Guilty Pleasures of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Genre

POSTED BY: BlueSunWorshipper
UPDATED: Thursday, September 16, 2004 10:52
VIEWED: 19742
PAGE 1 of 1

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

Thursday, July 8, 2004 5:57 AM

Greetings, Fellow Browncoats:

Since we're on the thread of Worst SciFi Ever, I thought it would be nice to celebrate the OTHER side of bad SciFi movies and TV shows...movies that are BAD, but have something about them that you like, but wouldn't tell anybody else about. For example, one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies is the 1980 "Flash Gordon" flick with Sam J. Jones as Flash (AH-ahhhhhhh). Okay, it's bad. But there's something about it that I can't help but watch when it's on.

So, the definition of a "Guilty Pleasure" is a movie or TV show that is generally considered bad or "B" grade, that you like or are a fan of, but wouldn't necessarily tell anybody you are a fan of. Here is my list of Guilty Pleasure Movies and TV Shows:

Flash Gordon
Real Genius
Buck Rogers Season 1 (Except for Vegas in Space and Olympiad...echhh)
Creature (Klaus Kinski is very mockable in this flick)
Masters of the Universe (Frank Langella as Skeletor...come ON!!!)
Alien 3
Ice Pirates (Space Herpes...LOOK OUT!!)
The Bionic Woman - The Fembot Episodes (Smash the Fembot controls! ARRGH!!)
Battle Beyond the Stars (There's this Valkyrie chick that I *swear* is full frontal for half the movie. How can you NOT just stare at this train wreck of a movie?)

Also included in this list could be movies that are generally forgotten in the SciFi fandom universe, but are really good and deserve a wider fandom. For example, I *love* The Last Starfighter, Explorers, Enemy Mine, Outland, Time Bandits...etcetera.

Anybody else wanna take a stab at this? What are YOUR Guilty Pleasure Movie and TV Shows, or Forgotten SciFi Classics?

- T

THRAWN

Thursday, July 8, 2004 6:11 AM

I agree - Real Genius is awesome.

I also like Independence Day, believe it or not.

EST120

Thursday, July 8, 2004 12:41 PM

i assume since this is almost like a "therapy" post, no one will laugh at our choices.

wing commander

"i can't comprehend the ways that i miss you, they come to light in my mistakes."
-neko case

ARAWAEN

Thursday, July 8, 2004 1:38 PM

Brazil is my favorite movie, I am partial to most Terry Gilliam projects, but I wouldn't consider any of them B-movies. I also love Erik the Viking, not sure if it qualifies for B-status.

Outland definitely qualifies as a guilty pleasure.
Conan the Barbarian (original) was intended to be a B-movie but I think the director faked out the producers and made an awesome flick. The sequel was definitely b-grade but not good.

Arawaen

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

JCKNIFE

Thursday, July 8, 2004 1:59 PM

I wish they would release "The Greatest American Hero" on DVD. It probably would not live up to my memory of how great that series was.

EGGBERT315

Thursday, July 8, 2004 5:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JCKnife:
I wish they would release "The Greatest American Hero" on DVD. It probably would not live up to my memory of how great that series was.

Holy crap, "The Greatest American Hero" was the shiznit! The day I found the MP3 of the theme song was a happy day for me. Hooray. I would definitely buy the DVDs. And down the line my kids would laugh at me for being such a nerd...

Doctor Who is a slightly less guilty pleasure, because I think as low budget as it was, a lot of people like it enough to reduce my "guilt" at being pleasured by this series. Did that sound sexual to any of you? Tom Baker rules!

Hmm, what else? I'm sure I'll think of something.

KARENKAY99

Thursday, July 8, 2004 10:10 PM

night of the comet (girls just got have fun)
and
tremors (yep all of it, got all the dvd's. even liked the series and the very bad tv movie.)

quit laughing at me!! i'm so embarrased.

"They say the snow on the roof is too heavy. They say the ceiling will cave in. His brains are in terrible danger."

ANNIK

Thursday, July 8, 2004 10:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSunWorshipper:
Greetings, Fellow Browncoats:

So, the definition of a "Guilty Pleasure" is a movie or TV show that is generally considered bad or "B" grade, that you like or are a fan of, but wouldn't necessarily tell anybody you are a fan of. Here is my list of Guilty Pleasure Movies and TV Shows:

Modified from suggestions here:

- Flash Gordon - great music!
- Battle Beyond the Stars - for the same reason ... her costumes are so damn funny I still snicker at the memory ... especially the "hands" bra getup. LOL!
- (name unknown) - took place on Mars and included a robot (played by a midget who'd been in Doctor Who a couple of times as an evil Chinese puppet) ... lots of scenes filmed around gigantic mining machinery from Australia that looked pretty cool.

