vintage

Vintage articles and footage from the science fiction archives.

The Outer Limits: "Don't Open 'Till Doomsday" (Season 1, Episode 17)
Note: I was originally going to title this review, "A Box Full of Turds," but then thought better of it. "The Outer Limits" is a superior science fiction show from the Sixties that, individually, has some long-haul episodes, much in the manner of Boris Karloff's "Thriller," which I also find myself finding tedious as the midway mark of some episodes rolls by. Both of them have roughly the same sort of cinematographic look and feel about them, and both of them are every bit as ding-dangly dong good as that OTHER famous era anthology show--the one with the guy who is always smoking. Smoking. Smoking. (Dude died of a massive coronary, dig? So maybe that much smoking is NOT recommended after all.)
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Def-Con 4
The final victory has been won. Mankind can now rest in peace. Def-Con 4 (1985) Def-Con 4 is a relentlessly bad, even somewhat odious 1980s nuclear Cold War Era scare film set in a post-apocalyptic Ontario or thereabouts, and featuring three astronauts aboard an orbital space station cum Reagan Star Wars wet dream. They seemingly survive the thermonuclear mayhem below and rocket back to Earth but then the woman (Kate Lynch) dies or is imprisoned or something (I forget which) and the surviving male space hero (Tim Choate) gets kidnapped by a roly poly Sawney Beane psychopath (Maury Chaykin) keeping a cheerleader (Lenore Zann) hostage in the basement.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
THE RESURRECTION OF COLD WAR
History repeats itself. The very basic maxim holds true for the revival of such large-scale brewing conflict. The current geo-political scenario in the Indo-Pacific presents a clear picture that US and China are not only at daggers drawn with each other but are also cajoling other countries into this deep-dug abyss. The world right now is on its toes. The fear of this nascent conflict turning into a global war is haunting the entire world. Reminiscent of the cold war events, leaders around the globe are cautious of what turn will it take. Will we see another demonstration same as the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 or détentes like NATO and Warsaw Pact will again be on the rise. The question remains intact. Alliances like QUAD, AUKUS and Five eyed alliance have already started the chicaneries but such a reaction has not been seen from China so far.
By Oscar2 years ago in Futurism
Invasion of the Saucer-Men
The curious thing about Invasion of the Saucer Men is that there are no actual flying saucers in it. Instead, the BEMs (Bug-Eyed Monsters, a coin termed by Stephen King in Danse Macabre, when he was discussing this very film) arrive in a crescent-shaped affair with fins or something on the side and flashing lights that employs a meter or two of fishing line as a propulsion system. At any rate, the Army turns out (all four of 'em) to shoot at it, which is highly advisable I might add, when trying to establish friendly contact with just-landed extraterrestrials. (Just ask Klaatu.)
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Symphony of Petals: The Enchanting World of Flowers and Blossoms
Introduction: In the heart of nature's grand tapestry, where colors bloom and fragrances dance on the breeze, flowers and blossoms emerge as the lyrical notes in the symphony of life. These delicate marvels hold a timeless allure, captivating human hearts through their beauty, fragrance, and the profound symbolism they carry. From the first buds of spring to the frost-kissed petals of winter, the world of flowers and blossoms is a celebration of nature's artistry, resilience, and the cyclical rhythm of life.
By Varsha2 years ago in Futurism
Hangar 18
Hangar 18 stars Darren McGavin, Robert Vaughn, Gary Collins, John Campanella, and John Hampton, as well as several other notable television actors of the era, in a sci-fi drama about a downed UFO that is scooped up by the government and taken to a supersecret government test facility where they can back engineer it so as not to provide us with free energy, but to advance their guided missile systems and whatnot. Because, baby, aliens or not, WAR IS MONEY.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
The Outer Limits: "Cold Hands, Warm Heart"
Poor William Shatner! He goes rocketing off to Venus and comes back possessed by the spirit of a space mermaid--a very ugly one to boot. It makes him ice cold, and we know this because he can drink whole boiling cauldrons of coffee, and likes to turn the thermostat up to 90.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers
1956 was either a stellar year to be an intergalactic flying saucer menace, or a bad one, depending on your perspective. We have Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Invasion of the Saucer Men, The Thing, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers. Whatever heavy trip the space brothers were laying on us that year (and it had more to do than just cleaning up the environment) the message was delivered by an iron fist in a velvety intergalactic space gauntlet. Or some such.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, is a film I well remember from childhood. At the Community Rec Center at Fort Clayton in Central America, Panama, area of the Canal Zone, they played it on an old-fashioned projection TV. It's the only other film I can remember seeing there, besides this thing with Abbot and Costello or Laurel and Hardy as pirates. I can't remember which it was.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Metropolis: Adapted from the Novel by Thea Von Harbou
Note: We have elected, for various reasons, not to include images from the film within the text of this story. They are easily accessible online, and we have included an embedded video of our favorite version of the film, the one produced and scored by Giorgio Moroder.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Akira (Anime)
I vaguely remember seeing Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira as a child--and most likely not understanding a minute of it, but just sitting back and letting the animated images of a futuristic "Neo-Tokyo" wash over me. Decades later, watching it yet again, on a digital YouTube social media platform no one could have foreseen in 1988, I was struck by how modern and well-preserved it is, how much it set the bar for decades of similar anime films, having all the earmarks of the various conventions that define the genre.
By Tom Baker2 years ago in Futurism
Movie Review: The Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers.
Listen to this show wherever you stream or download your podcast. Welcome back to another episode of my podcast on 50s sci-fi. Today, I will be reviewing the classic movie, "The Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers". The film stars Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor and was produced by Charles H. Schneer, with a screenplay by Curt Siodmak, and directed by Fred F. Sears. The movie was released in Los Angeles on June 13, 1956, and has a runtime of 84 minutes.
By Edward German2 years ago in Futurism