Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Plant of the Apes (1968)

Directed By: Franklin J. Schaffner
Produced By: Arthur P. Jacobs
Written By: Michael Wilson, Rod Serling
Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans, Kim Hunter, Linda Harrison
Original Release: 1968

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Stars

Synopsis: A deep space mission from Earth traveling at near light speed crashes on a distant planet and three of the four crew members manage to escape before the ship sinks into the sea. The survivors, led by George Taylor (Charlton Heston), begin to explore what looks like a barren, desolate planet, but they eventually discover plentiful forests and a lower order of humans who do not have the ability to speak. But then the astronauts find that these are not the dominate species on the planet as they come face to face with intelligent, talking apes. Taylor is captured and at first studied by the chimpanzee Zira (Kim Hunter), but the orangutan Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) considers this talking human to be an abomination and wants to have him destroyed. Taylor, on the other hand, has plans to show them who the dominant species should be, but first he must face the truth of an unexpected secret this planet of apes holds.

Why It’s a Must-Watch Movie: This film provided another step in the maturation of science fiction cinema as it offered an engaging tale of evolution apparently gone awry that had high production values and that also offered some biting social commentary.

Review/Commentary: 1968’s Planet of the Apes is an important milestone for science fiction movies for several reasons. For one, the producers (much like Kubrick did with 2001: A Space Odyssey) approached the movie with the intent of making a serious film with broad appeal unlike the exploitive B-Movie cheapies typical of the genre at that time. It also had high production values (for its day) and succeeded in creating believable human-like apes that never looked like just actors in gorilla suits. Because of this, the movie proved a huge success at the Box Office, giving sci fi one of its highest grossing films up to that point. In addition, it laid the groundwork for the blockbuster franchise as it would have four sequels, spin-off two TV series, and go through two reboots in the 21st century.

Jaded movie-goers of today--over-gorged on the CGI-bloated outpouring from the big studios--may find Planet of the Apes a bit quaint, but the fact is that movie was very much the science fiction blockbuster of its time. It may not have relied heavily on sfx scenes, but it’s production values were first rate for the 60’s and it manages to seamlessly bring to life its world run by the apes. That’s partly attributed to the magnificent sets of “ape city” (really more of a village), but mostly to the first class make-up work on the apes. True, the CGI of the recent/y rebooted Planet of the Apes films delivers simians that look more ape-like, but personally I much prefer the ones from the original movie series. They represented more of a cross between humans and apes and a logical next evolutionary step. And the makeup was perfectly executed and has since become iconic among movie creatures. Give me the real thing over CGI any day.

The movie itself has worked its way into our popular culture, and that’s because it managed to hit a nerve at the time it came out, and its message still resonates today. The movie didn’t just give us a simplistic “apes vs. humans” scenario, it used its premise to explore some driving social issues of its day (that still remain relevant today). Not only do we get the fall of humans as another species leap-frogs us on the evolutionary scale, the script uses the conflicts within the ape society to address issues that we ourselves struggle with. It looks at the conflicts between religion and science and the attempts of society’s leaders to manipulate the truth to maintain the status quo. Planet of the Apes does what the best examples of science fiction do by using its fantastic elements to offer a mirror to our own world and struggles. Not surprisingly (especially considered that gut-wrenching twist ending), the original script was penned by Rod Serling. The final version made many changes to what he originally wrote, but mostly to keep costs down (he had the apes living in a technological society similar to Pierre Boulle’s original novel). But most importantly, the ending from Serling’s script (which hearkened back to the Twilight Zone style twist-endings) still survived into the final version that was filmed.

Planet of the Apes also benefitted from outstanding performances from its rather talented cast of actors. Performing through that makeup would be difficult for any actor, but the main ape characters all came alive with first-rate acting from the likes of Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans. It’s almost as if the makeup liberated them and energized their performances. And then there’s Charlton Heston with the lead delivering his usual bravado. His Taylor displays a palpable arrogance and almost dismissive attitude toward the apes whom he considers an example of evolution gone wrong. But this makes the ending of the film all the more poignant as he is faced with a grim reality that delivers an Earth-shattering wakeup call (literally).

