Comments on: Quarterly Review http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/ A blog of news, reviews, commentary, and quirks from Hollywood and Broadway, with a focus on quirky, geeky stuff like Star Wars, Star Trek, and superheroes. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:35:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: GeneD5 http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-10853 GeneD5 Sun, 30 May 2010 17:29:49 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-10853 Here's part of a series looking at seminal years in science fiction (including 1939, 1968, and 1977): http://io9.com/5549491/the-best-year-in-science-fiction-1982?skyline=true&s=i Here's part of a series looking at seminal years in science fiction (including 1939, 1968, and 1977): http://io9.com/5549491/the-best-year-in-science-fiction-1982?skyline=t rue&s=i

]]> By: Ken Gagne http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-5906 Ken Gagne Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:00:04 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-5906 Thanks, Gene! I've found that many films I didn't "get" in my teens make more sense now, perhaps because I've a vaster experience from which to draw and help me understand other films. The video game podcast <a HREF = "http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/08/05/show-238-the-one-about-comic-con-with-ridley-scott.aspx" TITLE="Show #238 The one about Comic-Con with Ridley Scott"><em>Xbox Live's Major Nelson</em></a> recently interviewed Ridley Scott about the anniversary of <em>Blade Runner</em>. It runs from time indices 48:33 to 52:48 in the above MP3. Thanks, Gene! I've found that many films I didn't "get" in my teens make more sense now, perhaps because I've a vaster experience from which to draw and help me understand other films.

The video game podcast Xbox Live's Major Nelson recently interviewed Ridley Scott about the anniversary of Blade Runner. It runs from time indices 48:33 to 52:48 in the above MP3.

]]> By: GeneD http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-5877 GeneD Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:29:59 +0000 http://www.showbits.net/2007/08/08/1982/#comment-5877 Ken, I agree that 1982 was a watershed year for genre film fans of our generation (I was a freshman in high school that year). I've seen and enjoyed all of the movies you mentioned, and <em>Wrath of Khan</em>, <em>The Dark Crystal</em>, and <em>Conan the Barbarian</em> remain staples of my video collection. As for <em>Blade Runner</em>, it was one of the first cyberpunk movies to show a gritty dystopian future buried under the accretion of a postindustrial society. Like <em>Star Wars</em> did for space opera, it eschewed the antiseptic speculative fiction of the 1960s and 1970s (see <em>Star Trek: the Motion Picture</em> for an example) for a gritty, lived-in look. The throwback in style to the noir films of the 1940s and 1950s also captured audiences (note that Sean Young's shoulder pads and tailored suits would be at home in either the 1940s or 1980s). Solid performances by Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, the question of what it means to be human, and a genuine sense of suspense during the fight scenes have led to many imitators, including <em>The Matrix</em>. Although I feel that filmmakers have relied too heavily on Philip K. Dick's work rather than expand to other authors (such as Bruce Sterling, William Gibson, or Neal Stephenson), his influence on anime, cyberpunk, and genre film can't be understated, IMHO. Ken, I agree that 1982 was a watershed year for genre film fans of our generation (I was a freshman in high school that year). I've seen and enjoyed all of the movies you mentioned, and Wrath of Khan, The Dark Crystal, and Conan the Barbarian remain staples of my video collection.

As for Blade Runner, it was one of the first cyberpunk movies to show a gritty dystopian future buried under the accretion of a postindustrial society. Like Star Wars did for space opera, it eschewed the antiseptic speculative fiction of the 1960s and 1970s (see Star Trek: the Motion Picture for an example) for a gritty, lived-in look. The throwback in style to the noir films of the 1940s and 1950s also captured audiences (note that Sean Young's shoulder pads and tailored suits would be at home in either the 1940s or 1980s).

Solid performances by Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, the question of what it means to be human, and a genuine sense of suspense during the fight scenes have led to many imitators, including The Matrix.

Although I feel that filmmakers have relied too heavily on Philip K. Dick's work rather than expand to other authors (such as Bruce Sterling, William Gibson, or Neal Stephenson), his influence on anime, cyberpunk, and genre film can't be understated, IMHO.

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