Good ones that are not well remembered/known include
- The Last Starfighter
- Enemy Mine (the original short story is way beyond excellent -- the movie is a so-so adaptation)
- Greatest American Hero
- MacGyver (not really SF but all that kitchen chemistry was just too fun for words)
- Kung Fu the Legend Continues - great music and oddball storylines

Cheers,
Annik
... my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

SPIKEANDJEZEBEL

Friday, July 9, 2004 12:26 AM

I am a huge fan of Godzilla, many of whose films are definitely guilty pleasures. I would say this does not include the original 1954 "Godzilla", which is actually one of the best anti-war movies I have ever seen (check out the non-Americanized re-release if it is playing in your area - it is awe-inspiring!), or the Roland Emmerich "Godzilla" which is just plain bad and offers no pleasure, guilty or otherwise.

"I like smackin' 'em!" - Jayne Cobb

DARKJESTER

Friday, July 9, 2004 12:39 AM

OK, here we go...

Ice Pirates - "It's so stiff! The belt, I mean"

Tremors - all of them (partially because my son loves them)

Erik the Viking - Falling for the woman he saves from a fate worse than death... CLASSIC!!

Conan the Barbarian -

Quote:
Conan the Barbarian (original) was intended to be a B-movie but I think the director faked out the producers and made an awesome flick. The sequel was definitely b-grade but not good.

I agree - they knew they weren't going to make an epic, but wanted to make the best movie they could with limited actors and a decent script. The second one lacked the decent script, and the actors (especially Arnold) were too sure of themselves, and didn't try hard enough.

Planet of the Apes - I don't mean just the good movies. I'll watch the gorram 'made for TV' movies too!

Star Trek: The Animated Series - memories of childhood......

.... Last and probably least ....

Birds of Prey - pretty girls kicking butt - that's all the reason I can think of!

MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."

INSIGHT SPINNER

Friday, July 9, 2004 3:08 AM

Okay, I'll play along.

First -- how about satire fanfic? I think my guiltiest guilty pleasure has to be the Very Secret Diaries by Cassie Claire. These are verbal puns based on LOTR movie cannon. If you haven't read them, go here
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cassieclaire/
for the originals (but go back to around December 20 or so of 2001 for the very first onces. To read them more easily, but miss the 2 or 3 she did for the Two Towers, go here:
http://www.subreality.com/chimericon/secretdiaries.htm

These still make we howl. but warning, they are a bit slashy -- imagine, for example Balrog is mad at Gandalf because of a past lover's spat. you get the picture.

Okay. Now to play right.

-I already mentioned Buckaroo Banzai in the worst movie thread -- love that.
-Galaxy Quest
-White Dwarf (made for TV as pilot, but not picked up -- darnit)
-Red Dwarf -- not bad at all...yet still a smeggin' guilty pleasure.
-Contact -- some people don't like it. I love it.
The Red Shoes -- isn't it sort of like a fantasy the way they film the ballet of the same name?
-Princess Bride
-Mothra or Gamra...why stop at Godzilla. The dubbing alone is hysterical. And how about those miniature Mothra twins??

And what about SF cartoons?
-Speed Racer
-Amazing Three -- what's up with that duck guy?
-Tobor the 8th Man
-Gigantor

My brother and I would watch these and laugh and laugh!

What about those Mexican horror movies? THe ones where there is always a thing from agrave and teh guy in the Sombrero and Serape who is tending the grave always gets taken down when the moster awakens... those used to crack me up.

Oh...what is that movie from the USC film school where the computer blows up the ship. That's another one. somebody help me out here.

insight spinner
__________

Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think....

CYBERSNARK

Friday, July 9, 2004 3:34 PM

My opinions on Enterprise are widely known, so it's not exactly a guilty pleasure in the "embarrased to admit it" category.

I used to be embarrased about being a Sailor Moon and Powerpuff Girls fan, but heck, those shows were good (still are, considering many alternatives).

There's the new (and now-gone) He-Man revival. I liked the show, too bad the toys (and their bad marketing/unclear concept) killed it.

Godzilla. Yes, the Roland & Emmerich version. I just think Raptorzilla looks cool. Also, it led to the Godzilla animated series, which rocked.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

Sunday, July 11, 2004 4:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by JCKnife:
I wish they would release "The Greatest American Hero" on DVD. It probably would not live up to my memory of how great that series was.

Yes! YESSSS!!! William Katt's only good role outside of "Carrie," and the only one I give a flying fig about. I loved that show when I was a kid, but I watch it now, and it's kinda silly. Still, it's fun to reminisce.

Thanks for the reminder!

- T

THATWEIRDGIRL

Sunday, July 11, 2004 5:21 AM

okay, some of those things mentioned are not sucky or guilty pleasures. I mean Galaxy Quest and Dr Who? Those are good.

anywho...