I should note, though, that this movie has one glaring flaw to it that some may not be able to overlook and that could impact how highly they rank it compared to other sci fi films: How is it that Taylor never questions the fact that these apes speak English, even though--from his perspective--they are living on a planet allegedly light years from Earth? The fact that they could speak alone was definitely shock enough, but shouldn’t he have made some connection when they were speaking the same language as him with practically no variation in dialect? Perhaps we can extend some artistic license here and just appreciate that Hollywood produced an otherwise well-made science fiction film at that time. But it would have been nice if they had addressed that better (in the novel, the human character learns the language of the apes), and I’m guessing there are some fans out there that dock this movie one or two stars on that fact alone.

Despite this flaw, Planet of the Apes is an important science fiction movie and one of the absolute best examples of the genre on film. Its production values were top-notch at the time it came out and still stand up pretty well today. And its story is timeless and will continue to resonate with coming generations for its many messages and its shocking ending.

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25 Must-Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies

So many science fiction and fantasy movies and so little time. Metropolis, King Kong, War of the Worlds, Fantastic Voyage, Star Wars, The Terminator, The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Inception . . . Plan 9 From Outer Space . . . and so many, many more. Where to start and which ones to watch? Well that's what this book is here to help you with. It may not cover all science fiction movies, and not even all of those mentioned above, but it gives you a heck of a good start starting point. This book begins with 1927’s Metropolis and then treks through 24 more genre films ending with 2009's Moon to give you an extensive look at some of the best of the best of science fiction and fantasy cinema. Each entry includes a synopsis, review/commentary, cast and crew information, as well as a few nuggets of tidbits and trivia relating to the films. Whether you are new to the genre and trying to figure out where to get started or a grizzled veteran who has logged many hours in the cinema watching sci fi, 25 Must Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies is sure to entertain. And even if you have already seen the movies covered in the book, there's a good chance you could walk away knowing a little bit (or maybe even a lot) more about these films than you did previously.

A great primer for science fiction and fantasy cinema and a fun read as well!

Available now on Kindle from Amazon.com. 

Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Destination Moon

Directed by: Irving Pichel
Produced by: George Pal
Written by: James O'Hanlon, Robert A. Heinlein, Rip Van Ronkel
Starring: John Archer, Warner Anderson, Tom Powers, Dick Wesson
Original Release: 1950

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis:  The movie begins as an attempt to launch a satellite into orbit fails, possibly as the result of sabotage by foreign interests wanting to beat the United States into space.  Because of the failure, government funding is withdrawn, but rocket scientist Dr. Charles Cargraves (Warner Anderson) along with his collaborator General Thayer (Tom Powers) approach aircraft builder Jim Barnes (John Archer) about continuing the project with corporate sponsorship and possibly expanding its scope to send men to the Moon.  Barnes is reluctant at first, but Thayer sways him to their cause and then this group manages to convince the leaders of several large U.S. corporations to help fund the project.  A rocket is built, but its fate is in jeopardy by a court order that could cancel the launch because of the threat of potential radiation from the rocket’s atomic engine.   To avoid getting shut down, they decide to launch early with Barnes, Thayer, Cargraves, and radio operator Joe Sweeny (Dick Wesson) as the crew.  The rocket has a successful takeoff, but faces several challenges in its quest to get to the moon and back.

Why It’s a Must-Watch Movie:  Though somewhat dated now, Destination Moon delivered an engaging and scientifically accurate (for its time) film about near-space travel, and it’s still great fun to watch over sixty years after it was originally made.

Produced by George Pal who would become the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg of his day, this movie was his first foray into science fiction and it was very much a landmark for its time.  The genre had mostly been relegated horror films, B-Movies, or Saturday afternoon serials, with few attempts at serious science fiction during the first twenty years or so of talking films.  Movies like Frankenstein, King Kong, and Things to Come all make it to that short list, but the first two are more heavily associated with the horror genre and only the latter entry stands out as true science fiction.  After that film, Destination Moon would be the next major science fiction entry and it was actually a pretty big deal when it came out. 

