More Landmark Lines From Landmark Sci-Fi Films Quiz

Answer: Blade Runner

As the hero, Decker, played by Harrison Ford, searches for information on his replicant (clone) quarry, he finds himself at Taffy Lewis' favorite bistro in a seedy section of Los Angeles in 2019. Taffy's a wee bit recalcitrant to the newly re-recruited detective, but a few licensing threats get Decker the information he needs.

Released in 1983, this was one of the most underrated sci fi films of the last thirty years, originally garnering mediocre reviews when it initially opened. Over the years, it's outstanding art direction, acting and screenwriting have stood the test of time, and it is now considered one of the true classics.

Ridley Scott directed this film, and "2001"'s Douglas Trumbull was responsible for the special effects. It was based on the Philip K. Dick story "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep". Look for Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah and William Sanderson in supporting roles in this film. Duck when you see Rutger Hauer!

Answer: Krull

"Krull" was one of those little known movies of the early 80s that looked like it might have been a trifle, and for all intents and purposes, it was, but it was a well-made "trifle", with good acting, (Liam Neeson, Robbie Coltrane, Francesca Annis, Freddy Jones and Lysette Anthony were in it,) a respectable director, Peter Yates, and a funky kind of art direction that had its own kind of class.

The above line is spoken by the father of a young princess about to wed the prince and heir apparent of a rival kingdom, an event meant to "keep the peace" on their world. Right after speaking this line, the kingdom is invaded by the hoardes of an interstellar villain called "the Beast", and the story begins in earnest.

There is a scene in this movie, involving horses with very specialized hooves, that will endear the film to you immediately. It provides a very phantasmagoric visual to this already fairly dreamlike endeavor. A forgotten gem, released in 1983!

Answer: Robinson Crusoe On Mars

This movie, cleverly using stock footage from George Pal's "War of the Worlds", retold the classic Daniel Defoe story of a hapless adventurer stranded in a strange world, seemingly all alone, until he meets a native of yet another alien world on the red planet itself.

The acting is above par, the cinematography as well, and the scriptwriting is definitely above the fray for the mid-60s, when just about every movie was geared toward the dumbest audience possible. Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin and Adam West star in this surprisingly good movie.

Answer: Superman The Movie

Otis, the goofy character played by Ned Beatty in the film, makes this observation after looking at a picture in "The Daily Planet" of an Ethiopian fellow holding a chunk of kryptonite, who 'isn't' wearing a burnoose, as it turns out!

This movie, though it had truly tacky special effects, had great music and decent cinematography, however, it would have been nice if they had gotten someone 'else' to play Jor-El besides the overrated, (and over'paid',) Marlon Brando. Succeeding movies in this franchise got cheesier and cheesier looking as the series progressed, hitting rock bottom with "Superman III". They couldn't get any worse after that, and "Superman IV" was actually a slight improvement on "III", but not by much.

Answer: Logan's Run

This film was yet another dystopic story of a future society, a society that cut down its population problem by killing off everybody when they reached the age of thirty. Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter and Farrah Fawcett starred in this gaudy, tacky-looking, self-important film, released in 1976. "Carousel" is the ritual that precedes the mandatory euthanasia. I don't remember the Hollies doing the music for it, though.

Answer: Planet of the Apes

No one could possibly get that one wrong! Uttered by "Taylor" at the end.

One of the most famous endings in all of sci-fi filmdom.

Answer: Barbarella

Pallenberg played the rather funny and decadent "Little Tyrant" of SoGo on the planet Tau Ceti in this 1968 Jane Fonda movie. The name "SoGo" was a mating of the first syllables of the biblical cities of "Sodom and Gomorrah". The Rolling Stones hanger-on was a perfect mating to the role.

The "Mathmos" was a bio-power source that lived under he city, that fed off its decadence and evil, producing electrical power as a by-product. Barbarella was indeed, not so much "good", as 'innocent', that she made the creature regurgitate her and the LT at the end of the movie, where Pygar picks them both up as SoGo is destroyed. This camp classic was directed by Fonda's husband at the time, Roger Vadim, and as I've stated before, has one of the most laughable soundtracks you'll ever hear in your life! It also has some fairly hilarious lines, like: (After seeing Pygar strung to a cross by the Little Tyrant's minions...)

Barbarella:"De-crucify the angel!"

LT:"What?!"

Barbarella:"Decrucify the angel, or I'll melt your face!"

If you're in a whimsical mood, this movie's a scream, believe me!

Answer: Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow

"Sky Captain" was the visually impressive and well written movie released in late 2004, that starred Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Giovanni Ribisi and the late Laurence Olivier. That's right, Sir Laurence was posthumously digitalized as the main villain, Dr. Totenkopf, in this all-bluescreened wonder that reportedly had 'no' location scenery at all!

The above line is spoken near the end of the film when Sky Captain Joe Sullivan and his old flame, Polly Perkins, (Paltrow) discover Totenkopf's main project: a space "Noah's Ark". Gwyneth/Polly, after spending the first hour and a half nearly fouling up everything Sullivan sets out to do, unsettles some loose rocks in Totenkopf's lair that immediately give away their presence. It's one of many instances where she irritates the bejeebers out of him.

I highly recommend you rent and/or buy this underrated, under-seen film, which will probably be in heavy rotation in your DVD or VCR unit after your first viewing.

