The A to Z takes over one's life doesn't it? It is fun though so well worth it. I am amazed that I still did my Thursday movie picks and it is another week and another theme. This week it is all about robots...ok, Androids/Cyborgs. If you wish to see what the others have chosen head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to check out the blog list. Here are my 3...
1. METROPOLIS-1927
Oh...I picked another silent film and a German film to boot! This is not just any regular film but a masterpiece from the story (which could be used even today) to the great special effects considering the time in which this film was made. Fritz Lang was inspired by New York City when he visited and he tried to duplicate this city for his future city. He co-wrote, with his then wife, Thea Von Harbou ( they separated when she went all hungry Hitler and he hated, rightfully, the a-hole) this futuristic film where a young man who lives in splendour, in the above ground city sees a beautiful woman who is fighting for the welfare of her people who live in the underground city. He defies his father and travels down to the underground city to see the plight of his own countrymen and is disgusted by their treatment so he can live a great life. Unbeknownst to him, his father has a mad scientist construct a robot replica of the heroine to work in his favour but the evil scientist has other plans. This film got reworked in the 80's and had rock music placed into the film which, to me sucked big time. As is always the case, restorers found an original cut by Lang of this film in 2008 and was restored and shown at the Berlin Film theatre in 2010.
2. STAR WARS-1977
I mean, this has to be on my list because of the wonderful Laurel & Hardy, aka R2D2 and C3P0. Yes, George Lucas was inspired by the famous comedy duo when creating these 2 characters. These 2 characters have been in every film (except the last one I believe) since this film came out. You know the plot, beautiful princess with the earmuffs places something in the R2 unit before she is captured by the evil Darth Vader. R2 and C3P0 travel down to a planet and are picked up by a young Luke Skywalker who soon learns that they are not your ordinary droids. With the help of Obi Wan, a former Jedi knight, and Han and Chewie they embark to save the princess and the galaxy. I love that Lucas was inspired by the old Flash Gordon serials of the 30's. It is great movie that started so, so much from special effects (Industrial Light & Magic), McDonald Toys and geeky fans everywhere to so, so much more.
3. TERMINATOR-1984
I could have chosen so many others but I have a soft spot for this movie even though it is normally not my cup of tea. From the famous line, "I'll be back," to seeing Schwarzzie's butt, it is one hell of a ride. I am not a fan of James Cameron and feel one should stick a needle in his head to let out all the hot air, but this film packs a wallop. A young woman, nothing special, is being hunted by by a cyborg to be killed since she will give birth to the man who will save earth. A man from the future comes back in time to help her survive. You are on the edge of your seat with this one and, thankfully, Arnie doesn't speak much so, it is quite a good movie. This film also started a whole new franchise of never ending robots vs man movies.
I could have picked Star Trek: First Contact which i love along with A.I. and Ex Machina but I went with these 3. Which ones would you choose??
Hey, I've seen all of those! I'd probably gone with Aliens instead of Metropolis.
ReplyDeleteThere was also a restored version of that film in the mid-80's with color and a rock soundtrack. I remember seeing it at some art theater.
I have not seen Aliens...scares me too much. I know that version and:)
DeleteHi, dear Birgit!
ReplyDeleteA lifelong lover of horror, sci-fi, mystery, suspense and fantasy, I was/am not a fan of Star Wars and didn't bother to watch many films that feature androids/cyborgs. I saw Star Wars in the theater in 1977 but was not impressed enough to watch the sequels. I didn't know that the comedy team of Lauren & Hardy was the inspiration behind Geo. Lucas's Star Wars characters R2D2 and C3P0.
I am familiar with the silent German film Metropolis because I studied it in a cinema history class in college. I agree that the special FX were remarkable considering the picture was released in 1927. In that same film course we studied Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 Soviet silent film Battleship Potemkin which contains the shocking scene The Odessa Steps.
I'll be back... next time. :)
Thank you, dear friend BB!
Metropolis is superb and I have seen Pitemkin also. The famous Odessa Steps sequence is harrowing and has been redone but never to the same effect as this film. Star Wars is not one of my favs either but it is just so big I had to talk about it.
DeleteWell, I have only ever seen bits and pieces of Metropolis but I make up for it by having seen Star Wars more than 30 times at least. After a while you lose track. Great choices.