It was produced on a pretty big budget for its day ($500k!) and George Pal had enough film-savvy to turn it into a crowd-pleaser that made it very much an early precursor to the mega-dollar blockbusters that would become the norm thirty or so years later.  Pal and his writers (which included Robert A. Heinlein whose novel Rocket Ship Galileo the movie was loosely based on) approached the material with a serious intent, planning on producing a film that would accurately portray travel to the moon based on the scientific knowledge of the time.  But they did not turn out a stolid, tedious movie nor an exploitive film full of bug-eyed monsters and helpless heroines fleeing in distress.  Destination Moon follows a rather matter-of-fact presentation of its concept, but it still manages to liven it up with things like a Woody Woodpecker cartoon to explain the science and the Joe Sweeny character added for comic relief (though he avoids turning into a buffoon).  And of course the special effects were first rate for the time and many of them still hold up today in a retro-movie sense (with the possible exception of the spacewalk scenes).

And the science is quite solid, especially for a 1950’s science fiction film.  Rocket scientists would later decide that multi-stage ships would be the better way to go for near space travel, but at that time it was believed that a V-2 style rocket (which the ship in the film closely resembles) would be capable of carrying explorers to our nearest cosmic neighbor.  And while the moonscapes are inaccurate, they’re really not that far off and they look really cool and add a bit of visual flair to the film.  The movie does have a some of the cowboy ethic to it as the maverick space travelers jump on their rocketship and take a daring trip into the frontiers of space, but that’s part of what lends to the broad appeal of the film and it doesn’t detract too much from its more serious tone.

The acting is decent enough for a movie of this genre and this period, with Dick Wesson as Joe Sweeny stealing most of the scenes he is in.  There is a dearth of female characters, though, as space travel is portrayed as man’s work with the women left to worry about their husbands from Earth.  But then that’s not too much different than how the U.S. space program unfolded a decade later, so you can’t fault them too much for that.

And interestingly enough, Destination Moon suggests that private industry would be the one to lead the charge on space travel because of a lack of interest on the part of government.  That’s not how the space program actually got started, but that is where it has ended up today.  In that sense, the time is probably ripe for a retro-remake of this film that could act as a call to action on the part of the corporate world to step up and keep space exploration alive (which we are already seeing on a somewhat limited basis).

While the 1950 Destination Moon may look a bit dated to the jaded modern-day audiences expecting an onslaught of eye-popping CGI effects from their sci fi blockbusters, the more discerning fan will be able to look past that and see this for the classic it is.  The movie treated space travel intelligently and managed to deliver a story that is both engaging and scientifically sound (again, for its day).  It’s great fun to watch, and much easier to sit through than many of the B-Movie cheapies that came out around that time or even the more serious genre efforts like Rocketship X-M, This Island Earth, or Pal’s later Conquest of Space.  And Destination Moon only runs about ninety minutes, so it’s a quick watch and well worth the time.

Buy Destination Moon and Other Science Fiction Movies from that Era on DVD from Amazon.com:

Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Quatermass and the Pit (aka 5 Million Years to Earth)

Directed By: Roy Ward Baker
Produced By: Anthony Nelson Keys
Written By: Nigel Kneale
Starring: Andrew Keir, James Donald, Barbara Shelley
Original Release: 1967

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Stars

Synopsis: Based on the six-part BBC television serial from the 50’s by the same name, this movie follows Professor Quatermass of the British Experimental Rocket Group who investigates a strange missile-like object found deep beneath London by a construction crew. At first the professor and his colleagues theorize that this might be an experimental, undetonated German weapon from World War 2, but fossilized remains of primates are found very close to it and Quatermass ultimately surmises that it may have alien (and very ancient) origins. Continued investigation of the object unleashes dormant forces that take control of those nearby, sending them on violent rampages. When Quartermass discovers the carcasses of horned, insect-like creatures inside the missile, he theorizes that these may have been beings that came to Earth from a dying Mars millions of years ago and that they must have implanted memories of their civilization (including a final racial purge) in the minds of the early primates that provide the origins for much of the superstition surrounding devils and demons in human culture. And as the latent force in the spaceship becomes more powerful, it begins to affect all of the inhabitants of London as they begin to reenact the slaughter of the racial purge from the dying days of Mars.