Sailor Moon - before work in the morning
Ice Pirates - glad I'm not the only one
Greatest American Hero - what's the scenerio?
Robotech!!!!!!!
and the biggest guilty pleasure is...
...
...
...Black Hole

www.thatweirdgirl.com

GROUNDED

Sunday, July 11, 2004 1:02 PM

"-Galaxy Quest"

Guilty pleasure? Hysterical and fits right into the 'regular pleasure' category :)

CLEANER

Sunday, July 11, 2004 1:47 PM

My guilty pleasure is Event Horizon. Your not meant to love such a scary dark movie but I love movies that have you on the edge of your seat.

"If wishes were horses we'd all be eatin steak!!!"

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

Sunday, July 11, 2004 5:27 PM

"Event Horizon" was a movie that I actively hated. Okay, there was one line in the movie that was intentionally funny that made me laugh out loud. If you've seen the movie, you know exactly what I mean. The crew are reviewing a recording of the log tapes from the crew of the Event Horizon which ends with the entire crew screaming and the captain pulling his eyeballs out of his face, and cackling in latin. Laurence Fishburne's sits for a second after it clicks off, then says "We're leaving." Still cracks me up.

I know, it's only really funny in context. I liked the ship designs, too, but I don't like the movie itself. Felt forced.

"The Black Hole." You know, there are old robots, and bold robots, but there are no old, bold robots...and most of the robots in this movie were crap. I loved Roddy McDowall, but I hated the cutesie robot design of V.I.N.CENT and Old B.O.B. I loved Maximillian, the Edward Scissorhands of murderous robot killers, but the Sentry Robots left me kind of cold. The end of the movie was a little odd too, the whole "Dante's Inferno" thing was a bit too weird for a kiddie movie, but the designs for the sets and ships were outstanding. Who can help it if the kiddie-friendly robots were just a bit sickening. It was DISNEY that made it, after all.

Oh, and if you've ever seen the behind-the-scenes featurette, you know that I mean this with my whole heart - don't EVER see the behind-the-scenes featurette. To this day, I can't see the movie without thinking of the whole "It's a Paper Moon, Under a Cardboard Sea" musical number...about special effects. I still get queasy. I swear.

Here's another one for the "Forgotten Classics" list: The Hidden. It's a great horror sci-fi classic. Oh, and Claudia Christian is in it. As a hooker. Hookers in the movies - your mark of quality writing. At least she gets to be a hooker with a machine gun. True story.

...and never forget John Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy" films - 'The Thing', 'Prince of Darkness' and 'They Live.' I loved those flicks. Very dark and cool...especially 'The Thing.' I would definitely list all three as either Guilty Pleasures or Forgotten Classics.

Enjoy!

- T

SHINYHAPPYKLIN

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 3:12 AM

Wow....there are so many....

- most 60's and 70's scifi movies, such as The Andromeda Strain (my all time favorite), Colossus:The Forbin Project, The Questor Tapes, all the Planet of the Apes Movies
- Somewhere in Time (Christopher Reeves accidentally time travels from modern day to Mackinaw (sp?) Island hotel in late 1800's, falls in love)
- Logan's Run
- the over-the-top original Dune movie
- Lair of the White Worm
- Independence Day
- Princess Bride
- Ghostbusters, Stripes, Groundhog Day, most Bill Murray flicks
- and a totally non-scifi/fantasy flick, and my only other concession to chick-flickdom besides Somewere in Time.....The Thorn Birds (well, I guess it could qualify as fantasy since Richard Chamberlin gets it on with a woman...[ducking...])

"We gotta go to that crappy town where I'M a hero..."

THATWEIRDGIRL

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 3:25 AM

I was with ya there for a bit, but how can you call Princess Bride a guilty pleasure?

Who's with me here, it rocks! I'm not guilty about it.

www.thatweirdgirl.com

ANNIK

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 3:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shinyhappyklin:
Wow....there are so many....

(snipped
- Lair of the White Worm

OMG! They made a movie out of that? It's one of the worst books I've ever read ... plus the weirdest.

Cheers,
Annik
... my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

KELLAINA

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 8:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by thatweirdgirl:
I was with ya there for a bit, but how can you call Princess Bride a guilty pleasure?

Who's with me here, it rocks! I'm not guilty about it.

I'm with you there - I always thought of it as more of a cult thing than a guilty pleasure (although the line between them does appear to be quite fine). It's the only movie guaranteed to put a huge idiotic grin on my face when I'm finished watching it

.

I have to admit that I found the book disappointing, but that's probably because I love the movie so much.

As for other guilty pleasures...

Independence Day - one of my favourite movies

Andromeda - but only the first season and a half

The New Jedi Order series of Star Wars novels - pure fluffy sugary candy for the brain

Spaceballs - hee hee

That's all the scifi/fantasy ones I can come up with at the moment. I have others but they tend to fall more in the drama/comedy departments (I will only confess that at the moment I'm watching What a Girl Wants).