ReplyDeleteOh wow...you are a Star Wats fan for sure
DeleteI also went with Star Wars. Spectacular movie with a memorable androids. Plus there's Darth Vader which is not 100% cyborg but still kinda fits.
ReplyDeleteYes Darth does fit in a strange way but he does. Star Wars is just so iconic
DeleteYey! Metropolis is on another list too! Also, love Terminator, not sure why I didn't pick it this time.
ReplyDeleteMetropolis is just an amazing film..brilliant. And terminator is a good flick
DeleteNever seen Metropolis. I definitely saw Star Wars and also The Terminator. I hated the first one of those. Haven't seen any more.
ReplyDeleteI figured you must have seen Star Wats. I don't mind the first Terminator series but they really just don't die do they?
DeleteMetroplois I've seen some of, a bit weird it was to me I recall. Other two I've seen a few times and are great indeed.
ReplyDeleteMetropolis is a German expressionist film...near the end of that style and it has so much impact even today.
DeleteI loved your comment about James Cameron :) I saw Star Wars and Terminator (and subsequently all the Star Wars and Terminators after them).
ReplyDeleteWould Bicentennial Man fall into this category? I enjoyed it when I saw it years ago.
betty
Yes, it would fit and I have not seen it. Cameron is a real idiot who does love the deep sea actually so he isn't ...naw...he's still an idiot
DeleteThis genre is way outside my wheelhouse, BIRGIT. I'm a-skeered I got nuttin' to add this time. Cyborgs, Martial Arts, Aliens, Zombies, Vampires... Bah! I prefer human beings (even though they piss me off so much!)
ReplyDeleteHell, I'm probably the only person in the United States of Americonned who HATED 'Blade Runner'. That was two hours I'll never get back!
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteOh, wait a second!...
Would 'WESTWORLD' count? I LOVE that one! Yul Brynner played one of my all-time very favorite screen villians... "Get that boy a bib. He needs his mama." Ha!-Ha!-Ha! God knows he was great and intimidating as HELL!
~ D-FensDogG
I hate to jump on STMcC's bandwagon but Westworld was the bomb. Off the bandwagon, continue driving, sir!
DeleteWest world so fits and I would have chosen that except I haven't seen in so many years that I felt I couldn't talk about it rightfully. I know I thought the film was cool. I like Blade Runner...sorry.....hahahaaa Sleeper fits too and the Fembots
DeleteGood picks! Sci-fi isn't really my particular kettle of fish but all three of these are good films. I NEVER rewatch Star Wars or any of its endless sequels but Terminator is a something I'll stop and look at if I run across it.
ReplyDeleteI struggled a bit to come up with three outside of Blade Runner which I'm expecting to see all over the place and had to go back to the 70's and 80's for inspiration.
Eve of Destruction (1991)-Eve is a military android, an exact replicate of her creator (both played by Renee Soutendijk) who through a malfunction has become a killing machine as well as a nuclear bomb. Now that she is running amok and creating havoc in the big city a rescue team headed by Colonel Gregory Hines is tasked to disarm her before she explodes. She however will destroy anything in her path to prevent that.
The Stepford Wives (1975)-Something’s not quite right in the charming, old-fashioned town of Stepford. All the women are incredibly docile and yielding and new arrival Joanna (Katharine Ross) wants to know why. The answer is one that is both scary and disturbing. Eerie suspenser that is heads and tales about the crappy 2004 remake.
Westworld (1973)-Michael Crichton directed sci-fi story of an amusement park tricked out to resemble the Wild West and stocked with androids that the guests can have mock shoot-outs with as pretend gunslingers. Blaine and Martin (James Brolin & Richard Benjamin) arrive for a bit of adventure just as there is a system failure and their supposed to be relaxing vacation becomes a race for survival. Followed by a sequel Futureworld.
I am surprised that you wouldn't want to sit through seeing Jar Jar Binks:) I have not heard of the first one but I know the other 2 and they are both great picks! I just haven't seen these 2 in so long that I didn't think it fair to pick them. I would love to see these 2 again
DeleteLOVE all three of these! I also picked Metropolis, a masterpiece if ever there was one. Star Wars is one of my all-time favorites, the first movie I remember really loving beyond measure. C-3PO was my favorite character for years. And there is just no one better than Arnie as the Terminator.
