Space Opera

Late last week, just before I created this blog I watched Logan's Run for the first time. Ever since it's had my mind running and thirsting for similar sci-fi. Sure there's tons of great special effect laden pictures being released all the time...but most of them fall short of the spirit and just plain FUN of older sci-fi. Logan's Run was obviously dated and looked as if it was made exactly when it was: the mid 1970s. (Released in 76 for those who are curious.)

The less than amazing special effects are there, sure. But anytime I watch a movie like this or Flash Gordon or A Clockwork Orange I get the feeling that much more spirit is put into the films because they realized the restrictions they had effect wise when it came to painting these futuristic landscapes.

That brought up the great example: Star Wars. All of the elements that I love in these movies can be found in the original Star Wars trilogy, and they are the mainstream example of the greatness the genre can acheive. Why is it that the Star Trek films never quite reached Star Wars level? They're too cold. By the time the first Star Trek film had been made it was too far removed from the spirit of the television show and was merely trying to cash in on the Star Wars boom. Obviously this isn't a planned out post...as I just realized I let it degenerate into Star Trek bashing...oh well, not my fault Star Trek sucks.

All the memories of these movies that I watched and loved in my youth brought back in full force an idea my friend Paperbag Face and myself had been throwing around about writing a space opera. My mind is currently stewing with ideas in regards to that. Anyway, here are some other great sci-fi films of the past in my eyes:

---The Last Starfighter
---Death Race 2000
---Rollerball
---Escape from New York
---The Road Warrior(Or any of this series.)

Actually, I CAN think of one recent sci-fi film which has that "fun" spirit about it: The Fifth Element. That's all for now.