Review/Commentary: This was the third movie (all from Hammer Films) to bring the Quatermass character to the big screen and it adapted the third of the BBC serials. The story it was based on was also by far the best of both the television series and the movies (though the other two are still quite excellent). Quatermass and the Pit (more commonly known as 5 Million Years to Earth in the States) mixes supernatural elements with science fiction and does it by presenting a plausible scientific explanation for the paranormal events it observes as well as for the latent superstitions that recur across many cultures. But it doesn’t go that route by giving a talky psycho-anthropological dissertation, it does it by delivering a film that stirs up the very fears it speculates upon. It should come as no surprise to those familiar with the output from Hammer, but this one delivers a truly scary film that that still stirs up chills when viewed today. And even though it runs half as long as the television serial that it was based on, it stays true to its source (with series creator Nigel Kneale penning the script) and perhaps even improves upon that by delivering a tighter, more focused story than the somewhat slow-paced (though never boring) television version.

The only real knock on this film is that it has not aged well from a technical standpoint. The special effects showing the flashbacks to the aliens on Mars are crude at best and laughable at worst. Modern-day audiences may have some difficulty sitting through those scenes without roaring aloud. But then other scenes, especially when the invisible force starts to sweep through the city and make the ground tremble, still hit the mark and help make this into a chilling and at times unsettling film. Part of me would like to see this one remade with a budget that could more adequately bring to life its ambitious script, but then I fear that the Hollywood machine would quickly lose touch with the primal terror that this film evoked and bury its genre-bending, penetrating story beneath CGI smoke and mirrors.

Those who have never seen this film should definitely give it a look, just understand going in that visually it falls short at times. But the overall story is strong enough and the dedication of the cast and crew is quite apparent throughout the film. This is an old-style Science Fiction film that manages to stir up our emotions while also making us think. Something that has become all too rare in a time that we now have the technical prowess to create films that deliver on this promise.

Unfortunately, this one is currently unavailable on DVD, though you can see out a used copy of the previously released disc (at somewhat of a premium).  It is definitely worth seeing if you have never encountered it before and also worth revisiting for those who have not seen it in years.  You will cringe at a few of the sfx scenes, but overall the film balances out and delivers some first-rate sci fi / horror that just may make you think a bit.

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25 Must-Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies

So many science fiction and fantasy movies and so little time. Metropolis, King Kong, War of the Worlds, Fantastic Voyage, Star Wars, The Terminator, The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Inception . . . Plan 9 From Outer Space . . . and so many, many more. Where to start and which ones to watch? Well that's what this book is here to help you with. It may not cover all science fiction movies, and not even all of those mentioned above, but it gives you a heck of a good start starting point. This book begins with 1927’s Metropolis and then treks through 24 more genre films ending with 2009's Moon to give you an extensive look at some of the best of the best of science fiction and fantasy cinema. Each entry includes a synopsis, review/commentary, cast and crew information, as well as a few nuggets of tidbits and trivia relating to the films. Whether you are new to the genre and trying to figure out where to get started or a grizzled veteran who has logged many hours in the cinema watching sci fi, 25 Must Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies is sure to entertain. And even if you have already seen the movies covered in the book, there's a good chance you could walk away knowing a little bit (or maybe even a lot) more about these films than you did previously.

A great primer for science fiction and fantasy cinema and a fun read as well!

Available now on Kindle from Amazon.com. 

Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: The Day the Earth Stood Still

Directed By: Robert Wise
Produced By: Julian Blaustein
Written By: Edmund H. North (Screenplay), Harry Bates (Short Story)
Starring: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Billy Gray, Hugh Marlowe
Original Release: 1951

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)

Synopsis: An object appears on radar moving at incredible speeds and setting all the countries of Earth on alert. It turns out that the bogie is a spacecraft (assuming the expected flying saucer shape that aliens in the 50’s preferred) and it lands in Washington DC near the Washington monument. The military surrounds the ship, and soon after a humanlike creature emerges wearing a spacesuit. He carries a gift that he plans to offer to the President that will allow humans to study the stars, but one of the soldiers mistakes it for a weapon and shoots the visitor. A large robot (Gort) emerges from the ship in response to this action and begins to destroy all the weapons of the military personnel. The wounded alien calls the robot off, though, and then he is rushed to a nearby hospital where it is discovered that he appears very human under his suit and that his name is Klaatu. He explains that his mission is to deliver a message to Earth and that he must speak directly with the leaders of all of the countries. He is told this would be difficult to do because the countries do not trust each other, and he is also told that he must remain in confinement for the present time. He takes little head of this, though, as he easily escapes from his detainment then decides to go among the people of Earth to better understand them. He also makes contact with a well-known scientist and through him tries to bring together all of the greatest minds of the planet for a meeting. But is the message Klaatu will deliver one of peace or destruction?

Why Is It a Must-Watch Movie?  The Day the Earth Stood Still gave us one of the first alien encounter movies and it would set the standard for the genre as it rose above its B-Movie expectations and delivered an excellent science fiction film with an important message that still resonates up today.

Review/Commentary: Despite its trappings, The Day the Earth Stood Still is anything but the typical cheesy 50’s alien invasion B-Movie. It plays around with that formulas a bit (in fact, it helped establish it) with the flying saucer shaped spaceship landing in Washington followed by a spaceman emerging, and then there’s the poster-friendly shots of the massive alien robot carrying off the film’s attractive leading lady. But this is no simple exploitation film designed to fill up the drive-in and deliver cheap thrills. In fact, producer Julian Blaustein wanted to make a movie that tapped into the anxiety and paranoia of that era dominated by the Cold War and the proliferation of atomic weapons. And he succeeded masterfully at that, delivering a film that utilizes genre elements to convey a message that transcends its B-Movie roots. The film taps into the prejudices, short-sightedness, and petty squabbles of the human race and shows how it is ourselves, and not a supposed alien threat, that can act as our own worst enemy. And The Day the Earth Stood Still plays its story straight and shoots for broader appeal than the typical Saturday matinee creature film, something rare for a genre film at that time. It’s spaceships and robots surely appealed to the younger movie goers, but its more involved plot would draw in the mature viewers as well. And even though it throws in the expected cute kid, it successfully maneuvers past cliché by using that character to give Klaatu a perspective on Earth from the innocent eyes of a child.

Since its first appearance at the theaters back in 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still has worked its way into our culture with such things as the image of infamous giant robot Gort (and his Bruce Campbell chin) as well as the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto” (which, speaking of Campbell, he used to great effect in The Army of Darkness). But the movie has also endured because of the accomplishments of its filmcraft. It had excellent production values with special effects that were first rate and nearly flawless for the time (and actually still hold up pretty well today). This movie also gives us an intelligent, well-made film as well as a strong science fiction tale (based on the short story “Farewell to the Master” by Harry Bates), albeit one of the more slow, thoughtful ones of the medium. In this sense, The Day the Earth Stood Still can be considered a precursor to films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Andromeda Strain, and Contact, and it stands up quite well in that company. It’s slow, but not plodding, a bit distant, but never aloof. And Klaatu’s final speech to Earth stirs up a nerve with the audience and gives us one of the all-time great monologues in film (though some might find it a bit heavy handed).

