Frank Herbert’s Dune has had a long and troubled journey to the screen – from the moment it was released in 1965, there have been various attempts to bring it to the screen. The well-documented efforts by revolutionary Chilean director and film iconoclast Alejandro Jodorowsky to adapt the novel after purchasing the rights failed (but…

At first glance, The Quatermass Xperiment may not appear to be anything particularly special. It seems like yet another low-budget science fiction film from the 1950s, which told bizarre tales of the unknown, interlaced with metacommentary surrounding the Cold War. However, a slightly deeper look will reveal how absolutely essential this film is, a vital…

Human nature is a strange concept – despite having been a subject of study since around the time we gained consciousness in the earliest days of the antiquity, no one has ever been able to offer a succinct and clear definition of what it means to be human, or why we are arguably the dominant…

The 1950s were filled to the brim with bizarre science fiction films, cheaply-produced works that could be easily accompanied with a more major production as part of the practice of double features and matinees – audiences just adored these kinds of films, despite their often jagged exterior. There were many that were highly influential and…

Steven Spielberg is the kind of director who, when he hits the mark, can legitimately make a case for one of the most captivating filmmakers of his generation, but can also be accused of insincerity when his work isn’t particularly strong, and clearly just the result of a small idea and a large budget. However,…

Oftentimes, the difference between a good film and a bad film has very little to do with quality, but rather the viewer’s individual relationship with a particular piece. It’s undeniable that there are some truly abhorrent works out there, as well as many mediocre films that just don’t meet any real standard. However, there are…

The Beast with a Million Eyes is the rare kind of film that is truly an atrociously made piece of cinema, but one that I had an absolute blast watching. The main reason is one that can be extended to most of the science fiction and horror films made during the 1950s, particularly those that…

When it comes to Solaris, the jury is still out on Steven Soderbergh’s attempt to adapt Stanisław Lem’s impenetrable novel. The general sentiment was that it stands as a noble effort, but an otherwise misguided attempt to capitalize on a wave of cerebral science fiction cinema that had recently become quite prominent in Hollywood at…

We need to have a brief discussion about I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (Korean: 싸이보그지만 괜찮아). I’m not quite sure if this is a good film, or if it’s a bad film – in fact, I’m not even entirely sure if it counts as a film overall. Instead, what is absolutely certain is that…

“We set out into the Universe to discover life, while life discovered us” The Czech New Wave didn’t always need to be irreverent or darkly comical – in fact, there are some instances where some filmmakers working under the artistic manifesto managed to subvert expectations by going to complete opposite direction than their more notable…