ANNIK

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 3:59 PM

I've got to agree with y'all on The Princess Bride ... great movie with the best-ever marriage scene ever!

"Maaaaaaaaaahwidge ..."

Cheers,
Annik
... my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood.

SIGNYM

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 4:17 PM

Oooh boy. Now THIS is guilty:

Stargate (the TV series).
Yes, yes, I know... it sucks. But the O'Neill character is such a crackup!

Tremors I and IV.
"The live ones stink worse than the dead ones!"

I'm sure I'll think of more! (Runs away while being pelted with pieces of food...)

MEIMEI618

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 4:46 PM

Someone mentioned watching Sailor Moon in the morning. This is also a Guilty Pleasure of mine but I haven't been able to find it on tv. What time and channel do you watch it on.
Also adding a few of my own guilty pleasures: basically most anima but mainly Gundam Wing and Inuyasha. And, while not a sci-fi, I love The Frisco Kid. I consider this a guilty pleasure because I have yet to meet someone else who even likes the movie.

THALIA

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 2:44 PM

I think I know why nobody had mentioned this movie but I love "Batteries Not Included". Ever since seeing it when I was much much younger I have enjoyed every chance I get to watch it again.

HJERMSTED

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 4:13 PM

I found the first 2/3 of Spielberg's A.I. to be brilliant. Just skip to the credits when the robot boy lands at the bottom of the ocean staring at the submerged statue for a pleasurable and untainted experience.

mattro

HIGHIRON02

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 4:30 PM

Some of my favorites are:

Fifth element, Mystery Men, Morons from Outer Space, Defending Your Life, Tenchi Muyo, Ice Pirates, and yes...Princess Bride.

We got you partially surrounded.

FLECHETTE

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 7:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JCKnife:
I wish they would release "The Greatest American Hero" on DVD. It probably would not live up to my memory of how great that series was.

Your wish is their command

AGH is due out late 2004/early 2005 on DVD

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1664

I definitely disagree that SG-1 sucks. It's one of the best- if not the best SF on air right now - granted thats not saying much.

guilty pleasure for me-

Mutant X - 1st season.

MERCEDESTROY

Thursday, July 22, 2004 1:31 PM

As I collect bad movies on purpose, this is not an easy one for me to answer.

But I think I apologize most for my appreciation of Outland. Which has surprisingly little to do with the mere presence of Mr. Connery.

Debs

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

CALHOUN

Thursday, July 22, 2004 2:07 PM

Quote:
est120 wrote:
Thursday, July 08, 2004 02:41
i assume since this is almost like a "therapy" post, no one will laugh at our choices.

wing commander

MUHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAAAAHHA

Oh wasnt that a horrid show..

GWALLY

Thursday, July 22, 2004 4:10 PM

Quark

EVILNATE

Thursday, July 22, 2004 4:23 PM

Try Zardoz. There is one strange move, made even stranger by Connery's participation in it!

GRIMLAKIN

Thursday, July 22, 2004 4:47 PM

Ok you want some bad movies that I like or take a guilty pleasure in... you got it. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Spawn
The Car
A boy and his dog
DUNE

Ohh the cheezy one where the hacker hacks the war computer with the name Joshua.

Hackers
Red Dawn
Water World
The Postman
An old movie with Sting living in a biodome... damn.. I cant remember the name of the movie.

Ummm that is all I have for now.

MRSMACK

Thursday, July 22, 2004 6:32 PM

I believe it is called war games, and starred Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, I'm sure about matthew, not so sure about Ally. The best line is the one where the general says,

"I'd piss on a sparkplug if that would help."

I love the Last Starfighter. I like Ice Pirates, and the movie that makes me laugh the most is Barbarians, starring of course the barbarian twins. The scene where they switch weapons back and forth makes me laugh.

Space Balls is a classic, the whole my schwartz is bigger than yours schtick.

For years they showed all of the Star Wars movies on cable every Christmas Day. I don't know about you guys and gals, but that was our guilty pleasure. My entire family, Mother, Father and Sister would join together to watch it on USA. Gosh it brings back good memorys.

NUR

Thursday, July 22, 2004 8:48 PM

I'd have to go with Space Cases, a Canadian childrens show (starring our very own Jewel) being my one true guilty pleasure...and probably Vampire High too. I don't know what it is with me and cheesy childrens shows.

To anyone out there who put Stargate or The Princess Bride on their list...come on!! Stand up and loudly shout out how much you love them, there is no shame in that.

www.thecherryorchard.net

Those who restrain desire, do so because thiers is weak enough to be restrained.
-William Blake

O my Lord! bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous.
-Qur'an 26:83

OPUS

Thursday, July 22, 2004 9:23 PM

Quote:
Yes! YESSSS!!! William Katt's only good role outside of "Carrie," and the only one I give a flying fig about.

