Here is the official Info page for the 41st Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon held February 5th to 15th, 2016 at the Somerville Theater. The Marathon was February 14th Noon to February 15th Noon. This is a read only thread. To DISCUSS the movies announced, go here:
Here were the Feature Films for the Marathon in the order they were shown:
GREMLINS
1984. 106 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087363/combined Joe Dante's riotous creature feature makes it's marathon debut and stars Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and Corey Feldman with appropriately anarchic music by Jerry Goldsmith.
STARMAN
. 1984. 115 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088172/combined 70mm print! Director John Carpenter's cult fave about an alien who falls for an earth girl (Karen Allen). Actor Jeff Bridges got an Oscar nomination as the title character and Jack Nitzsche's evocative score was a Golden Globe nominee. Shown previousy (on 35mm) at SF/22.
Himmelskibet (A TRIP TO MARS)
:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0008100/combined 1918. 80 mins. Director Holger-Madsen. The greatest Danish sci-fi film before Reptilicus will be accompanied
live by the great Jeff Rapsis!
BLADE RUNNER - The Final Cut
1982. 117 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/combinedMarathon favorite returns to the event with Ridley Scott's preferred 'Final Cut'. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Daryll Hannah and Sean Young star along with Vangelis' music and Douglas Trumbull's extraordinary special effects. Previously shown (theatrical cut) at SF/8,SF/10,SF/14 & SF/32.
HIGH TREASON
. Restored sound version - on 35mm!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018996/combined 1929/1930. 68 mins. Ultra rare early sci-fi from England about a 'future' war. Directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Benita Hume and Basil Gill with a cameo by Raymond Massey.
EX MACHINA
2015. 108 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/combined One of the past year's surprises continues to win acclaim and awards. The small central cast are all terrific particularly Oscar Isaac and this year's 'It Girl' Alicia Vikander. Nominated for 2 Oscars (Screenplay, Special Effects)
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH
1976. 139 mins. New Stereo restoration!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074851/combined David Bowie (R.I.P.) stars in the role that he seemed born to play as an androgynous space alien marooned on earth. Director Nicholas Roeg's stylish picture is arthouse sci-fi based on Walter Tevis' novel. Also stars Candy Clark, Buck Henry and Rip Torn. Hard to believe, but this is MAN's first Marathon appearance despite being one of the biggest SF films of the year the Marathon began!
2006. 85 mins. 35MM Film Print!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/combined The movie Rupert Murdoch and Fox tried to suppress. This very pointed satire on Bush II's America where the morons take over stars Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph and Directed by Mike Judge.
PITCH BLACK
. 2000. 109 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134847/combined Director David Twothy's action packed film brought Vin Diesel's Riddick to the screen. Also stars Radha Mitchell and Cole Hauser.
BIG ASS SPIDER!
2013. 80 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1830713/combined Bug Eyed Monsters don't come much more campy than Mike Mendez arachnoid comedy featuring Greg Grunberg, Lin Shaye and Ray Wise.
NEVER LET ME GO
2010. 103 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334260/combined Ex Machina Director Alex Garland adapted Kazuo Ishiguro's well regarded novel into a terrific underappreciated and haunting film Directed by Mark Romanek and starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins, Charlotte Rampling and Andrew Garfield. Sublime score by Rachel Portman.
DONOVAN'S BRAIN
1953. 83 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045699/combined Curt Siodmak's tale of a disembodied brain has been much copied and remade over the years, but this is the best known edition given a noirish take by Felix Feist. Stars Lew Ayres, Gene Evans and Nancy Reagan!
THEY LIVE
1988. 93 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/combined Double your Carpenter with the (surprsingly) never before shown at the Marathon cult classic featuring Rowdy Roddy Piper (RIP) as he battles the need to 'Obey', and gets into one of the longest fist fights in Cinema history! Also with Meg Foster and Keith David. Some read an implicit satire of George Bush I (hmmm, sense a theme?).
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
. 1956. 80 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049366/combined Despite three remakes, Don Siegel's original remains the best of the adaptations of Jack Finney's story. Kevin McCarthy, Dan Wynter and Carolyn Jones star in this tale of pod people slowly taking over. Often read as an allegory for the Red Scare, but, it's still bears a potent message.
This will be the 5th showing at the 'thon.
SHORT FILMS:
DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2 CENTURY. 1953. 7 mins. Director Chuck Jones. Cast: Duck Dodgers, Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian, Mel Blanc.
THE BRIDE OF FINKELSTEIN. 2015. 21 mins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052788/combined