Despite the previous reviewer's screed, this is a well paced and interesting documentary with lots of clips from classic 1950s sci-fi films that influenced Spielberg, Lucas and others in their more recent efforts. I agree that Spielberg's films aren't even in the same league as the films discussed here, such as William Cameron Menzies' brilliant INVADERS FROM MARS, to name just one of the many titles examined, but this is still a remarkably good overview of 1950s paranoid sci-fi. Yes, it turns into a commercial for the tepid remake of WAR OF THE WORLDS during the last fifteen minutes; you can turn that off. The rest is surprisingly good, and it's nice to see contemporary filmmakers remember the films that inspired them, even if they can't begin to match the originals.
11 Reviews
A basic accounting of the better known 50's Sci Fi flicks
mcawley-25 May 2006
I was really looking forward to watching this documentary on what I considered to be some of the most entertaining films ever made. Growing up in L.A. during the 60's many of these old black and white films were shown on the local stations. I even remember a Friday night show called "Strange Tales of Science Fiction" that showcased a different Sci Fi flick every week. This documentary however spent way too much time on the opinions of the four famous filmmakers and how they felt about the classic movies of that genre and how they used them as inspiration in their filmaking.
That is not what I was hoping for in this documentary. It really could have been a comprehensive examination of the decade instead of a brief highlighting of the most well known films of the era. Anyone who has studied or been interested in these films are pretty familiar with standouts such as War of the Worlds, Forbidden Planet, The Thing, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc. I would have liked to see some excerpts from lesser known films and perhaps some interviews with people involved in the making of these movies. I would have to agree the documentary was way too focused on Spielberg's opinions and was a type of commercial for his new release of War of the Worlds.
That is not what I was hoping for in this documentary. It really could have been a comprehensive examination of the decade instead of a brief highlighting of the most well known films of the era. Anyone who has studied or been interested in these films are pretty familiar with standouts such as War of the Worlds, Forbidden Planet, The Thing, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc. I would have liked to see some excerpts from lesser known films and perhaps some interviews with people involved in the making of these movies. I would have to agree the documentary was way too focused on Spielberg's opinions and was a type of commercial for his new release of War of the Worlds.
Interesting but not all that insightful or fun
planktonrules21 March 2008
I was quite amazed when I watched this film, as the producers were able to assemble several amazingly important "heavyweights" from the film industry to talk about 50s sci-fi as clips are shown. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Ridley Scott all were interviewed and Mark Hamill narrated. Listening to their insights and recollections concerning these films was indeed interesting to a sci-fi fan like myself and I sure liked the clips. However, I felt that the show lacked pizazz and tended to be a bit too cerebral at times. I would have preferred a more comprehensive show--one that showed a broader spectrum of movies--including the bad ones, not just a few famous or seminal ones. Because of this, the special just wasn't as entertaining as it might have been. Interesting, yes--fun, not especially.
Bad Dream
tedg5 August 2005
There are few things in life that allow you to crease the world without consequence. In the world of movies, those consequences can be profound.
Take Spielberg, a moderately talented filmmaker who eschews originality and insight, instead trusts an extraordinary intuition about what people like. Or think they like. Or can be fooled into liking with a several hundred million dollar promotion budget.
This is part of that promotion, a fake documentary about science fiction movies with a commercial for Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," tacked on a the end. The "history" here is his own version of what happened in the genre, which naturally enough starts when he started watching movies.
So we get a story about science fiction movies from an accomplished storyteller with a selfish purpose. And it is nearly all wrong. I hope this is enough to warn you away from this travesty. It is bad enough that he peppers us with vulgar movies (yes, even the nobly themed "Schindler"); but it is beyond the pale for him to reinvent the history of cinema to suit himself.
Science fiction goes all the way back to the invention of movies (and of course before that in literature). The core notion has always been with us: we enter the world of film to see another world. So far as films about the future and/or space, that element of the genre was fully mature by the end of the 30s and reached its peak in "Forbidden Planet" of 1956.
After that, the genre was reimagined to host technological thrills either in the story or in the effects brazenly displayed. Scott (shown here with the briefest of comments) added horror with "Alien" and improved on the self-reference of "Planet" with "Bladerunner."
All this without the meddling of Mr Dreamworks. Bah.
Incidentally,Spielberg's one really good film ("Close Encounters") is a French New Wave project about movie-making only wrapped in sci-fi like the French (and now the Hong Kongers) like to wrap in the gangster genre. Never was, even by him at the time, considered sci-fi.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Take Spielberg, a moderately talented filmmaker who eschews originality and insight, instead trusts an extraordinary intuition about what people like. Or think they like. Or can be fooled into liking with a several hundred million dollar promotion budget.
This is part of that promotion, a fake documentary about science fiction movies with a commercial for Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," tacked on a the end. The "history" here is his own version of what happened in the genre, which naturally enough starts when he started watching movies.