He was great in the first HOUSE film.

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

Friday, July 23, 2004 3:05 AM

"He was in the first House film."

The prosecution...rests.

- T

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, July 23, 2004 3:24 AM

Quote:
And, while not a sci-fi, I love The Frisco Kid. I consider this a guilty pleasure because I have yet to meet someone else who even likes the movie.

Ok, I feel better now - and I don't consider it a guilty pleasure, just a pleasure. I LOVE the Frisco Kid!

But I have other bad habits

Debs

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

PEACE

Friday, July 23, 2004 4:12 AM

Some of you guys seem to have odd ideas of what constitutes a bad film that you would naturally feel guilty about watching (e.g. "Princess Bride"?), but never mind...someone's already mentioned Zardoz, but I have to put it down for me as a guilty pleasure. It's just so odd. I saw it first in a dubbed German version (and my German stinks), with people saying "Der Waffen ist gut!", then years later in English-- and it was barely more comprehensible in English. It does have Charlotte Rampling, however, at the height of her glory, and I'd pay money to watch that woman doing laundry . Oddly, it's one of the favorite films of my screenwriting partner, a graduate of the USC film school, no less (go figure).

I'd almost say "Barbarella" (sp?) was a guilty pleasure, but it's just on the far side of too-awful-for-words for my taste.

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

PEACE

Friday, July 23, 2004 4:31 AM

Oh, oh, oh-- how could I forget? The guilty pleasure that preceded Zardoz and is the source of my alias on this board-- Ralph Bakshi's "Wizards" (1977 or 1978, I think). A highly commercial animated feature that was Bakshi's practice run for his disastrous and abortive attempt at the Lord of the Rings. There's almost nothing redeeming about this piece of crap, but I've seen it maybe a half dozen times and even once owned the one-sheet. The only thing going for it is the character of Necron99, aka "Peace"-- see it and you'll understand. Plus the final punch-line from the good wizard to his brother is priceless.

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

RADHIL

Friday, July 23, 2004 4:55 AM

Those who keep mentioning the Princess Bride - let me chime with the rest - it's NOT guilty in any way. It's classic. Classics are not guilty, nor are they needy.

I say ditto Spaceballs, but there the line might be thin.

Also to the one guy who mentioned Contact - you are not alone. I don't know why more people don't rave about it. Jodie is a geek goddess in that film, and for crying out loud, the plot is like it was *real*. Outstanding movie.

For my own guilty pleasures... White Dwarf I remember, it was cheesy and made utterly no sense but I wanted the series anyway. I'm also ashamed to say I watched Lexx on a regular basis, somehow convincing myself that being as bad as it was made it good. Maybe I just like pain.

Radhil Trebors
Persona Under Construction

OPUS

Friday, July 23, 2004 5:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSunWorshipper:
"He was in the first House film."

The prosecution...rests.

- T

LOL that was a great film, loved it.

EST120

Friday, July 23, 2004 7:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Calhoun:
Quote:
est120 wrote:
Thursday, July 08, 2004 02:41
i assume since this is almost like a "therapy" post, no one will laugh at our choices.

wing commander

MUHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAAAAHHA

Oh wasnt that a horrid show..

it was a movie. not a show!

"i can't comprehend the ways that i miss you, they come to light in my mistakes."
-neko case

CALHOUN

Saturday, July 24, 2004 2:37 AM

Quote:
est120 wrote:
Friday, July 23, 2004 09:19
Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Calhoun:

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
est120 wrote:
Thursday, July 08, 2004 02:41
i assume since this is almost like a "therapy" post, no one will laugh at our choices.

wing commander
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MUHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAAAAHHA

Oh wasnt that a horrid show..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

it was a movie. not a show!

Yes.. Horrid though.

SHARPSHOOTER

Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:24 PM

Okay. I've dug through this whole thing. And now i'm shocked not one gave props to Thundar the Barbarian. I mean, sure, it was a TV show and not a movie, but does it not incarnate the ultimate guilty pleasure? Hanna-Barbara rocks.

And if we're going to talk Bakshi, we should recall (with mixed feelings) the Rankin Bass Return of the King and The Hobbit.

C'mon. Let's face it. We were all really young... and therefore really stupid... at one point in time.

"Where there's a Whip...There's a way."

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Radhil:
Those who keep mentioning the Princess Bride - let me chime with the rest - it's NOT guilty in any way. It's classic. Classics are not guilty, nor are they needy.

Well said - Princess Bride is a fantastic film. The only reason it strays into here for anyone short a chromosome is that we have to conform to the stereotype that is played by Fred Savage in that film - romantic story equals crap.

