70s Sci Fi Sleepers

[jian]

I mean, it depends what you mean by science fiction and I’m certainly not keen to gatekeep about it, but I do feel it should have supernatural (as in, do not and have never existed in our world and is basically not possible with current science) science-based elements which are important to the plot. So Star Wars has a space station that can blow up a planet, psychic powers, and hyperspace - even if you transplanted it to 1930s Earth and took out hyperspace (so the Falcon is just a freight plane or something) the other elements are definitely supernatural.

But if the plot is just

Spoiler

guy takes part in a high stakes gambling game where you have to murder the other players in order to progress and there’s no supernatural technology or elements, it’s just set in an icy post apocalyptic future

I’m really not sure how it qualifies, you could set that in 1970s New York and nobody would bat an eyelid.

I agree that Capricorn One has very little science fiction either (the only possible element is how effective the conspiracy is, and that’s a thriller trope, not a sci-fi trope) and shouldn’t be on the list, by the way.

 

[VashVet]

The other 70s sci-fi that I loved that I would probably categorize as forgotten, in that anyone I’ve suggested this movie to hasn’t heard of it and thought “where has this movie been hiding” is Time After Time.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The other 70s sci-fi that I loved that I would probably categorize as forgotten, in that anyone I’ve suggested this movie to hasn’t heard of it and thought “where has this movie been hiding” is Time After Time.

That’s the one where HG Wells chases Jack the Ripper in his Time Machine isn’t it?

 

[VashVet]

That’s the one where HG Wells chases Jack the Ripper in his Time Machine isn’t it?

Yep. Again, I think for sci-fi nerds probably not as forgotten as something like Quintet but really damn good movie. Of course, I probably wouldn’t put anything involving Michael Crichton in the forgotten category, particularly Andromeda Strain.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Of course, I probably wouldn’t put anything involving Michael Crichton in the forgotten category, particularly Andromeda Strain.

Westworld.

If we are just throwing in 70s SF that shouldn’t be forgotten, Logan’s Run.

 

[jian]

The other 70s sci-fi that I loved that I would probably categorize as forgotten, in that anyone I’ve suggested this movie to hasn’t heard of it and thought “where has this movie been hiding” is Time After Time.

Also the answer to the trivia question, “how did Mary Steenburgen meet the man she married before Ted Danson?”

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Dark Star is the greatest movie of all time.

Surely, though, room could have been found for Rollerball and Zardoz.

But yes, ten examples of the sort of good, thought-rewarding SF [1] filmmaking that Star Wars murdered.

[1] Except Capricorn One. Drop it from the list; it is not SF.

 

[Koloth]

I remember watching all at some point except Quintet and The Man Who Fell to Earth. Some during the original theater run. Some on local TV channels(non network). Others at Scifi/Fantasy/Gaming conventions in the film room.

Silent Running was definitely a product of many of the environmental concerns of that era. A version of the ship shows up in Battlestar Galactica and a renewed version in the later reboot.

Also remember Time after Time.

 

[sevenbastard]

Same. I've never even heard of Quintet!

I have a copy of VHS I got at blockbuster for $1 around 1995.

 

[Ryujin]

I mean, it depends what you mean by science fiction and I’m certainly not keen to gatekeep about it, but I do feel it should have supernatural (as in, do not and have never existed in our world and is basically not possible with current science) science-based elements which are important to the plot. So Star Wars has a space station that can blow up a planet, psychic powers, and hyperspace - even if you transplanted it to 1930s Earth and took out hyperspace (so the Falcon is just a freight plane or something) the other elements are definitely supernatural.

But if the plot is just

Spoiler

guy takes part in a high stakes gambling game where you have to murder the other players in order to progress and there’s no supernatural technology or elements, it’s just set in an icy post apocalyptic future

I’m really not sure how it qualifies, you could set that in 1970s New York and nobody would bat an eyelid.

I agree that Capricorn One has very little science fiction either (the only possible element is how effective the conspiracy is, and that’s a thriller trope, not a sci-fi trope) and shouldn’t be on the list, by the way.

"Capricorn 1" almost qualifies as AntiScience Fiction.