ALL SCI-FI

[orzel-w]

I think I probably initiated the thread for this movie on the old website, so I'll give it another shot.

Idiocracy is a sci-fi comedy which I enjoyed enough from Netflix to buy the DVD. It starts out with a humorous exposition of how evolution is now leading to a decreasing level of intelligence in the human population, setting the stage for the rest of the movie. The rest of the movie shows the two main characters (played by Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph) of average intelligence being recruited for a 24-hour test of suspended animation, which, of course, goes awry. They wake up instead 500 years later, finding they are now the two most intelligent people on the planet.

The entire movie is a send-up of current perceived trends (at least those you complain about every day). As such, it achieves a higher rank on the sci-fi scale than most serious sci-fi lately, which, strictly speaking, should be extrapolation of the latest scientific developments and their impact on the characters and/or society in general.

Not to be missed in the bonus materials is the deleted scene titled "The Museum of Fart". This is obviously homophonic for "Museum of Art", so you can imagine what the scene is about. But I think seeing the title before watching the scene enhanced my enjoyment because you just know where the humor is heading.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Robert (Butch) Day]

[orzel-w]

Sci-fi that takes itself seriously, as opposed to sci-fi comedy.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Robert (Butch) Day]

Wayne, I whole-heartedly agree. But it's getting DAMNED hard to find!
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Common Sense ISN'T Common

[Bud Brewster]

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has 32 trivia items for this movie. Here’s a few of the ones I found the most interesting, in the blue text.
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~ The very small Surgeon General's warning seen on the Tarrylton's Cigarettes billboard reads: "Warning: The Surgeon General has one lung and a voicebox but he could still kick your sorry ass".

Note from me:

~ When Joe (Luke Wilson) is being apprehended by the police in Costco, the background screens display why he is wanted: "For being a dick" "For excaping from jail" "For fucking up lots of sh*t".

Note from me: I almost corrected the spelling of the word "escaping", but I thought maybe it was deliberate and part of the joke.

~ In addition to the Fuddrucker's gag, early drafts of the script had another scene showing the devolution of sports, with a stadium's marquee sign changing from "Championship Baseball" to "Extreme Baseball" (essentially just a bat fight), to finally just "Fire".

Note from me: "Essentially just a bat fight". That one cracked me up.

~ Nearly all of the logos for actual present-day businesses are altered in the future. The exception is the logo for FOX News, which is the logo in use by the network at the time of this film's release.

Note from me: A subtle dig at the Trump News Network? Maybe.

~ When Joe is escaping from prison he runs past a rusted out DeLorean, an obvious nod to another time travelling movie, Back to the Future (1985).

Note from me: Nice touch.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Custer]

[Bud Brewster]

[Gord Green]

Holey Eugenics Batman!!!

A perfect example of a Progressive future
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Enjoy the trailer!

_________________ Idiocracy 2006 Trailer HD


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

[Krel]

When they filmed the movie they looked for the most ridiculous footwear they could find, and found Crocks which they thought no reasonable person would wear. Then the movie sat on the shelf for two years, and by time it was release, guess what the popular footwear was.

When I first read about the story line, the first thing I thought of was "The Marching Morons". Reading his stories, you'll find that C. M. Kornbluth and his wife had a dim view of humanity.

Despite my best efforts, I have never seen the whole movie, and I really want to.

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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That story about the shoes is pretty funny.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Maurice]

True story. This film was being shot at the Austin Studios in Austin, Texas in the summer of 2004. In the stage next door the Star Trek fanfilm Starship Exeter: The Tressaurian Intersection was being shot. The Exeter crew took to dumpster diving cast-offs from Idiocracy, and the cargo bay of a wrecked starship includes many of such items, including a "Starbucks" sign that got remade into a cargo transporter console. Some Idiocracy crewmen caught them dumpster diving carpet scraps, and pointed them to a roll of unused carpeting and said "have at." So the ship's corridors and other rooms are full of Idiocracy carpeting.

In fact, since Exeter was shooting at night, some of the Idiocracy crew occasionally wandered over and helped light some sets and so on. And the Exeter A.D. sweet-talked one of them into bringing their Chapman crane over to do the big opening shot dropping down into the bridge from 30 feet in the air. You can see that shot right at the top of the episode here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkuJG1_2MnU&ab_channel=TheStarshipExeter
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"The absence of limitations is the enemy of art."
― Orson Welles

[Bud Brewster]

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What a great experience that was! Thanks for sharing it with the members of All Sci-Fi.
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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]