ReplyDeleteGlad you love all these that I picked. Nothing can beat Metropolis
DeleteI have the "modern" Metropolis on VHS, but I watch it with the sound turned off.
ReplyDeleteI have the original and I once saw it in Toronto with great music with it and music that was played originally when it was screened...it was great
DeleteStar Wars? Is that something new? Sounds familiar but just can't place it. Ha! Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteHahahahaaa...if someone never heard of it, they must have been off this Earth for the past 40 years
DeleteI loved the old Star Wars movie. It started a lot! Thank you as usual for your insights!
ReplyDeleteMary Montague Sikes
Notes Along the Way
The Artful Way
Yes....Star Wars started so much in the way of merchandise
DeleteStar Wars, definitely a classic. I may be misremembering but I was thinking R2 and CPO are featured in the last one, briefly. That little droid that stars in it is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHave a great one, Birgit.
They're both in the new one.
DeleteYou see, I saw the new one and just couldn't remember if they were in the new film. I will see all the Star Wars films but I am not a total geekazoid.
DeleteI watched the Terminator movies, but I never really got into the action thing. I used to consider myself a movie person, but lately I just cannot get sitting down to watch one. I think it is because these days I work on my own blogs, and also follow some people on YouTube. I just enjoy content YouTubers create more than wanting to see a movie.
ReplyDeleteEveryone finds their own style and ways that makes them feel good and some haven't seen a movie in years. All good
DeleteLove all of them, but Metropolis really isn't aging well. I make sure to watch it every October but it's progressively gotten more silly with each viewing.
ReplyDeleteOh my....maybe I am showing my 51 years but I just love that film. I have not seen it as often as you though
DeleteBirgit, these are all great movies...it makes me think that the age of great flicks has passed. I've been watching Netflix and we always give a movie 10 minutes to grab our attention or we move on. We move on A LOT, ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteOh oh....I don't have Netflix just cause they show mainly new movies and I love the older ones
DeleteI haven't seen Metropolis, though I had heard of it.
ReplyDeleteI thought Terminator was way overrated, as was Blade Runner.
I love the original Star Wars trilogy.
I liked Total Recall.
Metropolis is great. The first 3 Star Wars were great...pass on the middle 3 unless to see some funny scenes that were not meant to be funny, history of the whole Star Wars Schtick and great music. I like the first Terminator and then ...eh...
DeleteOK, you're outta my genre with these. I'm probably the only person on the planet who didn't really care for Star Wars..and forget Terminator. Didn't know about the other one. My Hubby & daughter loved S/Wars, have seen every one of 'em, and both liked the Terminator stuff too. Me, I'm more the Gary Cooper/Clark Gable/Cary Grant/Jimmy Stewart mentality! TFS
ReplyDeleteOh yes...I know what you mean and totally understand. It's not like I go out of my way to see these films but I do t mind them. If there is an old Jimmy Stewart film on at the same time as Star Wars, it will be Jimmy all the time
DeleteThree fabulous films, among my all-time faves. Absolutely no complaints from me!
ReplyDeleteSo glad and happy you like them
DeleteThe only one of these that I've seen is Star Wars, but it's been many years since I watched it. X and my daughter loved it and watched it too frequently for my taste.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I have seen it more than once but I am not a fanatic worshipper of the film(s). I actually saw it in the theatre when it first came out and thought it was ok but I was not Awed by it.
Delete"Arnie doesn't speak much so, it is quite a good movie." hahahahaha. So, maybe I might finally see it. No, I don't so. I should've seen it before he became our governor.
ReplyDeleteYes...he doesn't speak much which is good overall but later on, he actually does quite well in the sequal.
DeleteGreat picks! I haven't seen the first one but I love the 2nd too.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you saw the other 2.
DeleteR2D2 and C3PO were in the latest Star Wars. Just not for very long.
ReplyDeleteAh, Terminator... Takes me back to high school. It was the favorite movie of the seniors in the band when I was a freshman. Every time we had a free day, they'd wheel out the TV cart and put the movie on.
Apparently, someone had redubbed the whole film with the Terminator looking for his Duncan Yo-Yo. I never saw this masterpiece, but it was discussed frequently.
I have not heard of that parody and it sounds great.
