Sad day. Master stop motion filmmaker Ray Harryhausen has passed away.
Updates from Lazarus RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
-
Lazarus
-
Lazarus
Congratulations to Jo Walton and all the other Hugo winners:
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/09/announcing-the-2012-hugo-award-winners-
Capt. Xerox
If you’re interested on how the award voting broke down, here’s the final report: http://www.thehugoawards.org/content/pdf/2012HugoVotingReport.pdf
-
-
Lazarus
Sad to hear that Harry Harrison has passed away. I first read “Make Room, Make Room” after seeing Soylent Green as a teen. But I was really hooked on Harry with his Stainless Steel Rat series. R.I.P Harry. http://www.harryharrison.com/
-
Jeffrey Allan Boman
I saw him at Torcon 3, Toronto 2003. He said that many years ago he was an artist on the Flash Gordon strip, and hated it.
-
Lazarus
After seeing Soylent Green and learning that there was a novel somewhere out there, “Make Room, Make Room” was one of the earliest books on my search list. I don’t remember if I first read the Stainless Steel Rat or MRMR, but SSR was certainly much more entertaining. Read a few in the series over the years, but not all.
-
Capt. Xerox
Like any series, the SSR books peaked early then the quality declined, especially the later books that were written decades after the first ones.
Possibly funnier than those books are Bill the Galactic Hero and Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers, two titles which are the best send-ups of science fiction that I’ve ever read.
-
-
Capt. Xerox
That is indeed sad news. I was a huge Stainless Steel Rat fan and devoured each book I could get my hands on, but that series wasn’t my first exposure to Harrison. The first of his books that I can remember reading were the Deathworld books. They were very exciting adventure stories.
-
-
Lazarus
The reviews for Prometheus are still all over the place. One thing can be said for sure is that it is nothing close to the smash it some thought it would be. I was floored by the first trailer and very much wanted to see it. But then the negative reviews started pouring in. The problem is that many of those reviews criticize the movie for not being aligned with the Alien franchise, which is what Ridley Scott said almost from the start. So is it really a bad movie or is not the Alien movie the fans wanted?
-
Capt. Xerox
I haven’t seen it yet, but hope to see it soon.
In my experience, when reviews are divided over a science fiction fan, it means that the average moviegoer doesn’t like it because it’s got too much actual science fiction in it and isn’t just a special-effect extravaganza.
The people who do like it tend to be science fiction fans who appreciate a good story.
I am hoping that is the case with this film.
-
Capt. Xerox
This article expresses pretty much the same thought I have about why great sci-fi movies get mixed reviews: http://journalstar.com/entertainment/movies/l-kent-wolgamott-prometheus-gets-mixed-reactions-because-it-s/article_c6a6716a-9bb0-5004-9b7f-86171820284d.html
-
-
Capt. Xerox is discussing. 
Lazarus 12:53 pm on May 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, it was great for Emru/Fantasia to have him as a guest that year. Would not have been able to meet him otherwise. He was the last of the Ackerman/Bradbury/Harryhausen trio. What great conversations they must have had over the years.
Jeffrey Allan Boman 6:16 am on May 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I have fond memories of him at Fantasia years ago, and have photos from it.
avdezign (Cosmic) 8:46 pm on May 7, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
he had a full life with 92, he has already assured his place the history of cinema