Answer: Forbidden Planet

"Forbidden Planet", a film loosely based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest", takes place on a planet in an extraterrestrial system named Altair IV. On it, Cmndr. John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) encounters Moebius, played by Walter Pidgeon, Altaira, played by the gorgeous Anne Francis and Robbie the Robot, a super-strong, highly efficient cybernetic that could haul cargo a forklift would strain under, as well as synthesize any substance called for in mass quantities. This is one of a few truly well-made, well conceived sci-fi movies of the 50s, a decade where most science fiction movies were so crude, they could be made by 12 year olds today (and are)! Issues dealt with in the plot include the depths and mysteries of the id and super-ego, possessiveness, a fantastically advanced civilization and phenomenal power generation.

One viewing of this movie will have it sticking in your head forever, trust me.

Answer: Things To Come

This movie, made in 1936, stars Raymond Massey and Ralph Richardson, follows a group of survivors of an extended second world war and their descendants as they progress through time and social eras. The futuristic sets and props for the latter portion of the film are incredible for the time the film was made, though Massey overacts a bit in his role as the sage of the piece.

The original story was written by H.G. Wells.

Answer: The Blob

This classic 50's "stop it before it kills" movie was Steve McQueen's first foray into film, and from here, he got his own TV show, "Wanted: Dead Or Alive", a bounty-hunter western that premiered the same year as this movie, (1958). From both of these vehicles, McQueen went on to become one of the legendary "Kings of Cool" of 60's-70's Hollywood, starring in such classics as "Bullitt", "Love With The Proper Stranger", "The Magnificent Seven", "The Great Escape" and "Papillon". All this, 'and' he was lucky enough to biblically know Ali McGraw! We lost Herr McQueen in 1980 due to lung cancer.

"The Thing" (1951) starred Marshall Matt DIllon himself, James Arness, as the monster, and "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" (1957) starred Michael Landon. Weird that these movies were all springboards for future western TV stars, isn't it?

Answer: Aliens

"Aliens", directed by James Cameron, taking over the franchise from Ridley Scott, was a miracle... a movie sequel that was 'better' than the original! Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ellen Ripley, the feisty corporate astronaut, as she joins a Space Marine platoon back to the planet where the rest of the original crew was picked off by the horrific creature from the first movie.

The cast's resemblance to a WWII fighter crew or 70's SWAT team is undeniable, with comic turns from Bill Paxton, Al Matthews and Jenette Goldstein. Lance Hendriksen puts in a fine performance as Bishop, a good guy (for once!) android that befriends Ripley.

The above line was spoken by "Cpl. Ferro", played by Collette Hiller, the transport pilot in the movie, on their initial approach to the doomed colony planet.

Answer: War of the Worlds

George Pal produced, a man named Byron Haskin directed, and the inimitable effects wizard, Ray Harryhausen directed special effects for this film, with Gene Barry playing the lead role of Dr. Clayton Forrester. Some scenes in this movie are too silly to describe here.

The above line is spoken by a scientist approached for help by Forrester during the course of the movie. The odd thing about the "Flying Wing" is that the plane itself, the Northrop YB-49, only had two models in existence, and both had crashed before the movie was shot. Stock footage of it was used for the movie. Paul Frees and Sir Cedric Hardwicke also make appearances in the film.

Answer: Return To Oz

Granted, this is a fantasy movie, but they're often lumped in the same genre as sci-fi, so....

"Return to Oz", as I've stated before, was a much underrated film made by Disney right after Michael Eisner took over the CEO slot in the early 80s. It was his own pet project, and unfortunately bombed badly at the box office. You will, however, see few films from the 80s as charming, well-made and well acted as this. Special kudos go to the art director, fx people, actors and score composer for the very elements that made this movie special. However, I must warn parents that there are some very odd scenes in this movie that a good eye can catch.

The film revisits Dorothy Gale a few years after the familiar tale, after she's told everybody about Oz, her dream world, which her Auntie Em and Uncle Henry aren't sure she believes really exists or not. After escaping the asylum they put her in for observation, during a bad storm, she is knocked unconscious and dreams of Oz again, only this time adding new characters, including the girl who helped her escape from the asylum, making her "Queen" of Oz.

The above line was spoken by a character called "The Gump" about 2/3 of the way through the movie, after they escape from bizarre "Princess Mombie". All in all, you may be hard pressed not to say this might be 'better' than the more famous "Oz" movie!

Answer: Lifeforce

"Lifeforce" was, like "Krull", made in England, with English actors, but had a near completely American main production crew: Tobe Hooper, Dan O'Bannon, John Dykstra, Henry Mancini and others too numerous to mention pretty much ran the show. Only the 'actors' were British! It also had "Krull's" knack for balancing the oxymoronic qualities of cheesy and hi-tone in the same film. The music is excellent, especially the end theme; Peter Firth's acting was good; the premise was classic with a twist (handled better than usual), and good ol' Patrick Stewart was even around, playing a psychiatrist, but some of the effigy-dependent special effects were laughably tacky, and Steve Railsback's overacting has to be seen to be believed!

The premise, by the way, involves a trio of spirit-vampires brought back from space to Earth, going on a rampage, laying waste to plebes all over the British countryside. Mathilda May, a gorgeous young woman with an absolutely 'perfect' body, plays one of the vampires, and just about every red-blooded male who sees this film might end up rooting for 'her' instead of our intrepid heroes! In fact, one of the heroes actually 'does' fall for her character! Like I said, tacky, but it draws you in.

The above line was spoken by Firth as the hijinks begin in earnest near the beginning of the film. Pop some popcorn in the microwave and enjoy this guilty pleasure from the mid-80s!