DeleteNot seen the first one but I have seen the others. They were fun at the time of watching them. Have a lovely week Birgit.
ReplyDeleteThanks and at least you saw 2 of them
DeleteI think I am the only person in the world who has NEVER seen a Star Wars film! I know most of the references, though (may the force be with you etc)through reading lots of articles!
ReplyDeleteThat's Purrfect
Wow! I thought just about everyone in the 1st world countries has seen this film...you have impressed me.
DeleteI've seen Star Wars and Terminator, but not Metropolis. The second Terminator is my favorite. Sarah Connor is awesome in that one.
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd one, I think, is a better film but there is something about the first film that I love
DeleteBirgit, Star Wars and The Terminator are excellent 80s movies. These are some of my favorites from the era. I'm eager to see the newest Star Wars flick. We saw the newest The Terminator movie at the start of the New Year and it was really good. Thanks for sharing your picks!
ReplyDeleteI saw the latest Star Wars film but I haven't seen the newest terminator or the other one with Christian Bale. I don't care for the constantly dark viewpoint and that humans are eventually going to die
DeleteI like that Lucas was influenced by Laurel and Hardy. I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend, Birgit!
Pretty cool, eh? I like that
DeleteBirgit,
ReplyDeleteAre you okay? Are you anywhere near the fires?
Oh I am aok...no where near the fires...I am about 2,700 km away so all is good. It is horrible what is going on there. My hubby was in Fort McMurray more than once when he used to work in the oil fields. I hope the fires don't get to the oil sands.
DeleteI hope it doesn't get to the oil sands either. That sounds horrific.
DeleteTerminator. 'nuff said.
ReplyDeleteOkay, just kidding. Too bad you weren't doing TV shows - there is a great show that started last year called Humans. If you haven't seen it, give it a go, it's fantastic!! It's about synthetics with AI...with a twist. Really riveting.
I have only watched the terminator ... It's been so long but still love it :D
ReplyDeleteLang's movie is ingrained in my mind. What a powerful film maker he was.
ReplyDeleteHey, for once I've seen all of these! I'd probably say Metropolis was my favorite. Not a huge fan of Star Wars, but knowing that C3PO and R2-D2 were based on Laurel and Hardy is a pretty cool tidbit.
ReplyDeleteNice pick. I would have gone with the Star Trek one.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this qualifies, but I would have gone with Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 AD starting Peter Cushing. The films has cyborgs in it, half men/half machine.
I'm not familiar with the movie Metropolis, but my parents grew up in a little town in southern Illinois called Metropolis;)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Metropolis but it's on my to-do list - huge influence on the C-3PO design.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, you really need to see Hidden Fortress. No robots but another major inspiration for Lucas's droids.
Star trek, for sure.
ReplyDeletewww.damyantiwrites.com
Arnold does do a good robot doesn't he:)
ReplyDeleteI've seen two out of the three. I remember hearing about Metropolis when I took German in college, but I haven't seen it yet. When I think of androids/cyborgs, I think of Star Trek and Futurama. Hehe!
ReplyDeleteI would pick Terminator. We were visiting Los Vegas when it came out in 1984. Rather pay $$ for a show on the strip, we went to see it, definitely way off the strip. We were in the theater with bikers, prostitutes, druggies and pimps. Their enthusiasm and boisterous language made all the difference.
ReplyDeleteI love your choices.
I want to see "Metropolis," but I hear Superman's not in it. So...
ReplyDeleteI remember the day I saw Star Wars at the theater just after it came out. That movie blew me away.
ReplyDeleteMetropolis sounds epic. Never seen it before, but I think I'm going to have to check it out. (LOVE Terminator.)
ReplyDeleteI don't know Metropolis - but I love the poster.
ReplyDeleteStar Wars was such an iconic film - it heralded a new era in SciFi films - just wonderful.
Films like Terminator have never been my cup of tea either - but I agree that this one was quite a exception. :)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Hope you're having a good one:)
ReplyDeleteStar Wars would be my pick for a droid movie. I'd pick Doctor Who also, if it were a film, it has an hour and a half special, does that count? :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever watched the Terminator movie in full before. Most of what I know of it is from other things referencing it. I did buy the DVD a couple of years ago with the intention of seeing it finally but have yet to get around to it.
ReplyDelete