The performances help the film excel as well as we get several notches above the typical wooden acting and cardboard stereotypes quite common in early genre films (and still today for that matter). Michael Rennie stands out as Klaatu, manifesting curiosity and at times compassion towards the people of Earth while never losing sight of his mission to deliver a stern message to the human race. And Patricia Neal managed to steer clear of the expected subordinate female role so common in genre films of that time and even demonstrates her willingness to stand up to her would-be fiancé when she questions his motives. Billy Gray takes on the cute kid role yet never annoys or overstays his welcome. And several other familiar faces flesh out the cast and deliver strong performances in smaller roles including Hugh Marlowe (Earth vs. the Flying Saucers), Sam Jaffe (Ben Hur and a gazillion movie and television supporting/guest roles) and Frances Bavier (forever identified as Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show).

Plenty of alien invasion films would follow The Day the Earth Stood Still in the decade or more after its release, many giving us examples of B-Movies at their worst (I Marred a Monster from Outer Space, Cat-Women of the Moon) while some managed to stand out as better examples of filmcraft or tap into the underlying Id of the era (The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Invaders from Mars). But The Day the Earth Stood Still represented one of the first and best examples of this formula, giving us a complete movie that transcended (while fully commanding) its exploitive elements and at the same time delivering succinctly that grand message that great films aspire to. (And director Robert Wise would go on to helm Star Trek: The Motion Picture 38 years later.)

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25 Must-Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies

So many science fiction and fantasy movies and so little time. Metropolis, King Kong, War of the Worlds, Fantastic Voyage, Star Wars, The Terminator, The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Inception . . . Plan 9 From Outer Space . . . and so many, many more. Where to start and which ones to watch? Well that's what this book is here to help you with. It may not cover all science fiction movies, and not even all of those mentioned above, but it gives you a heck of a good start starting point. This book begins with 1927’s Metropolis and then treks through 24 more genre films ending with 2009's Moon to give you an extensive look at some of the best of the best of science fiction and fantasy cinema. Each entry includes a synopsis, review/commentary, cast and crew information, as well as a few nuggets of tidbits and trivia relating to the films. Whether you are new to the genre and trying to figure out where to get started or a grizzled veteran who has logged many hours in the cinema watching sci fi, 25 Must Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies is sure to entertain. And even if you have already seen the movies covered in the book, there's a good chance you could walk away knowing a little bit (or maybe even a lot) more about these films than you did previously.

A great primer for science fiction and fantasy cinema and a fun read as well!

Available now on Kindle from Amazon.com. 

Must-Watch Sci Fi / Fantasy Movies: Poltergeist (1982)

As the (unnecessary) remake of this movie hits the theaters today (and I have no intentions of watching it), I thought it was worth re-running my previous Must-Watch review of the original film. Go back and watch that one this weekend, your time will be better spent.  And also friendly warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Directed By: Tobe Hooper
Produced By: Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg
Written By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight, Heather O'Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein
Original Release: 1982

Reviewed By: John J. Joex

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)

Synopsis: The Freelings are a normal family living the suburban life in California in the 1980’s when they discover that the house they have lived in for several years has some odd quirks about it. Furniture starts to move by itself, the dog sees people who are not there, and their youngest daughter (Carol Anne played by the late Heather O'Rourke) hears voices on the television. At first this all seems mostly harmless, but then what looks like a storm ravages the house and Carol Anne disappears. When they hear her voice calling to them from the television, they know that something otherworldly has taken control of their house and they call in paranormal investigators to help them rescue their daughter. This leads to a descent into the bowels of the Freelings' possessed house and a journey into terror.

Review/Commentary: Poltergeist came out back in the early 80’s when the boom of sfx-laden blockbusters really began to kick into high gear and the film delivered a big budget, Hollywood-ized horror film that managed to beat the odds by actually being good. This was a Steven Spielberg film, though he only penned the story and produced, he did not direct (though allegedly Spielberg actually did do much of the directing but did not add his name to the credits because of a clause in his contract with Universal where he was directing E.T.). Tobe Hooper took the actual credit as the director for the film and brought some horror-movie cred with him as the writer and director of the cult slasher classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The marriage of these two talents (along with their supporting cast and crew) delivered a blockbuster-style film to appeal to the masses that never forgot its horror roots .

