what I already knew by having Paul ask questions, or even the opening scene of the movie where his instructor, Doctor Uwey, is telling him about the political tripod of the Empire.


To me the mini-series Paul was a whiny brat, constantly arguing his lot in life with others

I think he was like this more in the beginning and in the middle. I have the dvd and I watched some of the extras and before then I would have agreed with you but it so turns out that the director wanted to show how he was more of a child in the beginning and how he developed from an adolescent into an adult leader (his hair changed, he grew a beard, and he sounded different).


The gratuitous scenes with Irulan

I really liked Irulan, I guess it's just a difference of taste. The only problem I had with her was her dress in the scene where she meets Paul in Arrakeen. She has butterflies all over them, but where the hell did they come from? This is 100910 for christ's sake. Anyway in the extras she's actually quite the foxy lady.

You're right about gurney, but I think he did really act like a good father figure for Paul. The Sarduakar uniforms did suck and the Harkonnen uniforms looked reminiscent of stormtroopers. I really liked the eyes in this, I wanted to start a company that sold contacts that would do the same thing (well, Idid want to).

But I really think that it's just a difference of taste in film. BTW not only is Irulan a foxy lady but whatsherface, uhh, that fremen woman that he falls in love with is really a looker in the behind the scenes part too.


Since my family sees almost all scifi movies, we rented it - then decided it is not worth buying...

I agree with you kmguru. It would make better use of Tom Hank's rope for his raft in Castaway. I'd never watch it if I had it on tape and I'd hide it if any of my friends came over. If they found it I'd just say that I taped over the whole thing with pornography or something, that would be more acceptable...

Originally posted by goofyfish
Though it was probably penned by
Heidi, and Alvin just stole the credit.

"Behind every man..." etc, etc.
Peace.

More power to Heidi...:D ...still the message rules...but most corporate types dont get it...

Whatever gets yer noodle going kmguru. BTW did you use html code to get your text blue? I have a new quote I have to institute. Ah, there we go. It's taken care of. Teal looks good on midnight.

BLUE?

Are you color blind?

It is more like purple but with a color code from my signature email I normally use (cant remember the code). The sciforums color does not match.

I know Travolta is a Scientologist (hence my reference to the clam thingie) but how is the movie about Scientology?Well, it's written by Hubbard.

• http://www.xenu.net/
• http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2000/05/051202.html

And from the Ebert review:
"Battlefield Earth" was written in 1980 by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. The film contains no evidence of Scientology or any other system of thought; it is shapeless and senseless, without a compelling plot or characters we care for in the slightest. The director, Roger Christian, has learned from better films that directors sometimes tilt their cameras, but he has not learned why.To be honest, I think it was an attempt to put Hubbard's name back in the public eye to reap fresh meat. If the film had been good, and the young people flocked to Hubbard as a storyteller ....

Unfortunately for Scientology the film absolutely sucked. With any luck, it will be twenty years or so before they try something so stupid again. But then again, since people are trying to turn The Matrix into a religion, maybe Travolta and Co. have a point.

After all, there is this review (http://www.joblo.com/battlefieldearth.htm), which tries really hard to lend it some credibility.

But regardless of intentions, when critics are comparing you to both Ed Wood's Plan 9 and Waters' Polyester, you're in bad shape.

I did find this letter (http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/be-front.htm) blasting the BE project and also L. Ron.

Personally, I think the ideological relationship 'twixt BE and Scientology can be found in the strange ideas that pop up in the script. It's kind of like watching a newly-discovered tribe and not understanding what their rituals and social customs mean. Scientologists, I'm told, understand the plot and script in a different way than the rest of us.

But I disagree with the Evil Dead comparison; at no time did Raimi expect us to take any of those films seriously. Watching ED2 (Dead by Dawn), it becomes clear that the director is laughing with us. Such an attitude, for comparison, is the redeeming aspect of Warlock, starring Julian Sands. Otherwise, it's an overstated B-class, and that, I think, was the deliberate point of the ED films. BE, though, somehow, expects us to take it seriously, and that's the biggest laugh of all.

As a barely-related critical note, though, look at the impact that has had on movies. Star Wars IV was a detailed production, but it's a B-class at heart, and that's what everyone forgets. In the modern day, though, I'll occasionally see films on that principle. I paid money to see Broderick in Godzilla and whoever the hell was in Deep Impact; I went into those films with B-class expectations and, as a result, got my money's worth.

The Matrix? Now there's a B-class that took itself too seriously. I honestly think that film was made because someone spent a load on a clunky effects system and wanted to show it off.

In that sense, I understand some people's attraction to BE. I love bad films, but only if they're self-consciously bad, like Rocky Horror or Microwave Massacre. It's the wacky ones like Class Reunion Massacre that disturb me; that film had a stick up its ass for how bad that was.

thanx,
Tiassa :cool:

kmuh-heheh, whoops, guess I made a mistake there...

Tiassa don't feel like a loner if you love bad movies, there are plenty of people that I know that really enjoy just awful flicks. The thing about the camera tilting was right on, though, it's just tilted so much. I've never read the book (but do not lose faith in me, for I have read many other works of science fiction!)nor do I have any clue as to what scientology is. Could someone clue me in here?

Scientology (http://www.scientology.org/home.html) is a religion centered in Hollywood, CA, that operates as a private corporation (http://www.xenu-city.net/mcpherson1.html), as per the listing on the indictments. I'm not inclined to speak kindly of it.

Maybe I'll put together a topic in the religion forum, but to be honest, it's an exhausting exercise in futility because there's so much data out there. Suffice to say that its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, apparently lied quite frequently to the point that ... well, this rant (http://pw1.netcom.com/~seekon/lamont.html) should suffice; it's not too far from the dubious public perception the organization has achieved.

