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[Bud Brewster]

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The focus is on The Spike this week, with his awesome posts about a predators, a beasts, and a Jules Verne journey.
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Predator 2 (1990)

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Very undervalued sequel suffering because of the first films success.

Los Angeles is imploding with mayhem as gang wars fill the streets, an under pressure police force try to restore order, but both parties have another foe to worry about, a Predator is in town, and he's about to up the ante.

Gone is Arnold Schwarzenegger, gone is John McTiernan, and gone is the jungle setting, so following in the foot steps of the ultimate beefcake movie that was Preadtor 1987 was an unenviable task it seems. Yet I personally feel that Predator 2 stands up to scrutiny as a fine entry into the sci-fi/action genre, locating it amongst the urban decay of L.A. works real well, and pitting the Predator against a tough grizzled (but hardly giganticus beefcakeus) cop (Danny Glover) gives us a smart brains against brawn story. Also cutely is that director Stephen Hopkins and writers Jim & John Thomas have actually got the Predator cleaning up the streets of L.A., in fact another two hours of Predator hunt and kill tactics and crime in L.A. would have been completely eradicated! There is plenty of bloody snotty gore to appease fans of that persuasion, and it's nice to report that the characters on show do actually impact as part of the story.

It has a fine cast that reads like a who's who of action films, Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Bill Paxton (Aliens), Robert Davi (Die Hard), Gary Busey (Under Siege), Rub??n Blades (Once Upon a Time in Mexico) & Maria Conchita Alonso (The Running Man), whilst Kevin Peter Hall dons the Predator suit and suitably kicks arse again. It's not genius, it's not even ground breaking, but Predator 2 is a fine and entertaining genre piece that sadly seems to forever be undervalued on internet sites.

8/10 "who's next"?
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The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)



Rhedosaurus rampage as Harryhausen genius starts to work.

Nuclear testing out in the arctic rouses a prehistoric Rhedosaurs from its icy incarcerated sleep. It promptly lays waste to everything that gets in its path, and its next stop is New York City.

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms stands as one of the most important of the 50s sci-fi/creature feature films that filled the screens during that particular decade. Notable for being the first picture where Ray Harryhausen had total control over the effects (and thus setting his career on an upward route), it is also one of two pictures from 1953 that would be the first adaptations of the gifted writings of Ray Bradbury (the other being It Came from Outer Space).

Watching it now you can see just what a template movie it was to be for the genre, the perils of nuclear testing, a vivid jolt of paranoia, the rugged alpha male, the svelt sexy strong lady, and of course the creature to terrify all who come into contact with it.

Yep, it's safe to say that this picture has all the trademarks.

The Rhedosaurus (completely made up name) is a wonderful creation from Harryhausen, a giant stalking lizard who sinks ships for fun, pulls down lighthouses, and has no problems about feasting on local police officers. It's safe to say that since being awakened from his sleep he is in a very bad mood! While the ending is wonderful, as the giant beast finds himself cloaked in a roller-coaster, with mankind fighting the good fight, a perfect finish to a hugely enjoyable picture. 8/10 ____________________________________________________________________

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

This thread comes with a music soundtrack — an All Sci-Fi exclusive Special Feature!

Click on the link below and let YouTube play the original motion picture soundtrack for Journey to the Center or the Earth while you read the comments on this thread.


Enjoy!
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Wonderful fantasy adventure.

Intrepid professor Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook leads an expedition towards the center of the Earth via an extinct Icelandic volcano. The journey is sure to be fraught with danger and little do they know that their trip will take in many unchartered wonders . . . both good and bad!

As adventure films go, Journey To The Center Of The Earth has few peers, it's a wonderful film based around the Jules Verne story of the same name. There are no hidden agendas here, no wry social commentary or satirical edginess, it is pure fantastical entertainment that wants you to enjoy its science heart whilst you have a blast following this group into the wondrous unknown.

Lost cities, prehistoric lizards, underground oceans, crystal caves, sand mines, murder, sabotage, and on it goes for just over two hours of delightful movie making, it even has time for a bit of cheeky sexual tom foolery for the knowing adult.

I'm sure the likes of Spielberg & Lucas were nodding in approval back in the day.

The sets, the sound, and the special effects were all nominated for Academy Awards, and sure enough all may well seem tame by today's bloated standards, but this is 1959 and let your mind be back to that time and you surely will be taken in by this joyous experience.

I must also mention that location footage shot in the beautiful Carlsbad Caverns that adds to the dynamic feel of the picture. Lead acting duties fall to the irrepressible James Mason as Lindenbrook, perfectly cast as he nails all the traits of this dyed in the wood professor. Support comes from Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl (the colour photography perfectly showing her piercing eyes), Peter Ronson and star of the show Gertrude The Duck.

It was magical to me as a child, it's still as magical to me now I'm in my advancing years, wonderful indeed. 9/10
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)