Poltergeist succeeds because it finds horror in the everyday world; horror that we all can relate to. Its menace does not live in a dilapidated haunted house or in the isolated backwoods. It’s in the suburbs, in our very bedrooms. It invokes the terror deep inside spurred by everyday things we find in our homes like that creepy toy we got for Christmas one year or that spooky old tree in the back yard or even from the television set. Those irrational fears that we are told to ignore actually prove themselves out in this movies as they manifest the latent horror we always knew resided in them.

The movie also works masterfully in the way that it draws the audience into its premise. It starts slow by introducing us to the Freelings who live in the “normal” house we will learn to dread. They seem like the typical, nuclear family of the 80’s living in a nice suburban home and carrying on the usual, over-stressed lifestyle with too little time to deal with all the necessary daily routines. But they discover something odd about their house—furniture moves by itself, the dog sees people who are not there—and at first it seems fun and exciting. Then it turns sinister and perhaps deadly as the youngest child is abducted by an unseen presence and can only communicate with her family as an eerie voice emitting from the television.

This is when the film turns the corner and begins to unfold as a horror movie. And it does so at a relentless pace as wave after wave of events bring the family (and the paranormal investigators they have called in) face to face with the sinister forces that have possessed the house. The film delivers some fairly horrific and at times graphic scenes, but it never descends into gratuitous gore. Instead, it treads that fine line that keeps it in the PG rating category, not by compromise but by judicious use of the horror elements. And the fact that the horror never seems to end, but instead just keeps building, emphasizes the terror that has overtaken the Freelings family. (MAJOR SPOILER: Skip to the next paragraph to avoid.) And just as you think the movie has reached a resolution, it provides its own version of the horror movie standard “bounce back” scene that again avoids the gratuitous and actually provides a final resolution for the film.

What really holds the film together, though, is the tangible love that the Feelings demonstrate for one another and their willingness to fight through anything to keep their family from harm. Their desperate pleas for Carol Anne’s safety when they hear her through the television demonstrates the family’s strong bond and keeps the audience routing for the young child to make it through her ordeal. And this is not accomplished with the typical child-in-jeopardy ploy (something that Speilberg would later resort to many times) but much more genuinely by portraying Carol Anne as a child who has become lost and now the family must pull together to help her. And the cast, which noticeably and refreshingly lacks big-name stars, pulls this off through their believable sincere performances. Plus, the movie gets the added bonus of the inclusion of the diminutive but always delightful Zelda Rubinstein, one the greatest character actresses of all time.

And while people today may not realize it, this movie has seeped into popular culture over the years since its release with infamous lines like “They’re Here!” and “Don’t go toward the light!” as well as the since clichéd idea of building on a burial site and perhaps even the menacing potential of the television set. However, the movie often gets overlooked when compiling best-of lists, probably in part because its slick, big budget look strays from the seedy, darker approach that pure Horror fans prefer and because it delves too far into the paranormal for the tastes of most Science Fiction and/or Fantasy fans. But this is not a movie to pass on. It is definitely a first rate Horror movie with a broader appeal making it a film that should be appreciated by anybody who enjoys a good, engaging story.

Buy the original Poltergeist on DVD and Blu-ray from Amazon.com:

Cancellation Watch: Agents of SHIELD Gets a Full Season Order Despite Ratings Declines, American Horror Story Scares Up a Big Ratings Win

A lot a news from the last two days, so strap in and get ready . . .