"My name is Indigo Monoya, prepare to die". Both Goldman and Reiner go silent in their commentaries during that scene, aware they created a classic moment

Damn, would go and rewatch it but I just lent my copy out to someone who had never heard of it.

"I threw up on your bed"

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sharpshooter:
And if we're going to talk Bakshi, we should recall (with mixed feelings) the Rankin Bass Return of the King and The Hobbit.

I rather liked the Bakshi LOTR - never seen the apaprently awful "follow ups" by Rankin Bass. I remember vividly dreaming the conflct between Frodo and Gollum on Mount Doom in such clarity that I was convinced Bakshi's cartoon must have finished the story off.

John Hurt as Aragorn = stunning

Samwise was much more like the book than Astin (who did a hell of a job I have to say)

And of course, a cameo by John Wayne in the Prancing Pony (rewatch it and see!)

"I threw up on your bed"

PEACE

Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sharpshooter:
Okay. I've dug through this whole thing. And now i'm shocked not one gave props to Thundar the Barbarian. I mean, sure, it was a TV show and not a movie, but does it not incarnate the ultimate guilty pleasure? Hanna-Barbara rocks.

And if we're going to talk Bakshi, we should recall (with mixed feelings) the Rankin Bass Return of the King and The Hobbit.

C'mon. Let's face it. We were all really young... and therefore really stupid... at one point in time.

"Where there's a Whip...There's a way."

Ah, Rankin Bass-- fortunately I was in the Army in Germany at the time, and completely missed it. Which I take as proof-positive that there is a God.

Re: Thundar-- it had its moments-- it was dumbed down as kid-vid, but there are subtle bits of flair and intelligence scattered through it-- not to mention occasional shots of Jack Kirby art. Far from the worst Saturday morning fare.

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

KARENKAY99

Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:51 PM

i noticed a couple other tremors fans on here. in case you hadn't heard, sci fi is doing tremors 4: the legend begins at 9 eastern tonight. i for one plan on watching. i just won't be telling anyone what i did on saturday night. :)

"They say the snow on the roof is too heavy. They say the ceiling will cave in. His brains are in terrible danger."

YT

Thursday, July 29, 2004 12:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by annik:
Princess Bride ... great movie with the best-ever marriage scene ever!

Hmmm, howabout . . .

one of the greatest swordfights (in my top 2).

Keep the Shiny Side Up

FRED1988

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 8:26 AM

Evil Dead 3

I don't like horror movies as a rule, but this was one of the funniest, weirdest movies I've seen. Plus, it stars Bruce Campbell. I haven't watched ED 1 or 2 so can't speak to their, uhhh, quality.

Princess Bride is NOT a guilty pleasure. It's just a pleasure.

All my life I wanted to be somebody. I guess I should have been more specific.

AROUNDBROWNCOAT

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 11:01 AM

This is my first post and I thought this would be a nice little topic to warm-up on.

Man, all of you guys have said some of my favorite movies/series already!

the guilty pleasures:
Real Genius (!)
Robotech
Gundam Wing
Tremors (and a bit of the TV series too)
Time Bandits (!)
The Labryinth
Godzilla (any and all)
The Princess Bride
Evil Dead II
Army of Darkness

miscellaneous:
Are You Afraid of the Dark
You Can't Say that on Television
Pete and Pete
(You see where I'm goin' with this? the heyday of nickelodeon)

the be all and all of guilty pleasures: any and all MST'd film
I'm sorry to say that I have seen "This Island Earth" and various "Prince of Space" movies sans our three favorite critics (and liked them somewhat...).

Real Genius you should be proud to love if you love it (the soundtrack is so 80's it's a guilty pleasure in itself). Most of the movies under "guilty pleasures" are my all time favorites. I don't feel a bit guilty about watching any of them or declaring my fondness for them!

I wish I could think of more, this brings back a heck of a lot of memories. Oh well.

Well, there is my first post and I hope to have more. This is a great site! I got turned on to the firefly series a couple weeks ago and have been a fan since and was happy to stumble on this great resource for all things concerning this great (but shortlived series).

CYBERSNARK

Thursday, August 5, 2004 2:37 PM

Welcome newbie!

Quote:
Originally posted by aRoundBrowncoat:
Gundam Wing

What's so guilty about that?

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

KETHRYVERIS

Thursday, August 5, 2004 2:57 PM

Ha! You all missed one. Earth Girls are Easy. I stop and watch it everytime I run across it on TV just to see the scene of Jeff Goldblum with his shirt off. Plus Michael McKean, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans. What a silly movie. My favorite song is where Julie Brown is singing about being blond.
As to The Greatest American Hero, one of my favorites. You gotta love a superhero named Ralph who lost the instruction manual for the suit.

