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Sci-Fi films/books/short stories

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
What are your fave sci-fi books short stories? What stories do you like that have been made into films and what stories do you think would transfer well but haven't been written yet?

I am writing a screenplay for a uni assignment, which has a pretty open criteria- any genre, original or adaptation etc. I've been torn between writing an original that's based on a real life experience because it might be cathartic but I also think it will be particularly difficult to do justice to and not get overly involved with (tis only a uni assignment after all). T'other option I've been toying with is a Sci-Fi adaptation because I tend to favour watching Sci-Fi films, and an adaptation because the strength of the story is predetermined whilst alowing creative scope with ma inspiring-origonal-eclectic-god-darn-wonderful auteurism. ;)

My personal faves include: Gattaca, Fifth Element, Escape From . . . X2, Demolition Man, Lexx etc. On my "to watch" list are: Brazil, Truman Show, V for Vendetta and plenty more. (I've already done an assignment on ACO so I'd have to be careful if I used it as influence in case I fall foul of some rules) Just wondering what you guys like, any recomendations to watch/read greatly appreciated- would also give me an (unnecessary) excuse to watch more movies :D
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    All the Marvel comic film adaptions with the exceptions of The Hulk and Elektra are good. Constantine was ok, but not great. I like the spin off stories of an evil mirror universe in Star Trek. But for adatopns i love Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. I wish Lexx had been shown at a decent hour to watch.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd suggest grabbing some of the short sotry collections from either P.K. Dick or J.G. Ballard - both are extraordinary writers (in different ways) and make for great sci-fi. Ballard is probably the stronger of the two, that clear precise prose translates well in a sense of how something would look visually.

    Aside from that some of Alan Moore's DC on-off's for the Green Lanterns (collect I think in something called the many worlds of Alan Moore) would make interesting sci-fi - especially the one about the blind creature trying to understand the Lanterns.

    As to what to watch - if you want good fun stuff then the update of Battlestar Galactica is superb but for really great sci-fi go to the classics - 2001, the original Solaris, Stalker, Voyage to the Moon, Blade Runner and more recently Akira and the Ghost in the Shell TV series.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What I would suggest, if you can get hold of it, is to watch La Jetee by Chris Marker. It's the original short film (28 mins) that inspired Twelve Monkeys, if you want to see something that's been adapted really well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    *Books*

    Philip K Dick - A Scanner Darkly
    Philip K Dick - Valis
    Philip K Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
    Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash
    William Gibson - Neuromancer
    William Gibson - Count Zero
    William Gibson - Mona Lisa Overdrive
    William Gibson - Virtual Light
    William Gibson - Idoru
    William Gibson - All Tomorrow's Parties
    Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
    Robert Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land
    Jeff Noon - Vurt
    Michael Marshall Smith - Spares
    Carl Sagan - Contact

    *Films*

    Contact
    Bladerunner (Director's cut)
    2001
    2010
    The Matrix
    Solaris
    12 Monkeys
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Check out Asimov.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cheers guys :D big list, I'm sure I'll have fun checking them out though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    I like the spin off stories of an evil mirror universe in Star Trek.

    Evil mirror Star Trek is SO much cooler than ordinary Star Trek.

    Contact's a personal fave of mine, too. Never did get round to reading the book, but the movie's ace.

    Cube's another good one. A top sci-fi film done on a tiny budget.

    Bookwise, I usually read more sci-fi/fantasy than pure sf. Stuff like Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman or White Apples by Jonathan Carroll.
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