MovieChat Forums > The People That Time Forgot (1977) Discussion > Why does England make the worst science ...

Why does England make the worst science fiction?

posted 17 years ago by YouKnowMyName68
8 replies | jump to latest

I've asked this question over in the Dr. Who boards and I'm receiving the kind of reception that only the U.K. can.

This is a 1977 movie and five years earlier, Silent Running had debuted and before that THX-1138 in 1971. In the mid 60s the television series Lost In Space aired, where at the least that first season is credible along with the story and the vehicle and robot that, conceptually, hold up integrity. Robinson Cruosoe on Mars also have interesting ideas, also, including the visual aspects. Red Planet was released more than a decade before and is impressive too.

I can't understand why these studios put the creative and financial effort into adapting these 'Land that this forgot or Land that that forgot' and try to pool their resources to do something with daring and try to be innovative....with all of the examples for them to look to.

They could have done something very progressive, such as, as one example of a suggestion out of many possible others, featuring a non-stereotypical female main lead (NOTHING LIKE BARBARELLA) and then invest all of the money on effects and designs for an imagined world.

What you see is not necessarily what you get,
Not trying is dying, keep trying unto death....

[–] mandarin992000 17 years ago

I think the reason is that the British film industry didn't have the cash required to make those kind of films,and also chose stories that would appeal to the broadest possible audience- for example,'Land that Time Forgot' was made for an extremely modest budget, and yet went on to make a worldwide fortune because of this-in fact, it's still coining in plenty of cash 30 odd years later.

[–] dawashington 17 years ago

Star Wars was made in England.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Anton Versluys 16 years ago

Worst sci-fi? Are you sure, pal?

Anybody could say how successful movies like 'Star Wars' and 'Raiders of The Lost Ark' owe a lot to some Hammer and Amicus films, or movies like 'Quatermass Experiment' and Quatermass and The Pit' are without any doubt a major landmark in science fiction for the thinking man, and inspired several other well-crafted movies like '2001: A Space Oddisey' and effective B-flicks like 'Price of Darkness', while lesser know titles like 'The Damned' were, in fact, main reference for classics like 'Clockwork Orange'.

The main reason for me to buy 'The Land the Time Forgot' on DVD was, actually, Peter Jackson's 'King Kong'. I mean, when I saw it at cinemas some years ago, I strongly remembered those campy flicks I loved to see at TV as a kid... like Hammer's 'The Lost Continent' or 'Warlords of Atlantis'. Back in time, then in the late sixtyes and early seventies, without the oversized budget (and oversized running time, let's say), the makers managed to release genuine "B" entertainment, plenty of resources and funny to watch.

In comics, the BEST storytellers are british, like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison and Alan Grant. These guys, in fact, are the main responsible to raise comic books to mature levels which earned "superhero" stories a better, solid reputation among the media critics.

[–] glenmusher 14 years ago

the op is entirely wrong imo.

'people' is a mainly American funded project, (aip- american international pictures), based on the work of a US novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The parent company that produced this feature, Amicus, was founded by two expat Americans, Rosenberg and Subotsky in the 60's when moviemaking in the UK was favourable for reason of technical talent available and costs involved.

'People' has gone on to be a big cult favourite and a sucess despite initial snobbish reception but up their own behinds film critics.

[–] glenn-299 14 years ago

I think the original poster's argument is weakened considerably by his/her assertion that the Irwin Allen TV series 'Lost in Space' - even in the early episodes - is in any way credible. It's complete junk.

[–] WarpedRecord 10 years ago

It is indeed pretty weak, regardless of where it was made. 4/10 stars from me.

[–] cybopath 10 years ago

Why did a film maker adapt a book he wanted to instead of making a film some gimp on the internet would want to watch 40 years later? I don't have the answer mate.