Kethryveris

AGENTMONKEY

Wednesday, September 1, 2004 9:08 AM

hola all.. :-)
crazy how the web can turn a 2-minute search (last starfighter and other 80's flicks for sampling for a song i'm working on...mwuahah) into a half-hour thang...google brought me hereabouts, and now i see this wonderful topic. :-)

did anyone mention howard the duck? props to the guy way up there who pointed out how 'enemy mine' was pretty much a 'commercial failure,' but the material it comes from is amazing and, like, the message was so peaceful, man! ;-) 'aliens and humans can overcome their diff's...why can't we?' hehe...

hey, did the chica who asked about the movie that ends up with the ship blowing itself up get an answer? if so, are you thinking about the flick where when the ship explodes one of the astronauts is 'sailing' a piece of the ship into the sun, or something like that? i would kill to know the name of that movie...saw it in early 80's as a little boy and i remember it was the movie (well, asides from star wars) that started me on the dark road to sci-fi, fantasy addiction. if anyone remembers the name of it, i will bless your unborn children from afar. :-) i'm david at eatpeople dot com...

'last starfighter' perfectly embodied everything that got me hooked on video games...and laugh if you will at my nostalgia, but i get lil' prickly-hair-standing-up things when i hear the theme song.

last one for me, at least...fantasy...who could EVER forget 'hawk the slayer,' if you saw it? as someone pointed out months ago somewhere else, legolas (lord of the rings) style of rapid-fire arrow-shooting is pretty damn similar to the archer in 'hawk.' plus, that eerie freaky music that i remember still, and it's been like 20 years since i've seen it...good stuff. :-)

as an agnostic insomniac with dyslexia, i lay awake all night wondering if i let the god out. :)
====================================
david at eatpeople dot com

DEANNAMAY

Friday, September 3, 2004 11:23 AM

Well, crap, I typed this nice long note, then stretched my legs and hit the power. Let's see what I remember

I loved Princess Bride, mainly because of Montoya and the ending of his part of the story. I think that is what turned fluff into something that you wanted to see more than once.

I loved Greatest American Hero, even with its cheesy special effects, they had a great cast, and good stories. Didn't they do a remake with some female getting the costume? Not the same, William Katt was the GAH, no one else.

Other shows I enjoyed, the Godzilla movies remind me of childhood Saturdays watching the sci-fi movies. I also liked to watch Star Blazers, does anyone else remember that? My first experience with anime, looking back. I remember getting up for school a little early to catch the show before I had to catch the bus. Red Dwarf, with Rimmer, was always funny. I liked the Tremors movies, esp. the first two, I watch them whenever they are on. Sliders, as long as Q-ball was on (to take a line from Rembrandt Brown) was good. I know there are tons of other shows you don't really want to admit you watch, but I am not recalling them. Oh yeah, I liked the Godzilla movie remake, but mainly because of Matthew Broderick, I could have done without all the minizillas running about.

FRANCO

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 4:48 AM

In my case shameless is a better adjective than guilty. I am insatiable in the scifi genre.

A couple that I didn't see mentioned are Screamers and Saturn 3. Both great robot flicks.

Classics, maybe not but I liked them.

ANKHAGOGO

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 5:11 AM

Holy crap, y'all are killin' me with some of these! Meeeeeeemories.......
Anyhow..

There's no reason anyone should feel guilty about liking Powerpuff Girls (which I am watching right now, actually)! And Cassie Claire's Very Secret Diaries are just hysterical. Like --er---someone said, they're kinda slashy, but it's mostly implication, for comedy purposes. God, I LOVE em.

There's also a fanfic series called "Bagenders", which is a combo of The Young Ones and a soap opera, with the living members of the Fellowship sharing a house in London in modern times. As we all know, I am link-insertion retarted, but I suspect a websearch with just "Bagenders" will pull it up for ya. Warning -- There is a LOT to this one.

I can't believe no-one's said Thunderbirds, and I DO mean the original, unbelievably cheesy marionette show, not the lame live action movie. Those puppets are just SO great!

I also have a special weakness for the animated Hobbit movie, although I've never seen it. We had a picture disc (!) with bits of the soundtrack narrative on it, and to this day, whenever I hear John Huston, my first thought is "Gandalf!"

What else?
Nate & Hayes -- an early 80s pirate movie with Tommy Lee Jones. Yes, pirates.
And speaking of pirates -- The Pirate Movie. Oh, god,I can't believe I said that out loud. The shame...
I do like the Emmerich Godzilla movie, but mainly because it cracks me up that the kick-ass guy in it is FRENCH. I'll watch almost anything with Jean Reno in it.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen should probably fall in this category, too, shouldn't it?
I also still kinda like Explorers -- you know, a very young Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix meeting aliens and I forget what else happens. Other than an alien sings a Robert Palmer song.

Eomer: "Hi! Stop me if you've heard this one ...an elf, a dwarf, and a man walk into the Riddermark..."

