Conference bookie::movies

    
    
    
    Sounds interesting,
    		not to be confused with "Puppetmaster" 1,2,3 ? whew!
    
    		confession: I saw them all...:-)
    
    
    '''''''

	This is based on a book by Robert Heinlein that I personally always
thought would make a good movie.  It's a fairly early book, from the '50s
I think, at least it was not new when I read it in the early '60s.  Hope
they do a good job on it.  I was tickled to see Donald Sutherland in the
trailers, since he was in Bodysnatchers, and I originally thought that was
based on Puppet Masters!

Much better lineage than that.
This should be  the one based on the 1950s novel by science fiction pioneer
Robert Heinlien.  To be somewhat grandiose about it, this novel was one of 
the founders of the aliens-tap-into-your-brain-and-subjugate-the-race genre.
Some of the SF folks are holding some hope for this one.

- tom]

    Based on an EXCELLENT book by an excellent author! I do hope they stay
    fairly true to the spirit of the book. I can tell by the previews that
    there will be a few deviations, to make the aliens look scarier and to
    take advantage of what Hollywood is capable of now. Also, I dare say
    that the movie will deal more progressively with the female characters
    than Heinlein did in most of his books, particularly that one. Should
    make a fantastic movie, if handled properly.
    			(that's a big IF. Remember the latest version of
    			the 3 musketeers??? :-)
    
    				Jim B.

RE: .4

>							I do hope they stay
>    fairly true to the spirit of the book. I can tell by the previews that
>    there will be a few deviations, 

From the very brief previews I have seen, it looks decent.  When I first
heard that Donald Sutherland was in it, I cringed.  He **BOTCHED** the
remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (though, to be kind, he was
betrayed by a rotten script and horrible direction).

I was worried either that he was going to play the main character (a 
low-to-mid-30's secret agent type, very capable of rough and tumble) or they 
had gutted the book sufficiently to eliminate all traces of Heinlein's work 
to make room for Donald Sutherland.

But then I saw the previews where he was asking "How many of you are there?"
of some guy strapped to a chair, and I began to have some hope.  That scene 
made me think that he is playing the Old Man, and the interview is kept pretty 
much intact.  There is hope for fans of the book, and for movie-goers in 
general, that this will be a good movie...

-- Ken Moreau

    I'd have to describe this movie as stale. This basic plot has been done so
    often, it really needs something innovative to bother the audience with it
    again, even if it's only massive star power. Donald's a star, but all by
    himself, he couldn't overcome the impression that I'd seen this movie
    before and one too many times. In fact, since he has been in a movie of
    this genre before, he actually contributed to the impression. 

    The special effects are OK, but again nothing new. There are some genuine
    moments of tension as one anticipates a parasite attack on a new victim,
    but even these moments are dull when compared to the finesse of a movie of
    like "Alien". About the only thing one might consider a novelty is the
    contrived nude scene for the hero. Usually a movie of this genre would try
    to remove as much clothing as possible from hysterical females. Still,
    somehow even this quirky scene seemed like a cliche. "Oh, yeah", I thought,
    checking it off my list, "there was the expected completely gratuitous
    nudity."

    I was also bothered by an apparent plot hole. The first person to have a
    parasite removed is incapacitated with withdrawal symptoms. Someone later
    recovers from the parasite rather too quickly because it's important at
    that time to reveal plot-resolving information and because they're in the
    middle of an action scene. 

    I'd say this is a mere example of the alien-tries-to-conquer-Earth genre,
    and not an especially good one. It's suitable for lazy saturday afternoon
    viewing at matinee prices, but no one will miss anything by waiting for the
    video.
    

    Did this movie come and go while I was out for coffee? I reread the
    Heinlein book in anticipation of seeing it, and a group of us from work
    were going to catch it at a local cinema. SO on last Friday, there was
    *one* theater in the Baltimore newspaper which was showing it. now, in
    today's paper, it ain't showing *anywhere*! Has it not been released?
    Or did it fizzle so completely that it has gone already? I known that
    many theaters are dropping everything to show Vampire and Generations
    on two screens.
    
    Well, I guess I could catch this on video someday, but it's
    disappointing. Did anyone see the movie who also read the book? Did it
    do justice to RAH?
    			Thanks,
    				Jim

    
    Anybody know when this is due out on video?
    
    Saw a preview with some recent rental, but all stated was "coming
    soon".
    
    Dave
    

    
    Well, it just got released on video and it's worth the rental 
    price.
    
    Thought it was pretty good, although the theme has been done before
    of course.
    
    Dave