The Sci-Fi Seventies, Let Your Imaginnation Run Wild

[cinemalover]

Science Fiction had a very healthy representation in the decade of the seventies. Beginning in 1970 with the continuation of the Apes series with Beneath the Planet of the Apes. 1971 produced Silent Running, The Andromeda Strain and A Clockwork Orange. In 1973 people were food in Solyent Green and in 1974 Sean Connery really escaped his Bond persona in Zardoz. In 1975 James Caan engaged in futuristic, bloodthirsty sports in Rollerball. In 1976 some guy named George Lucas made a movie and Sigourney Weaver showed us how to kick some Alien butt in 1979. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of Sci-Fi films in the seventies. Which of these has stood the test of time for you? Or which ones that aren't listed are some of your favorites?

[dfordoom]

Colossus: The Forbin Project is a great sci-fi film, made in 1970 I think. Solaris, made in 1972, is another great one (don't judge it by the atrocious remake). A Clockwork Orange is arguably science fiction. Time After Time is a terrific little movie that is undeservedly neglected. Demon Seed was flawed but interesting.

Probably the best sci-fi film of the 70s though was Nic Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth.

[Dewey1960]

My favorite science fiction film of the 70s is Philip Kaufman's clever remake of Don Siegel's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. Kaufman managed to maintain a high level of tension and visual excitement throughout without betraying the fact that he was essentially creating a satire of the "Me Generation" pop-psychology-addicted psycho-babblers of 1970s San Francisco. (Ouch!) And, having the original director and star (Siegel and Kevin McCarthy) appear in cameos was a great touch. Plus, it has that wonderfully eerie electronic music score by Denny Zeitlin. A modern classic in my opinion.

[benwhowell]

"The Man Who Fell To Earth" is one of my favorite films (from any genre.) David Bowie was perfect for the lead and does an amazing job. A great companion piece for this film is Bowie's album, "The Man Who Sold The World."
Nicolas Roeg did the cinematography for a brilliant '60's science fiction film-Truffaut's "Fahrenheit 451."
A couple of other films I haven't seen in awhile, but remember fondly are "A Boy And His Dog" and "Silent Running."

[dfordoom]

Nicolas Roeg did the cinematography for a brilliant '60's science fiction film-Truffaut's "Fahrenheit 451."

I actually loved that movie. I hated it the first time I saw it, but after seeing it a few times I think Truffaut was absolutely right in the way he approached it.

[benwhowell]

It has a great score from Bernard Herrmann and the performances from Oskar Werner and Julie Christie are top notch. Not to hi-jack the thread, but I'm looking forward to seeing Julie Christie in "Away From Her" as a woman ravaged by Alzheimer's. She was also great in "Demon Seed-"which brings us back to '70's science fiction...

[Mr. Arkadin]

I agree with The Man Who Fell to Earth sentiment. I felt it was the best SiFi film of the 70's.

[MikeBSG]

Certainly, the Seventies were the heyday of dystopian science fiction movies. "A Clockwork Orange" is brilliant. "Westworld" and "Rollerball" are still interesting.

"Time After Time," H. G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to "modern" San Francisco is a charming, non-dystopian, movie that just made it under the 1979 deadline.

Still, the pre-"Star Wars" science fiction films seem like an entirely different genre from what came afterwards.

[dfordoom]

Still, the pre-"Star Wars" science fiction films seem like an entirely different genre from what came afterwards.

Yes, they're actual science fiction. As distinct from comic-book fantasy with science fiction trappings.