First off, ABC announced a full season pickup for Agents of SHIELD meaning that they greenlighted the “Back 9” episodes to give it a full season order of 22.  That despite the fact that the show dropped in the Nielsens for a third week in a row, this time to a 2.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.9 million total viewers.  It seems that both ABC and FOX are under the assumption that a renewal (which Sleepy Hollow received last week) or a full season pickup will ward off the ratings declines.  But then again, I guess we have to give them credit for sticking by these shows.  And SHIELD is definitely not in the danger zone yet (neither is Sleepy Hollow), though quickly heading in that direction.  It’s an expensive show, so my guess is that it needs to stay above a 2.5 rating to survive into a second season and/or to stave off any network directed retooling.  This week's drop was not nearly as dramatic as the one we saw from the first to second episode, though, so maybe it will level off pretty soon.

Also on Tuesday, The CW aired its first two new episodes for that night for the season and did surprisingly well.  The second installment of The Originals (it premiere last Thursday after Vampire Diaries) pulled a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demo with 1.9 million total viewers in the highly competitive (nay, treacherous) 8 PM EST timeslot.  The network executives have to be jumping for joy with those numbers considering the ratings powerhouses CBS, NBC, and ABC have airing in that hour.  Then at 9 PM, Supernatural pulled its best numbers since 2010 as its Season 9 debut delivered a 1.2 rating with 2.6 million total viewers.  These two shows represent quite a win for the fifth place network as it was barely scraping up half a ratings point on that night as recently as last Spring.

Also on Tuesday, Person of Interest quietly scored a 2.0 rating with 11.7 million total viewers.  Not a great rating, but its total viewers continue to look good and that counts more on older-skewing CBS than the other broadcast networks.

On Wednesday night, FX’s American Horror Story returned for its third season (subtitled Coven) and pulled its best ratings yet.  The premiere episode grabbed an amazing 3.0 rating in the 18-49 demo with 5.5 million total viewers.  Last year, the show debuted with a 2.2 rating which means the Season 3 bow improved on those numbers by a whopping 36%!  Not only that, the series left the broadcast networks in the dust in that hour with the closest competition coming from the aging CSI pulling only a 1.9 rating.  American Horror Story is one of several cable shows that are really giving the old school broadcast networks a run for their money and helping to change the landscape of Prime Time television.

Not so lucky on Wednesday night was NBC’s Revolution which sunk in the ratings yet again.  That show could only muster a 1.5 score in the 18-49 demo with a paltry 5.5 million total viewers and it ranked fourth among the broadcast networks in that hour.  That’s less than half the 3.2 rating the series pulled for its third episode of its first season and a 34 % drop off in total viewers, and it also dominated its timeslot back in those days.  NBC tried to put some spin on the numbers claiming that the show did better in that hour than the comedies they aired there last year.  But sitcoms typically have lower ratings expectations anyway because they are cheaper to produce.  This series is officially in a death spiral and it’s likely only a matter now of when the network will pull the plug unless they try to salvage it with a schedule shift.

The CW had two more debuts for the week on Wednesday night as Arrow returned for its second season and The Tomorrow People had its bow in the lead-out slot.  The former series scored a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demo with 2.7 million total viewers which is right about where it ended its first season.  I’m sure the execs over at The CW would have preferred that number to be a few ticks higher for the premiere, but that still counts as a decent rating for that network.  The Tomorrow People pulled the same ratings score with slightly less viewers at 2.3 million.  But that’s a pretty good debut for a new show on the fifth place broadcast net and they will count it as a win for now.

The CW also announced that they had ordered more scripts for The Originals and The Tomorrow People, though that's nothing unusual for that network.  It means that they like what they see so far and based on the early ratings, expect both of these to get full season orders. 

Out of breath yet?  Because I sure am.  Last night ABC’s Once Upon A Time in Wonderland had its bow in the precarious 8 PM EST timeslot that killed off both Last Resort and Zero Hour last season, so keep an eye on the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site today for those numbers and the ratings for the latest episode of Vampire Diaries.  And believe it or not but there are still more premieres on the way, so check out the Fall schedule at this link. You can see the status of all the current, upcoming, and recently ended shows over at the Cancellation Watch page.

Ratings Source: TV by the Numbers

Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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