So we get a story about science fiction movies from an accomplished storyteller with a selfish purpose. And it is nearly all wrong. I hope this is enough to warn you away from this travesty. It is bad enough that he peppers us with vulgar movies (yes, even the nobly themed "Schindler"); but it is beyond the pale for him to reinvent the history of cinema to suit himself.
Science fiction goes all the way back to the invention of movies (and of course before that in literature). The core notion has always been with us: we enter the world of film to see another world. So far as films about the future and/or space, that element of the genre was fully mature by the end of the 30s and reached its peak in "Forbidden Planet" of 1956.
After that, the genre was reimagined to host technological thrills either in the story or in the effects brazenly displayed. Scott (shown here with the briefest of comments) added horror with "Alien" and improved on the self-reference of "Planet" with "Bladerunner."
All this without the meddling of Mr Dreamworks. Bah.
Incidentally,Spielberg's one really good film ("Close Encounters") is a French New Wave project about movie-making only wrapped in sci-fi like the French (and now the Hong Kongers) like to wrap in the gangster genre. Never was, even by him at the time, considered sci-fi.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Ted's Evaluation
ajgorek4 November 2006
I'd like to confront my personal opinion about 'Watch the skies' movie with Ted's one.
First of all, I suppose that your personal dislike with Spielberg movies make you blind on the whole movie. Please remember, it's not only Spielberg's point of view. There are interviews with J.Cameron, R.Scott and G.Lucas here. Of course, it's only a brief take of the issue. I'd like to watch some more depth, insight production someday.
One of the subjects of this movie is looking back on 50s SF movies, which can be interpretated like express of society fears. Fear of space invaders might symbolize fear of the "others", which can be Russians or any different culture. And of course there is H war anxiety also.
What selfish is in that interpretation of SF movies by Spielberg and rest the directors? It's not they invention. We have many examples of movies or even the whole genres in film history, which represents some fears and havocs in given societies - like the German Expresionism.
Of course first SF movies arised shortly after Lumieres invention, f.e. G.Melies movies, but it's not a untrue (form my POV) that SF as a separately genre appears in early 50s. From that era, SF movies, and authors have began to be taken seriously.
I think 'Watch the skies' is a good introduction to history of science fiction movies. It's definitely not exhaust the topic, but might be a nice foothold to further searchings, for those who are interested in the issue.
First of all, I suppose that your personal dislike with Spielberg movies make you blind on the whole movie. Please remember, it's not only Spielberg's point of view. There are interviews with J.Cameron, R.Scott and G.Lucas here. Of course, it's only a brief take of the issue. I'd like to watch some more depth, insight production someday.
One of the subjects of this movie is looking back on 50s SF movies, which can be interpretated like express of society fears. Fear of space invaders might symbolize fear of the "others", which can be Russians or any different culture. And of course there is H war anxiety also.
What selfish is in that interpretation of SF movies by Spielberg and rest the directors? It's not they invention. We have many examples of movies or even the whole genres in film history, which represents some fears and havocs in given societies - like the German Expresionism.
Of course first SF movies arised shortly after Lumieres invention, f.e. G.Melies movies, but it's not a untrue (form my POV) that SF as a separately genre appears in early 50s. From that era, SF movies, and authors have began to be taken seriously.
I think 'Watch the skies' is a good introduction to history of science fiction movies. It's definitely not exhaust the topic, but might be a nice foothold to further searchings, for those who are interested in the issue.
A Survey of 1950s Science Fiction
gavin694213 April 2015
Directors Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott and James Cameron discuss the science fiction movies of the 1950s that influenced them.
This is an interesting short documentary, now featured on the Blu-ray for "Forbidden Planet" (with Spielberg joking that Robby the Robot influenced C3PO). We get a broad range of science fiction films from the 1950s, with some much better known than others, and four of the most successful science fiction directors discussing them.
I was frankly impressed how well the directors knew these films, with their casts and plot and special effects. Usually only Martin Scorsese seems to have this kind of recall. Either the interviewees were prepped, or they truly love these films and were deeply influenced by them. I prefer to accept the latter.
This is an interesting short documentary, now featured on the Blu-ray for "Forbidden Planet" (with Spielberg joking that Robby the Robot influenced C3PO). We get a broad range of science fiction films from the 1950s, with some much better known than others, and four of the most successful science fiction directors discussing them.
I was frankly impressed how well the directors knew these films, with their casts and plot and special effects. Usually only Martin Scorsese seems to have this kind of recall. Either the interviewees were prepped, or they truly love these films and were deeply influenced by them. I prefer to accept the latter.