Ever see the book Dianetics? That's the foundation of Scientology, essentially. Though tavern mutterings hold that Scientology and Dianetics are drunken boasts of the author that he made good on, that he could "invent" a religion, and also that the uncanny frequency with which Tom Cruise (famous Scientologist) rescues some hapless person in England might be arranged by his publicist on behalf of the church. (This has no known foundation, but it seems strange that when Europe is strongly resisting Scientology to the point of it being outlawed in--I think--Germany, the highest-profile Scientologist on the market is becoming "Saint Thomas".)

The church itself has been indicted (http://www.xenu-city.net/mcpherson1.html) in the death of one Lisa McPherson (http://www.lisamcpherson.org/). The indictment was eventually dropped, but if you want your stomach turned, here are the autopsy photos (http://www.lisamcpherson.org/lisapics.htm).

Suffice to say that Scientology needs its own topic in the religion forum, but to be honest, anything we say or do might get Porfiry sued. Scientology's first response to any implication of wrongdoing is not to address the issue itself, but to attack the reputation of the accuser. At this point, I risk digressing into a political rant, so I'll can it for now.

• Operation Clambake, The Fight Against the Church of Scientology (http://www.xenu.net/)
• What is Scientology? (http://www.whatisscientology.org/) from the above-linked Scientology site.

Let's put it this way: even the brightest and most devoted student of Scientology cannot advance without giving the church money. Repeatedly.

thanx,
Tiassa :cool:

Battlefield Earth 2

http://www.upcomingmovies.com/battlefieldearth2.html

Thanks tiassa. I heard of Dianetics, also that it was a crock of sh*t, but nowadays every religion has some sort of scandal going on so I guess one incy wincy murder makes no difference.

OH MY GOD!!! CHRIST, THEY'RE MAKING ANOTHER ONE!!! WITH THE SAME DIRECTOR (WHO SHOULD'VE COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER READING THE REVIEWS OF HIS MOVIES)!! This is nuts, truly most sequels are worse than the original, I don't know how this could be any worse than the very worst movie ever, ever made (I believe the 'Citizen Kane of bad movies,' Freddy Got Fingered (Tom Green) is the trophy holder in this category).

I'm definitely going to see it with everyone (cactus, oeddie) the day it comes out, though.

I think I speak for everyone when I say HOLY F*CKING SH*T WHAT THE F*CK ARE THEY F*CKING THINKING???


Another theory (an optimistic one at best) is that maybe, just maybe, this sequel can only be better. (from kmguru's site, a very good one, I've been there before for other movies)

This is impossible, just impossible. Remakes are usually done with completely different crews and casts, this has everyone coming back for a completely new run. My god these guys really must be nuts, like exile-them-to-china-NOW-nuts, my god...

Calm down Pollux...let the idiots have their day...on the second thought...neh!...no way...no mercy....for idiots...


Could it be that there is a mandate for scientologists to watch these movies?...just a thought...

There must be a lot of closeted scientologists, I guess, for them to warrant a sequel. Tiassa I saw on the who's online that you were writing a reply so chances are that I won't get to it in THIS reply so don't explode in anger or anything...

Am I crazy to say that the guy who played 'Johnnie' really wasn't as terrible as really everyone else in the movie (his friends, his girlfriend, the aliens, the other humans)?

Am I to understand that the are making a sequel???

Well, I hopped over to the Internet Movie DataBase (http://www.imdb.com) to check out the listings for Roger Christian (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Christian,+Roger), apparently signed to direct the BFE sequel.

Christian has a couple of films slated for this year. Bandido, scheduled for 2002 release, is somewhere in production.

However, Christian also has Alien Agent (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0313186) slated, and as of last month it was in pre-production. The synopsis (http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0313186) of the film ... I don't know, it could be a front. (I can't recall what the hell the Star Wars project was called, but it wasn't "Star Wars", in an effort to deceive other studios. "Red" something, I think it was known as a WWII film, also characterized by the rough cut with war footage instead of FX scenes. So there's that.) But those are the only two films slated for the director this year. Anyone more familiar with the books can tell me if Alien Agent sounds remotely like BFE (my new, preferred abbreviation for BattleField Earth).

And as a note to Pollux V ... hey, if you can find some redemption in that film, go for it. The worst movie I've ever seen had its redeeming points. I mean, Robin Williams did okay, but the script sucked. (The film was Patch Adams. Remarkably bad for so much potential. But as a general rule, if this is the bottom of the barrel, it's because it's 3.30 in the morning here and I'm out of cigarettes and I generally don't like most of the movies I see, so picking the worst I've ever seen is a little like naming my all-time favorite song.)

And about the camera angles: I read somewhere in those reviews that it had to do with the evil dudes being 10 feet tall. Christian apparently hasn't figured moderation or method, just concept. Of course, even during the period of X-Files that I liked, was it me or did Mulder change height from week to week? I just remember this one episode; he was about 15 inches taller than Scully ....

Maybe Travolta will buy him a nifty computer and they can FX every frame to make the evil dudes big. LOTR in reverse.

thanx,
Tiassa :cool:

Well I'm referring to the constant angle of the cameras, how they are usually slanted, like when that king alien guy warps in or when they're about to send the 'gastrones' to retake Earth. He just did it constantly.

Plus I managed to snag a picture of this director fellow, you'd think he was this fresh and young guy just out of a crappy film school but oh no it turns out that he's this old dude who's been making films for awhile.

I just hated Battlefield Earth, I dont have to explain why....

Pollux I know exactly what you mean. I hate that movie and i cant seem to stop watching it. WHY~? WHY!? GOD WHY!? am I drawn to watch such a stupid movie?!