ALL SCI-FI

Bud Brewster · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I read that the upkeep of the RKO Movie Ranch was neglected for years, and it was finally bulldozed in 1954.

Sad . . .

And since my cyclorama theory was such a bust, let's just change the subject. Here's a few other questions I would have asked the cast members if I had the chance to interview them the way Tom Weaver did.

What was the "ice" they walked around on made of? Was it concrete?

Did they shoot in the early morning mostly, to keep the actors from passing out in the heat?

How did they prevent the actors from looking sweaty in a "blizzard"?

Were they all naked under those heavy coats?

Since the background painting is on that big solid wall we see at the RKO Ranch, why does it look wrinkled in some scenes? Did they hang a big canvas over the wall?

And just for the record, this is what Robert Cornthwaite did say about the backdrop, courtesy of Tom Weaver on the Classic Horror Film Board, at my request.

From my interview with Dr. Carrington, Robert Cornthwaite:

A big expanse on the Ranch in Encino was where they built a huge backdrop which blended with the sky — at least, when you had the proper lenses on, and soft focus in the background/sharp focus in the front. It was simply done with fake snow against this huge cyclorama backdrop.

Aaaaah, what does he know? He probably don't know a cyclorama from a silicone breast implant! Wink

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
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Krel · Guest

Bud Brewster · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:36 pm Post subject:

Mr. Cornthwaite is great in that movie. I was looking for info about it today online, and I read some truly awful reviews. They said dumb stuff, like that it took place at an arctic missile base, and Carrington was the villain of the story.

I'm thinkin' them reviewers don't know a cyclorama from a silicone breast implant! Shocked

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

scotpens · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:38 pm Post subject:

Krel · Guest

I've read reviews where they said that the movie is anti-science. I don't think so. Dr. Carrington wasn't the villain, he was misguided, and had impaired judgement due to lack of sleep. There was nothing earlier in the movie to suggest that he was a bad or callous person. If he had been in his right mind, I believe he would have been aiding Captain Hendry.

Also in the movie, the other scientists state that Captain Hendry had consulted with them BEFORE making his decisions about the alien offspring. Captain Hendry wisely used the experts he had at his disposal, for some reason most people miss that.

David.

Bud Brewster · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject:

I'll go a step further in Carrington's defense and say that even though it was kill-or-be-killed because the ruthless alien wasn't interested in chatting, Carrington was absolutely right when he expressed his regrets about killing the alien and loosing out on the opportunity to learn more about it.

But if they could have kept it alive for study, mankind could learn about it's physiology (since it's a new and dangerous enemy), and perhaps even its technology -- since they destroyed the spacecraft.

Can you imagine the way a good story would have handled that situation today? They wouldn't have touched that saucer until teams of experts arrived and thoroughly discussed what to do about it.

The movie is great, but in retrospect some of their actions were pretty bad -- and I don't just mean the electric blanket.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Brent Gair · Mission Specialist Joined: 21 Nov 2014 Posts: 472

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Krel · Guest

Bud Brewster · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 10:40 am Post subject:

Holy cow, the Russians! Of course! The story could involve a struggle between the Americans and the Russians to get the ship!

Wow, that's terrific. That kind of element could be used to explain all kinds of actions that would be very unwise under less urgent circumstances.

Oh, and about silicon versus silicone: I went back and corrected my initial misspelling and Krel's quote below it, but somehow Scotpen's slipped by me. As Wayne said, it's a common error.

Please allow me to explain the difference.

These are silicone breast implants.

And this is Silicon Valley.

Class dismissed. Cool

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

Krel · Guest

orzel-w · Galactic Ambassador Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1872

Wait... I'm still studying the silicon/silicone explanation.
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WayneO
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Bud Brewster · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 2:58 pm Post subject:

Think of the impact of the discovery as being like the Apollo program -- people don't realize all the benefits we got from the research done to make those small fragile lunar modules and lunar landers.

So, don't think in terms of "When will be begin to build ships like this?" Instead, think of all the advancements we'd get from studying the parts, the materials, and the principals.

Heck, there are people today who say the electronics explosion that's happened over the last 60 years is from captured alien technology -- but we still don't have spaceships like the ones we captured!

(Not that I'm saying we did that. You never heard me say that. This post does not exist . . . Cool

)
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

orzel-w · Galactic Ambassador Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1872

Still studying...
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WayneO
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orzel-w · Galactic Ambassador Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1872

Here's another aerial photo of the RKO Encino ranch taken at another time in the 1950s (specific year not listed). The backdrop appears to be painted with all sky and clouds.

The painters' tower is positioned to the right of the middle. And, y'know... the ground in front of the backdrop looks awfully white. Do you suppose...?
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WayneO
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