Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Nothing Beats the Classics!

I've managed - somehow - to watch a number of old, classic sci-fi/horror movies during the past week without really trying, and it's been great!

The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) was on tele over the weekend, and y'know, for an old flick, it was pretty darn good. Then Invasion of the Body Snatchers was on, only this wasn't the original but the 1978 version with Donald Sutherland - still pretty cool. A work colleague lent me Forbidden Plant (1956), so that was Monday night's viewing and again, pretty enjoyable for an old movie. This was followed up with The Day of the Triffids (1962) last night (Tuesday), and although this differs somewhat from John Wyndham's book, it wasn't too bad. I think I'm a fan of the 1981 TV series more so than this film, though.

I wonder why no one has remade The Day of the Triffids?

A fellow writer friend of mine just informed me that next week on the ABC, we've got Invaders from Mars (1953) on Tuesday, then The Thing from Another World (1951, remade as The Thing by John Carpenter in 1982), followed afterwards with The Body Snatcher (1945, starring Boris Karlof). The Body Snatcher isn't related to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but it should make for some great late night viewing!!

Bring on the classics, I say!

2 comments:

Brian G Ross said...

The Day of the Triffids is one of my favourite novels. What a classic... but the film version I saw (not sure which one) was absolutely rubbish!

Invaders From Mars is a good (albeit a little overacted) 50s flick, but my favourite of that era and genre has to be This Island Earth. Stellar film - one of those that stays with you from childhood.

The original version of The Time Machine is very good as well. The remake with Guy Pearce is abysmal. How did they get that wrong?

Marty Young said...

Yeah, the happily-ever-after ending in that Triffids movie ruined the whole apocalyptic feel of the story for me - it made it feel too Hollywood.

Haven't seen This Island Earth or the original Time Machine - though I do have the book sitting on my bookshelf at home just waiting for me to get to...