MovieChat Forums > The Starlost (1973) Discussion > Starlost ripped off old radio show....

Starlost ripped off old radio show....


http://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/sci-fi/Dimension-X/Universe-November-26-1950-show-3772.html

November-26-1950
Plot : "Universe". A people living in a huge spaceship cannot imagine any other life.

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It wasn't exactly a new concept even in 1950. And of course, The Starlost allowed for a hundred or more of those separate "worlds," all part of the same larger ship.

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I don't mean to knock STARLOST, it's a lot of basic fun. But, listening to these old radio shows too I was stunned to hear that episode. I wish we had more of this diversity of story in modern sci-fi movies and shows

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That's why some people would like to see something like The Starlost made now.

Although if they would give it the Nu Battlestar Galactica treatment - make the Ark greasy and filthy everywhere, flip some genders and make everyone psychotic - I'd rather they left it alone.

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When I go to that page its say's 404

VHS>DVD

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http://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/sci-fi/dimension-x/universe-1950- 11-26

cordially yours,
eric2959

P.S. scooter just chased a bunny, haha.

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Hate to break it to you, but "Universe" was based on an old Robert Heinlein novella of the same name, and when combined with a further novella named "Common Sense," became the well-known Heinlein novel, "Orphans of the Sky." Any self-respecting sci-fi obsessed kid of my generation is as familiar with this Heinlein work as he/she is with "Starship Troopers," or "Stranger in a Strange Land."

I'm not sure if the whole idea of a generation ship was pioneered by Heinlein, but he certainly did more for the idea than any other writer.

Today, anytime I see a story where some small portion of humanity has been cut off, existing in their own little world and unaware of the greater world/universe around them, I figure they owe royalties to Heinlein. When my son's class read the story, "City of Ember" a few years back, I nearly came to blows with his teacher arguing that the story was a direct ripoff of Heinlein.

I've heard the radio, play--hard to do the story much justice in less than a half hour--but in general, I like the old Dimension X and X Minus One series. But the story did not originate with a radio play.



"He was running around like a rooster in a barnyard full of ducks."--Pat Novak

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When my son's class read the story, "City of Ember" a few years back, I nearly came to blows with his teacher arguing that the story was a direct ripoff of Heinlein.


People can be strange. A few years ago, a long-time friend decided he couldn't be my friend any more when I told him that some special edition DVD he bought of The Blues Brothers movie with "8 hours of bonus material" did NOT mean that it had a 10-hour version of THE MOVIE.

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I think that people sometimes get invested in an idea and can't or won't accept any notion that things might be a little bit different from the way they have always believed them to be. Obviously, I didn't get into a big fight with my son's teacher, but it was amazing to me how he refused to accept that "City of Ember" might have had it's roots in something old.

The fact is, there just aren't that many original ideas to be had anymore. Chances are, someone else already thought of it, and a long time ago. So I don't have a problem if you start out with an older premise and put your own spin on it. It's just the way things are. Just don't get pissed off at the guy who brings the message.

Funny you brought up the Blue Brothers. I have been a fan since day one, but only saw the "director's cut" for the first time a week and a half ago. I'd never bothered to watch the rest of the DVD. I'm going to have to sit down and watch the rest of the material one of these days...



"He was running around like a rooster in a barnyard full of ducks."--Pat Novak

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I don't think I ever need - or want - to see an extra 8 hours of making-of etc, about The Blues Brothers.

Now if it were about The Starlost, then maybe. 😀 At least, I might want to see it ONCE.

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