Afrian and European Sci Fi movies.
- Thread starter Yevetha
- Start date
You saw District 9 right? There is also an older British film made in 1985 Quiet Earth
Also the British Zombie flick 28 Days Later I thought was good.
Tarkovski's Solaris is a classic. The Moon from a couple of years back was British, wasn't it? Other British sic fi movies I can think of are The Day of the Triffids and Sunshine.
There's also Wim Wenders' Until the End of the World.. Leclercq's Chrysalis is quite recent.. and of course the new Finnish space nazi flic, Iron Sky.
There's also Wim Wenders' Until the End of the World.. Leclercq's Chrysalis is quite recent.. and of course the new Finnish space nazi flic, Iron Sky.
I'm not sure if most people would consider Harry Potter a British film or not? But it was written by probably the most popular British author since
Shakespeare and most of the films were shot in Britian even though they were remastered in the US. Also IIRC most of the actors who perform in the films are British as well?
So while it was funded by an American studio in my opinion for all purposes it's a British film.
.
Shakespeare and most of the films were shot in Britian even though they were remastered in the US. Also IIRC most of the actors who perform in the films are British as well?
So while it was funded by an American studio in my opinion for all purposes it's a British film.
.
Rainier Werner Fassbinder's World On A Wire (Germany, 1973) just had a limited theatrical re-release, and is about to released on home video by Criterion.
Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes (Spain, 2007) is an excellent time travel thriller.
Chris Marker's La jetée (France, 1962) is an excellent short film mostly composed of still images that served as the basis for the Terry Gilliam-directed remake, 12 Monkeys.
The Harry Potter films were all adapted by an American screenwriter, either Steven Kloves or Michael Goldenberg, originated by an American director (Chris Columbus), and financed by a Hollywood studio (Warner Bros.). They're not British films, despite the cast. They're also rather resoundingly fantasy, not sci-fi, no? (Not to re-open that can of worms, though).
Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes (Spain, 2007) is an excellent time travel thriller.
Chris Marker's La jetée (France, 1962) is an excellent short film mostly composed of still images that served as the basis for the Terry Gilliam-directed remake, 12 Monkeys.
The Harry Potter films were all adapted by an American screenwriter, either Steven Kloves or Michael Goldenberg, originated by an American director (Chris Columbus), and financed by a Hollywood studio (Warner Bros.). They're not British films, despite the cast. They're also rather resoundingly fantasy, not sci-fi, no? (Not to re-open that can of worms, though).
That's true. I thought about that after I posted. How would you classify the TV series, Dr. Who?. The lines get blurred sometimes in my opinion.
Trek fans though tend to only view sci-fi through the prism of space science [sci fi=a genre where science and space travel are coupled together]
Alphaville is usually cited as a stand-out (French?) scifi film.
When the Wind Blows is an animated British movie about nuclear war. Very disturbing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090315/
Also, there's the Quartermass series of movies from the 60s.
When the Wind Blows is an animated British movie about nuclear war. Very disturbing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090315/
Also, there's the Quartermass series of movies from the 60s.
I've seen it, but it's been a long time ago. The visual design was quite interesting (although sometimes very obvious cg effects), but the story wasn't equally memorable.
Speaking of visually interesting films: There's also "Renaissance" from 2006.
And I'm surprised no one mentioned "The Fifth Element" yet.
Well, while Director/co-writer Stanley Kubrick was an American, I've always considered "2001:A Space Odyssey" (still the grand-daddy of sci-fi films) to be a British film. Or at least a joint US/UK production (that's how IMDB lists it). The same holds true for just about every other Kubrick film as well, so you can add "Dr Strangelove", "A Clockwork Orange" and (depending on your definition of "genre") "The Shining" to the list of not-exclusively-American-but-made-in-the-UK Genre films.
Fact is, a great many "American" genre blockbusters were filmed in England, most notably at Shepperton, Pinewood, and Elstree studios. A great many "American" films are only American with regards to financing, and one or two key players. Beyond that... not so much.
The bulk of Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy was made in England, as were the original "Indiana Jones" movies. And that's where Englishman Ridley Scott shot "Alien", where Cameron filmed its sequel "Aliens" and where Fincher filmed the next sequel "Alien 3". ("Alien: Resurrection" was the only proper "Alien" sequel not filmed in England. IIRC the AVP "pseudo-prequels" were shot in the Czech Republic).
