70's Sci-Fi Appreciation Thread (pre-Star Wars)

I revisted both seasons of Space:1999 last year through Netflix. Billy, I have almost the exact same childhood impressions of the show as it looks like we're about the same age. I even had an Eagle toy spaceship at some point. And I agree that Maya freaked me out (???!!!!) but not anymore!

Anyway, the first season is far preferable to the second one for the reasons that you've already cited. I really liked Victor and it's never explained why he wasn't in the second season. According to IMBD, it's explained that his artificial heart gave out, but I don't recall that ever being mentioned in any of the shows.

As for season two, it's pretty hit and miss. There are a few characters from the first season that are gradually weeded out, like the Russian girl (can't think of her name). The good episodes are 70s campy and the bad ones are as kiddy like as the worst Lost in Space. No human size talking carrots, but some real cutesy episodes all the same. And I found Tony to be a pouty annoyance. Maya deserved better. And yes, Barbara Bain needed to loosen up. It was fun revisiting the show, but I wouldn't feel the need to own them unless they were reissued with a lot of bonus material.

Around the same time, I rented the show UFO, which I had never seen before. I took me a couple of episodes to really get into it, but I became hooked. That was great. You gotta love the theme song! Like Space: 1999, characters seemed to drift in and out of the series with no explanation. Unlike Space:1999, it was all done in one season. But looking back, I can kind of see why it only lasted one season. The same plot was essentially recycled for each episode. However, it was a lot fun and I hope to revisit the show someday.

 

Yes I particularly like the theme music! As for "each show having the same plot", I guess that was a common syndrome for Gerry/Sylvia Anderson shows. But let's face it, do you really want an episode of UFO where SHADO are not defending humanity from the aliens? That would be like an episode of Thunderbirds where International Rescue don't rescue anybody! Actually, they tried that plot in the recent live-action Thunderbirds movie and it blew...

And now, for no reason other than because I can, another pic of the ravishing Lt. Ellis.

Fly me to the moon...

 

His Masters Vice, you rock!!

 

No doubt!

This is a neat picture--Barbara Bain and Barry Morse from 3 or 4 years ago. She's still beautiful as always!

Barry's gotta be pushing 90--and he's still acting regularly!

 

Remember the grilled cheese sandwich on eBay that supposedly had the image of the Virgin Mary? Some guy claims it had the image of Barbara Bain. You be the judge! I digress . . .

http://www.badastronomy.com/fun/travelogs/amazingmeeting2005.html

 

Cool. She's still a fine looking woman. And being in Space: 1999 must have been a good luck charm, because everyone still seems to be alive, unlike UFO.

Martin Landau has appeared in Entourage and Nick Tate is currently appearing in Australia in Titanic: The Musical in the role of Captain Smith. He was also in an episode of Lost...

 

Does Where Have All the People Gone? count?
1974 TV movie starring Peter Graves.
I was all of six when it aired and I remember it to this day. Would love to track down a copy.

From the imdb:
"A strange series of solar flares proves fatal for inhabitants of the Earth, except for the fortunate few who are somehow immune from the effects. Animals go insane and human beings turn to white powder, leaving behind only empty clothing. A handful of survivors attempt to rebuild their lives on the de-populated Earth."

 

Looks interesting! It was available on video ... and it may have been released on DVD but is probably out of print. You could probably get it second hand

 

Well, that was easy. I just ordered a copy from Movies Unlimited. VHS.
Thanks for the pic!

 

You're welcome! Hope you enjoy it Let us know if it's as good as you remember it being!

 

You bet.
I must admit that the topic of this thread is near and dear to my heart.

 

Here's another one from the post-apocalyptic genre:

Glen and Randa (1971)

"Teenagers Glen and Randa are members of a tribe that lives in a rural area, several decades after nuclear war has devastated the planet. They know nothing of the outside world, except that Glen has read about and seen pictures of a great city in some old comic books. He and Randa set out to find this city."



This maybe should be filed under 'hippy sci-fi' ...
I haven't seen this one.

 

Ahh see I always thought that Zardoz MEANT to be intentionally silly. There were broad elements of satire in it. Maybe I misread it but it seemed to be poking fun at the genre at the same time as it wanted to be a genre film.

 

Ahh I remember this movie! nothing like solar flares to reduce a movie budget!

 

I think that one is mainly for hippies. Good concept for a movie, though. A post apocalypse movie that isn't "Mad Max". I notice the rating on that poster: X. Apparently the two leads spend most of the movie naked. I believe it's been re-rated now as 'R' - but I guess that means we won't be posting any stills from this one

 

Here's another post-apoccy—(somebody make me stop!)—

No Blade of Grass (1970)

"A strange new virus has appeared, which only attacks strains of grasses such as wheat and rice, and the world is descending into famine and chaos. Architect John, along with his family and friends, is making his way from London to his brother's farm in northern England where there will hopefully be food and safety for all of them. Along the way, they encounter hostile soldiers, biker gangs, and all manner of people who are all too willing to take advantage of travelers for a mouthful of food." !!! (exclamation points added for emphasis)



There's a good review of this in the user comments on imdb ...

 

Ok, this one might be a little bit of a stretch, but it seems to fall in with "thought provoking, eerie, disturbing, and downright weird Sci-Fi films" from Eric's original post (and is categorized "Fantasy/Sci-Fi/War" on imdb, for what it's worth).

Black Moon (1975)

"There is a war in the world between the men and the women. A young girl tries to escape this reality and comes to a hidden place where a strange unicorn lives with a family: Sister, Brother, many children and an old woman that never leaves her bed but stays in contact with the world through her radio. Since the content of this picture is not as important as the pictures and allegories, the simple plot can not be described further."



And because the word "apocalyptic" appears on the poster it satisfies my strange obsession!

 

Wow. Tons of stuff popping up that i've never even heard of! Great--I'll haved to seek this stuff out somehow! My guess is that they are not available on DVD.

 

Black Moon is supposedly on Criterion's slate.
Glen And Randa and No Blade Of Grass are available on dvd from "berne act" websites, but probably can also be picked up legit used on vhs ...

 

"Silent Running" may be the most overated film I know of. Total crap!

I guess it struck a chord with the 70s "green movement" or something but it has absolutely nothing going for itself as a film in my opinion.

 

I agree with your opinion. I never saw it until fairly recently and it did absolutely nothing for me.

 

Sure, it has some things going for it.

Cool robots, cool spaceship. The movie is visually striking, with excellent SFX.

However, it is both melancholy and cheesy in parts, which makes for a tiring viewing.

 

I found the SFX to be pretty bad - especially considering the guy who worked on 2001 was involved!

I guess that's what a low budget will do.....

I also found it impossible to be sympathetic with Dern's sappy character which killed the movie immediately for me.

 

Well, I stand corrected, not all the SFX are good . . . some are excellent, though, while others clearly look like models. I guess just about the best SFX are the drones . . . although seeing as they were played by people, I guess they don't qualify as SFX.

The design pf the drones clearly and obviously influenced some of George Lucas' creations (R2D2, the "power droid," etc.).

 

I kid you not, I was just saying to a friend the other day how I found the "power droid" to be the worst character in Star Wars!

Something about the way, when it's walking around, it just looks like someone hunched double in a cat box with their legs sticking out the bottom.......