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10 Must-See "First Contact" Movies
Posted by Mac Tonnies, Thursday, May 01, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Mac Tonnies
After posting a list of 10 favorite novels about extraterrestrial contact, I suppose I'm obligated to comment on movies that reflect upon the search for alien intelligence. This list is by no means intended to be exhaustive or even particularly representative; if you have any additions, feel free to mention them in the comments section.
1.) "Contact." Based on Carl Sagan's novel, "Contact" bears its share of cinematic clichés with surprising grace, treating viewers to the quintessential SETI moment: the climactic arrival of an ET radio signal. Perhaps the triumph of "Contact" is its opening sequence, a wonderful evocation of the cosmic that never fails to send shivers of delight up my spine. Despite my misgivings toward radio SETI, I'm able to suspend my disbelief and revel in the film's audaciously optimistic vision.
2.) "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Largely based on actual UFO cases (excluding, of course, the final appearance of a luminous alien mothership), Steven Spielberg's classic succeeds in capturing the sense of mystery that attends the contemporary UFO phenomenon. If visiting aliens ever seek formal contact (a prospect I find exceptionally doubtful), this just might be the way it unfolds. Ufologists take note: Aside from featuring a character based on French astrophysicist Jacques Vallee, "Close Encounters" is graced by a cameo by J. Allen Hynek, former head of the U.S. Air Force's controversial Project Blue Book.
3.) "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978 remake). One of the few remakes that leaves its original incarnation bleeding on the sidewalk, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" envisions humanity assaulted by a plant-based intelligence capable of taking on human form. A campy premise makes for a frightening and relevant film that single-handedly takes on our worst fears about both alien life and self-imposed alienation.
4.) "The Arrival." This "invasion from beyond" movie is unexpectedly fun and vastly better than the silly and overproduced "Independence Day" released the same summer.
5.) "2001: A Space Odyssey." Stanley Kubrick's vision of the future engages the senses and the intellect. A technical and philosophical triumph, "2001" not only anticipates the future of human evolution but depicts the rigors of interplanetary spaceflight with startling finesse.
6.) "Solaris" (remake). Can a planet possess consciousness? Steven Soderbergh's re-imaging of the Russian film of the same name pits human psychology against the unthinkably alien. "Solaris" is an engaging fusion of style and substance, both challenging and wrenchingly human.
7.) "A.I." If we ever succeed in making contact with a genuinely alien intelligence, we might be distraught to realize it's our own creation. Spielberg's "A.I.," a meditation on artificial intelligence and the tenacity of our own inventions, tells a deceptively simple tale that prefigures the extinction of the human race. This is a thought-provoking and elegantly rendered film that entertains as it cautions.
8.) "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers." I couldn't resist: indispensable science fiction kitsch enlivened by state-of-the-art special effects. Although the aliens are destructive enough when provoked, trigger-happy humans instigate the conflict in this 1950s staple. No genre enthusiast should miss this.
9.) "The Day the Earth Stood Still." A Cold War classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" sounds an existential warning that reverberates through the decades.
10.) "The Thing." Forget the messianic visitor from "The Day the Earth Stood Still": maybe aliens have nothing better to do than destroy us. Although we're never made privy to the title character's ultimate motives, the film's closing line says it all: "Watch the skies!"
Mac Tonnies
22 Comments:
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Posted by matt evered
June 25, 2008 at 11:00 AM
the majority of the films you list are ok.some far fetched,some rediculous.however i have to conclude that the closest and most beleivable films surely are the star trek ones.email me if anyone would like a friendly debate on this matter..matt.
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Posted by donald hyde
June 04, 2008 at 07:15 PM
Can't think of 10 good alien movies.
But I'll give it a shot.
Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth stood still, not sure Alien 1 and 11 qualify for the list because they didn't get to the earth to make trouble.
The Terminator really hit the spot. Violence to a purpose, good plot, story followed its premise to the bitter end. T2 was okay, and T3 really sucks. No consistent good guy or plot. I found myself routing for the bad guy (woman) at least she had a plan and never deviated from it.
Donald Hyde
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Posted by Hugh Troy
May 31, 2008 at 07:32 AM
The film A.I. was tedious melodrama unworthy of taking up anyone's time. How Mac Tonnies can give it credit I don't know. Star Trek: The Next Generation did the whole cybernetic Pinocchio thing better anyway.