Someone has already mentioned "Moon", which was made by an English filmmaker at Shepperton Studios. Tim Burton's Batman films were shot almost exclusively in England, even though they're set primarily in America. Same with the Donner/Lester Superman films.
And, as someone already noted, if you open it up to include outright fantasy... you have to include the almost entirely British "Harry Potter" series.
And these are just a few off the top of my head. I'm sure there are LOTS and LOTS more.
Fact is, a great many "American" genre blockbusters were filmed in England, most notably at Shepperton, Pinewood, and Elstree studios. A great many "American" films are only American with regards to financing, and one or two key players. Beyond that... not so much.
The bulk of Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy was made in England, as were the original "Indiana Jones" movies. And that's where Englishman Ridley Scott shot "Alien", where Cameron filmed its sequel "Aliens" and where Fincher filmed the next sequel "Alien 3". ("Alien: Resurrection" was the only proper "Alien" sequel not filmed in England. IIRC the AVP "pseudo-prequels" were shot in the Czech Republic).
Someone has already mentioned "Moon", which was made by an English filmmaker at Shepperton Studios. Tim Burton's Batman films were shot almost exclusively in England, even though they're set primarily in America. Same with the Donner/Lester Superman films.
And, as someone already noted, if you open it up to include outright fantasy... you have to include the almost entirely British "Harry Potter" series.
And these are just a few off the top of my head. I'm sure there are LOTS and LOTS more.
Last edited:
One of the best zombie films, IMO, was a different, inventive French film called "They Came Back".
Yep, LOTS of great science fiction, fantasy and horror from overseas, though you have to dig around a bit to find much of it.
Yep, LOTS of great science fiction, fantasy and horror from overseas, though you have to dig around a bit to find much of it.
*cough* New Zealand film *cough*
Yes, I was wondering how the Quiet Earth could, in any way, be descibed as British. The author of the book is Engliah-born but moved to New Zealand in 1966 (when he was 24). The story is set in New Zealand, filmed in New Zealand with New Zealand actors.
Three recent German-language sci-fi films:
CARGO (2009)
This Swiss space flick is not exactly a brilliant movie, but quite enjoyable if you like space-set sci-fi in the vein of Sunshine or 2001. Also, the visuals are quite impressive considering the minimal budget.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGFs07Chlo4
RAMMBOCK: BERLIN UNDEAD (2010)
A very effective little zombie movie set in a run-down Berlin apartment complex. It's very short, but inventive and exciting.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Kp2XWCijo
HELL (2011)
This one's a German post-apocalyptic tale about a future in which the sun has become brighter and hotter, making life on earth harder. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but I've heard good things.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE4iomYHF7c
CARGO (2009)
This Swiss space flick is not exactly a brilliant movie, but quite enjoyable if you like space-set sci-fi in the vein of Sunshine or 2001. Also, the visuals are quite impressive considering the minimal budget.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGFs07Chlo4
RAMMBOCK: BERLIN UNDEAD (2010)
A very effective little zombie movie set in a run-down Berlin apartment complex. It's very short, but inventive and exciting.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Kp2XWCijo
HELL (2011)
This one's a German post-apocalyptic tale about a future in which the sun has become brighter and hotter, making life on earth harder. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but I've heard good things.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE4iomYHF7c
"The Lathe of Heaven" was on of those BBC public television Sci-Fi films that turned out really awesome. made in 1979 too and still holds up for the most part.
From the Ursula K LeGuin story. Yes, not a bad movie at all.
This one sounds interesting.
^ I really like it, especially the aforementioned visuals, some of which are really impressive. Although confusingly, they messed up some very basic greenscreen shots, whilst having some breathtaking all-cgi shots.
Dante 01 would have been a decent film had they had the budget to complete it as they wanted. As it is it is merely an OK film, which looks fantastic thanks to having Marc Caro behind the camera, also half responsible for the equally impressive looking Delicatessen, and City of the Lost Children.
Dante 01 would have been a decent film had they had the budget to complete it as they wanted. As it is it is merely an OK film, which looks fantastic thanks to having Marc Caro behind the camera, also half responsible for the equally impressive looking Delicatessen, and City of the Lost Children.
Similar threads
