More Science Fiction and the Movies

Some more famous authors and film and T.V. works from their literature.

We do it because we love you, no really!

From H.G.Wells to Stephen King there have been Science Fiction works turned into film and T.V. Now some of these have been visual and/or intellectual marvels and some have been flat out terrible. We are not here to judge but to inform a little.

So lets take a look. From B-Movies to Big Lot production, here's some movies.

Authors and the works..

    H.G. Wells

  1. War of The Worlds, w.1898, f.1953

    The classic Wells invasion story made popular by Orson Welles's radio broadcast of the 30's. The film of 1953 is loosely based on the book. The film has fine effects for the day and is pretty dramatic. But if you are a Wells purist this is not a great adaptation.

  2. The Time Machine, w.1895, f.1960

    Wells's landmark science fiction work on the invention of a time machine and the journey to the future. The film (1960) is a wonderful work starining Rod Steiger and Sebastian Cabot (Familt Affair's Mr. French). The film doesn't neccesarily follow the book and in fact leaves out a great deal, but the theme and integrity of the book is really hit upon. At the time the movie was made the effects were considered state of the art. This is a must-see.

  3. First men in the Moon, w.1901, f.1964

    The book is a really great story of gravity escaping travel to the moon. A film was made in 1964 at the height of the hysteria Americans were feeling to get to the Moon first.

  4. Food of the Gods, w. 1904, f.1974

    The story this film came from is actually titled "The Food of the Gods and How it Comes to Earth" and was written in 1904. In 1974 a film was produced with less than acceptable effects. Basically a substance bubbles to the surface of a farm and makes animals big and hungry.

  5. The Invisible Man, w.1897, f.1933 & 1975

    Classic story of a scientist who is driven mad by his invisibility. All the versions of the movie are okay and there was even a T.V. series loosely based on the book in the 70's.

  6. The Island of Dr. Moreau, w.1896, f.1977 & 1996

    The story is of a tyrannical genetics manipulator and his creations. The film from the seventies is not bad and the one from the nineties is better although a trifle overdramatic. The effects in the 1996 version are great and the cast is excellent (Val Kilmer, Marlon Brando). A film was also made from the book as "The Island of Lost Souls" in 1933.

  7. The Man Who Could Make Miracles, w.1898, f. 1937

    A really cool story about a man of meager means who wants to win the heart of a girl. One day he wakes up and he can wish anything to happen at will. He cannot get the girl, though, and the power becomes a curse.

  8. The Shape Of Things To Come w.1933, f.1979

    Wells's prophetic look into the future. The definitive film version of the book was actually produced in 1936 as "Things To Come". "Things To Come" is a classic black and white, disturbing look into the future. Wells saw civilization's demise and invaders in flying machines descending upon man. The '36 film really has a Fritz Lang feel.

    Wells was and is still a great visionary for science fiction. His predictions from the Victorian age have fascinated film makers and his stories always seem to make great films.

    9. Issac Asimov

    A vision of I,Robot.

    All these productions of Asimov, with the exception of Nightfall, are B.B.C. works. It is therefore almost impossible to find any reference on the net, or much less the video store, of them. All are cracker-jack stories though.

  9. Caves of Steel, w.1954, f. 1964

  10. Dreaming is a Private Thing, w.1955, f.1968

  11. Liar, w.1941, f.1968

  12. Nightfall, w.1941, f.1968 & 1988

    Asimov's story of religious zealotry clashing with the hysteria of the masses when a natural event happens. Great story. Leonard Maltin said that it was the only movie he has ever walked out on and given one star to.

  13. Reason, w.1941, f.1968

    Asimov has not been too often put to the screen. I think his very cerebral approach makes it hard for filmakers to adapt his works. His famous work "I, Robot" has been adapted for the screen by the wonderful writer Harlan Ellison but has yet to be produced.

    14. Stephen King

  14. The Running Man, w.1982, f. 1987 King wrote this as Richard Bachman. It is loosely based on the story but altogether entertaining. Starring Arnold Swartzeneggar in a wrestling-meets-comic books action thriller.

  15. The Tommyknockers, w. 87, f.93

    A spaceship lands in the woods and people find it after millions of years. The aliens of the ship control the local folks and heck ensues. Decent adaptation.

  16. Lawnmower Man, w.78, f.92

    If anyone can point out anything the film has in common with the story besides the lawnmower can you please tell me. Not a bad S.F. flick but does a terrible job of adapting a story that was not even S.F. The producers ought to be shot.

  17. Firestarter, w.80, f.84

    An interesting movie about King's novel of Psi-power. Little girls telepathy is the result of government testing on her folks. Good movie. Good story.

  18. Maximum Overdrive, w. 78, f.86

    An unknown entity is making machinery "come alive" and turn on their masters. This is an adaptation of the short story "Trucks". This is an absolutely ridiculous movie. Almost intolerable. *See Killdozer.

    King has had a bevy of his stories made in to films and the public reaction usually is not to great. But otherwise almost all of King's stories are good and the S.F. stuff is comendable.

    19. Theodore Sturgeon

  19. Killdozer, w.1944, f.1974

    A bizzare adaptation of a bizzare story. I could have thought of a few dozen other stories to make into a film but this does qualify as a cool B-movie. Anyway, a non-material life form animates machinery being used to make an air-strip on a WWII era island. Death and destruction!

  20. Amok Time and Shore Leave

    Sturgeon had the noteriety of writing two of the original Star Treks finer shows. Amok time is notable as the Spock v. Kirk duel on Vulcan and Shore Leave is the Crew goes to fantasy land and Spock becomes emotional.

    Sturgeon has had little adapted to film but has done scripts for The Twilight Zone and Sid and Marty Krofft's Land of The Lost along with the Star Trek stuff.

    21. Ray Bradbury

  21. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, w.1951, f.1953

    A dreadful B-movie that doesn't even hit the alternativly cool scale. Absolutely a pain to watch. An arctic atomic test unleashes a monster on humanity and Manhattan. Big Deal.

  22. Farenheit 451, w.1951, f.1966

    This story was originally called "The Fireman". You know, a society that represes books. The 1966 production of this movie is a true classic. Filmed in England in the sixties which gives instant credit to any S.F. endevour. By the way Farenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn.

  23. The Illustrated Man, w.1951, f.1969

    Bad adaptation of the book. Rod Steiger does show up as "The Illustrated Man" who is searching for the woman who tatooed his whole body. Three of the tatoos come to life as stories in the film.

  24. The Martian Chronicles, w.1958, f.1980

    A T.V. mini-series made in the early eighties that was very good and followed the Bradbury vision. It also went over pretty well with T.V. land, no easy feat for science fiction.

    A wonderful and prolific writer whose works translate well to the screen. I haven't disliked any of the works I have seen.

    Link to Elisa Sparks's juggernaut of Science fiction.

    A terrific link of Fiction into Film.

    The Internet Movie Database.

    Carolines Movie reviews.

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