Oh, and another thing...Piehole the alien race in the film Forbidden Planet were the Krell. Krill are tiny crustaceans, you oaf! Muddy Farmer, K-Pax was more K Mart than ET contact movie, it sucked!
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Posted by Crusader
May 29, 2008 at 06:09 AM
The terminator is another one
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Posted by Crusader
May 23, 2008 at 06:34 AM
Also some of the MIB's. And "The Blob" is a funny and classic one, 2.
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Posted by Paul Kimball
May 21, 2008 at 01:54 AM
Mac,
I have to say that I'm disappointed to see that you've left off your list E.T., which is a very good movie, and that you've placed the mediocre film "Contact" ahead of "Close Encounters of The Third Kind", which is not just a super ET film, but one of the best films ever.
Of course, all of this pales in comparison to your leaving out "Doing Time"... oh, wait - we haven't made that one yet!! ;-)
Paul
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Posted by nagrom
May 20, 2008 at 01:47 AM
yo yo yo, anyone seen e.t lately? hes hot. he\'s in my class now the heat is extrodinary!!!!
this is y he\'s hot!!!
but i like very much!!!!
xxxxxxxxxxxx haha xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted by Thomas Gilden
May 20, 2008 at 01:40 AM
As shown above i believe that the younger generation are abusing tihs site as what it was truley made for. I am really angry upon the comments featured. I believe that my eyes and specsavers 3000 tell the truth, i know what i've seen and i believe it all to be true. I have infact seen all these sightings myself!
Any further enquiries contact me on Thomas.gilden@aol.com
Thankyou for your time.
Tom
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Posted by the morgan lovers
May 20, 2008 at 01:37 AM
whhho go morgan, he is a sexy alien and his bed skills are out of this world lolzzzzzzz
luv him lots
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
hehe
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Posted by Morgan Villar
May 20, 2008 at 01:28 AM
well personally i prefer AliG and the ETs ... i reckomened it highly! also i was wondering if any alien activity was happening at the mo?? love ya cheers bubz ;) xx
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Posted by Mark Surval
May 14, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Thanks for the list. Nothing, in my opinion, compares with THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL with Michael Renny. One of the all time greatest sci. fi. films ever!!!
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Posted by Piehole
May 12, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Which "The Thing"? Hawks' version or Carpenter's version?
Also, megadittoes on Tarkovsky's Solar being *VASTLY* superior to Clooney's version.
And what, no "Forbidden Planet"? With the bitchin' subterranean civilization of the Krill? C'mon!
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Posted by chaka freeman
May 04, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Great list, brother from another planet, is needed, and liquid sky could have made it. And which thing? The old school one with the "sound like babies crying" scene, or John Carpenter's masterpiece of a remake? One of the scariest movies ever!
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Posted by Muddy Farmer
May 03, 2008 at 09:24 PM
Holy cosmos,
How could you forget K-Pax?
Gotta be in the top ten.
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Posted by Red Pill Junkie
May 02, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Oh! I also forgot "Starman". That's a good flick too.
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Posted by Red Pill Junkie
May 02, 2008 at 03:26 PM
All my faves are there, but I can't resist pointing out to "Flight of the Navigator". Kid-oriented and cheesy as hell, but who wouldn't want to hitch a ride inside an alien vessel that had the voice of Pewee Herman?? ;-)
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Posted by jan ptak
May 02, 2008 at 02:14 PM
btw, Solaris is a novel by S. Lem, Polish scifi writer.
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Posted by Jimbo
May 02, 2008 at 11:04 AM
AI was the funniest movie I've ever seen. I've never laughed so loudly in a movie. Especially the end narration.
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Posted by Richard McQuillan
May 02, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Can't say that "This Island Earth" is a must see, but it is my fave.
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Posted by Mike Clelland
May 02, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Mac, I gotta agree with Andrei about the original SOLARIS.
The ONE MUST SEE weird movie (also from 1968, the year of 2001) is Quatermass and the Pit. Released in the USA as Five Million Years to Earth.
more...
And - The MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH is pretty amazing too (as mentioned in your OTHER blog)
Andromida Strain
The Puppet Master (right up there with the Arrival)
and NOT:
Communion or Fire in the Sky!
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Posted by Andrei Tarkovsky
May 01, 2008 at 05:33 PM
how could you possibly prefer the cheesy hollywood version of Solaris to Tarkovsky's? sheesh.
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Posted by DMDuncan
May 01, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Glad to see I'm not the only one who liked "The Arrival."
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