SOUPCATCHER

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 6:50 AM

Okay. I don't remember if this one has been mentioned before (a quick search didn't turn it up) but I used to love Voyagers. They traveled through time to help things along - great fun! I didn't find out until later how much of a "been there-done that" this concept actually was. But at the time...

And now that I've thought of that show the floodgates of memory open. I had my hair permed back then (damn the eighties, damn them to hades) and looked like Jeffrey. Fortunately only one picture from that time period survived. Must. Destroy. That.

And didn't the other actor kill himself by accident pointing a blank gun at his head? Something about a piece hitting him in the temple? Can't remember his name, I keep thinking of the comic book character with the nasty flesh-over-lip, Jonah Hex. [Google search] Ah. Jon-Erik Hexum. Close.

So that's one of my guilty pleasures. That and Robotech. (Stage fright. Go away. This is my big day...) Funny the little things that stick with me.

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

ANKHAGOGO

Tuesday, September 7, 2004 5:11 PM

Oh my god, I can't believe I forgot Voyagers! I even have the pilot episode on VHS, if you believe that. And even scarier? If I were to look through my "pile o crap from 80s Tiger Beat magazines that will one day be a scrapbook", I promise you that I have pics of Jon-Erik Hexum and probably a news article about his death. As I recall, it was similar to what happened with Brandon Lee on the set of the Crow, rather than acutal suicide.
Man, my sister and I watched that show like crazy people -- I really think that show is responsible for my mild obssession with alternate realities and time paradoxes.

Yes, I am laughing at your Jeffrey hair. And isn't he's Punky Brewster's brother?

Eomer: "Hi! Stop me if you've heard this one ...an elf, a dwarf, and a man walk into the Riddermark..."

KELLAINA

Wednesday, September 8, 2004 5:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by agentmonkey:

did anyone mention howard the duck?

Now that is a great guilty pleasure movie!!

I also have to add Space Camp. I loved that movie when I was a kid (and still watch it whenever I see it on tv).

If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. -"Angel"

GAVIDA

Friday, September 10, 2004 3:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by insight spinner:

Oh...what is that movie from the USC film school where the computer blows up the ship. That's another one. somebody help me out here.

Quote:
Originally posted by AGENTMONKEY:

hey, did the chica who asked about the movie that ends up with the ship blowing itself up get an answer? if so, are you thinking about the flick where when the ship explodes one of the astronauts is 'sailing' a piece of the ship into the sun, or something like that? i would kill to know the name of that movie...saw it in early 80's as a little boy and i remember it was the movie (well, asides from star wars) that started me on the dark road to sci-fi, fantasy addiction. if anyone remembers the name of it, i will bless your unborn children from afar. :-) i'm david at eatpeople dot com...

I think you two are talking about John Carpenter's "Dark Star", where the bomb the ship crew wanted to use to blow up an instable planet starts to become philosophical and has to be talked into not exploding because of the defective release mechanism, but in the end states "It was dark. I was alone. There be light." (or close to that

)

If that is not the one you are talking about, forget what I sad

Keep flying,
Gavida

INSIGHT SPINNER

Friday, September 10, 2004 5:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gavida:
Quote:
Originally posted by insight spinner:

Oh...what is that movie from the USC film school where the computer blows up the ship. That's another one. somebody help me out here.

Quote:
Originally posted by AGENTMONKEY:

hey, did the chica who asked about the movie that ends up with the ship blowing itself up get an answer? if so, are you thinking about the flick where when the ship explodes one of the astronauts is 'sailing' a piece of the ship into the sun, or something like that? i would kill to know the name of that movie...saw it in early 80's as a little boy and i remember it was the movie (well, asides from star wars) that started me on the dark road to sci-fi, fantasy addiction. if anyone remembers the name of it, i will bless your unborn children from afar. :-) i'm david at eatpeople dot com...

I think you two are talking about John Carpenter's "Dark Star", where the bomb the ship crew wanted to use to blow up an instable planet starts to become philosophical and has to be talked into not exploding because of the defective release mechanism, but in the end states "It was dark. I was alone. There be light." (or close to that )

If that is not the one you are talking about, forget what I sad

Keep flying,
Gavida

YUP. thanks. boy, when did i even write that post? LOL!

insight spinner
__________

Just an object. It doesn't mean what you think....

JENDANDY

Thursday, September 16, 2004 10:52 AM

Someone mentioned Labyrinth, one of my all time favorite movies! My hubby used to always make fun of me for it, he's never seen it but knows it's from the 80s and has singing puppets and David Bowie in it. Sounds pretty exciting to me! LOL
The same person, sorry I don't remember your name, mentioned Pete and Pete which brought back some fond memories. That and Salute Your Shorts used to be my favorite shows as a kid. Hey, remember when Nickelodeon was good?

-Sig Rebel-