Ping Klaatu

This afternoon I reach 'pon high to my video shelves, grabbed a tape and for
the first time in more years than I care to remember I watched The Day The
Earth Stood Still. Good it was too.

Later I might watch Dark Star.

As aliens go the DS blimp beats you into a cocked hat. Though you do better
on the dialogue front.

As robots go your metal man is *way* more scarey than Bomb 20. Though Bomb
20 does better on the dialogue front.

Just though you might like to know

 

I'm after Hell Drivers and The Day The Earth Caught Fire.

Hmmm, Amazon get even more of my money...

 

I'd should really add The Cars That Ate Paris; Duel; Quatermass; Barbarella;
and a few others to my collection of films wot I think are classics.
I've already got a shedload, stuff like THX1138; Soylent Green; Running
Silent; Sleeper; Metropolis; Scum; McVicar; The Plank; Logan's Run; 1984;
etc etc et-bloody-cetera

 

got - dvd

got - video

got - taped

not me

save me typing loads, I seem to have most or all on video or DVD, except
THX1138, TBH I've never heard of.

 

I meant to add 1984, Metropolis (re-release) and Logans Run are as good
as Van Halen.

 

THX 1138 was George Lucas's graduation film, circa 1969 (?). Francis Ford
Copolla saw it and thought it was good, so he funded a commercial remake in
1971 (?). If you watch a Lucas film you'll most likely see THX summat or
other get a mention in the credits, it's some sort of company he's set up.
Oh, I seem to recall that THX 1138 was Lucas's telephone number in San
Francisco (you know, if you substitute the exchange number for letters like
they did back in the dark ages).

S'a good film, see it some time if you get the chance. If you like the
others mentioned then you'll prolly enjoy THX 1138

 

<fx: poddles into lounge to check>
Yup, you're quite right, Silent Running it is, and yes, spaceships carrying
the last of Earth's flora, with little robots called Huey, Dewey, and Louis.

Also, THX 1138 as you state elsewhere, contains a wonderful bike / car
chase. Notable also for it's "the police give up when the chase goes over
budget" idea.

 

The initials, I believe, owe their origin to the guy who created the
surround sound for Lucas. One Tomlinson Holman, the X standing for
experiment. Yep, here ye go:
http://www.smr-home-theatre.org/surround2001/technology/page_11.shtml

The identifier THX 1138 appears in many, if not all, Lucas films - I
believe that the number plate of the police car in American Graffiti
was this - it is also stencilled on various spaceships.

 

Obviously this could be wrong but the jolly ol' net and film lore in general
is awash with tales of Lucas's telephone number at the time he made his
student flick was 849-1138, or THX-1138. Which AIUI goes back to the late
60's

 

http://4thmoon.com/classicstars/gort/plot.htm

 

That's rather jolly good, isn't it?

 

http://4thmoon.com/classicstars/gort/rennie.htm

Did bloody well for himself for a lad from early 20th century Bradford
didn't he just!

 

You appear to have misspelled sad twat with far too much knowledge of
obscure and useless trivia, there.

Eh? <checks email, etc.>

Wednesday - did I miss/forget/ignore something?

 

OIC. Nope, didn't make the connection. Wondered if you'd misspelt
See(C) You Next Tuesday in passing, but was more concerned that you
were going to make one of your flying visits when we'd be out, as I'd
just made arrangements to be elsewhere Weds evening.

Never mind.

 

I think it was the voice - he had a great one.

 

It's one of my favourites.

Love that too.

There is a really tacky secondhand shop in Los Angeles where Gort stands
silently in the window. If I was ever rich and mad enough I would buy
"him"

I did :O)

 

Sean Connerys first movie, 1962 ?

 

Klaatu said...

Is that the one where he plays a lorry driver running between quarries?
If so, it was on the tellybox last year.

 

I'd like to see "Stone"

It's on tonight (Sunday 12.05).

 

I have Stone on Vid.