Highly recommended to Sci-Fi fans!
paulorcbarros10 June 2006
"Watch the Skies" (2005 - 60 minutes) is an excellent documentary about movies of Science Fiction. It was produced and directed by the critic Richard Schickel, author of more than 20 books on this theme. Mark Hamill is the documentary narrator. Schickel joins directors as Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, George Lucas and Ridley Scott to carry through a trip in time and space to show some of the most memorable science fiction movies of the fifties and also some more recent classics. The documentary shows six different approaches: The paranoia of the atomic war; The fantastic trips to the Moon; The enigmatic planet Mars; Good and evil aliens; The after-apocalyptic world; and The humanity future. It presents comments and scenes of the following classics: The Flying Saucers, Rocketship XM, Destination Moon, The Space Children, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, A Trip to the Moon, The Angry Red Planet, Forbidden Planet, The Thing From Another World, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Blob, The War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still, ET: The Extra Terrestrial, The Omega Man, The Planet of the Apes, The Terminator, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Things To Come and Metropolis. Highly recommended to Science Fiction fans!
one needs to dare to reach the skies
dromasca17 November 2009
I am a great fan of science fiction and I am still wondering how it comes that I did not enjoy so much this film. Having four of my preferred directors - Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott and James Cameron - arguably the best or among the best quartet of directors of the genre getting together to talk about the science fiction films of the 50s and 60s and how these influenced their careers and their work - this is golden material and an opportunity that can be turned into an unique experience for fans like me. And yet, despite bringing these four giants together, and despite picking all or almost all the right movies of the genre and of the time to talk about them the film results in quite a boring sub-hour, with the classical talking faces interleaved with clips from the film, and especially with quite a confusing and uninspiring line of text. After too little historical context setting at the beginning the documentary slides into an enumeration of the various themes which fails to be interesting or to build up any original ideas. It looks almost like the four directors where respectfully left to tell their stories and then the film was assembled in the cutting room. I expected more interaction between the four, they seldom seemed to be in a dialog, and their ideas had too little continuity. I have to many questions to ask Spielberg if I ever meet him, almost none was asked and answered in this interview. Yet the most valuable parts are his, especially when he retells the stories of his experiences watching as a kid some of the cult movies of his time - he seems to be by far the more candid and more open of the four.
The key of science fiction is imagination. This is a very non-imaginative documentary about the most imaginative genre in cinema.
The key of science fiction is imagination. This is a very non-imaginative documentary about the most imaginative genre in cinema.
How early Sci-fi inspired biggest directors of genre!!
elo-equipamentos17 April 2018
In own their words, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas how those early 1950' Sci-fi impacted their lives forever, they explain citing each specific movie from that time, re-telling specials scenes and how were affected by them, interesting study of cinema if you likes Sci-fi like me, indeed my favorite kind of movie!!!
Resume:
First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
Resume:
First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
I expected much more than a commercial.
SPOOKY-7022 December 2005
I was expecting a documentary covering the 1950 to 1965 era of Sci-Fi and received a big ol' commercial laced with leftist political innuendo by James Cameron and movie mogul baby boomer's pushing the own works. 'Watch the Skies' has in the past referred to the 'Giant Bug' and 'Space Exploration' movies from the 1950's including such favorites as "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, "Thing from Another World" and "Forbidden Planet" as well as "Them", "Deadly Mantis" and "Tarantula". There are lower budget examples that rarely get mentioned like "Space Monster", "12 to the Moon" and "Cosmic Man".
This would have been a much better documentary had the few remaining actors, directors, stunt men and collectors plus the non-Hollywood 'boomer's from the era been interviewed. I only wish there was a "0" rating available since a "1" is much to generous.
This would have been a much better documentary had the few remaining actors, directors, stunt men and collectors plus the non-Hollywood 'boomer's from the era been interviewed. I only wish there was a "0" rating available since a "1" is much to generous.
Simplistic and boring
preppy-35 October 2008
Purported documentary that tries to examine sci-fi films of the 1950s and how they affected (and REflected) America. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott and James Cameron are interviewed and Mark Hamill narrates.
Pretty terrible. The "insights" that are given are nothing new--for instance--the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war affected a whole generation of children. Well-duh! They try to cover all of the different sub genres of sci-fi films of the 1950s--the big bug movies, invaders from space movies etc etc. That's good but they choose the most obvious films and they've been over analyzed to death already. It was cool seeing clips from "Rocketship X-M", "Destination Moon", "Forbidden Planet", "The Thing" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" but everything the directors said was so incredibly obvious to any viewer that it's insulting. Even though it's under an hour I was thoroughly bored 30 minutes in. This gets a 2 for some of the clips but nothing else.
Pretty terrible. The "insights" that are given are nothing new--for instance--the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war affected a whole generation of children. Well-duh! They try to cover all of the different sub genres of sci-fi films of the 1950s--the big bug movies, invaders from space movies etc etc. That's good but they choose the most obvious films and they've been over analyzed to death already. It was cool seeing clips from "Rocketship X-M", "Destination Moon", "Forbidden Planet", "The Thing" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" but everything the directors said was so incredibly obvious to any viewer that it's insulting. Even though it's under an hour I was thoroughly bored 30 minutes in. This gets a 2 for some of the clips but nothing else.
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