I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Tag: Science fiction

What’s not to like right? It is my favourite genre of fiction by a long way indeed.

The Andromeda Strain

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I hadn’t seen this film in years and years, and yet I think it stands the test of time. For me one of the most significant things about it is it’s soundtrack which is quite unique and in some ways reminds me of the themes in ‘Planet of the Apes’.

Andromeda Strain is a great story although in some ways a very simple story, but executed in this film in a very slow and explanatory fashion which wouldn’t work in a film today, but I think is exactly what it needed to get the message out.

It makes sense although it is very technical at times and has almost no action at all.

It is still a great sci-fi film, of that there’s no doubt.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

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So I’ve finished watching all the films now. I really enjoyed seeing them all in sequence, that was really good, they make a lot of sense when you take them like that.

My favourite is still ‘Conquest’, and for the most part I’d forgotten ‘Battle’. When it started it came back to me again. It did seem a little half hearted though as an ending to the series of films which was a little bit of a shame.

But I still have the documentary DVD to watch and I might do that over the weekend.

Beneath, Escape, Conquest

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Obviously planet of the apes films! I’m just finishing off conquest, which is my favourite of them all, and it is great to watch them again all in sequence. It really brings the films to life and shows you just what a great concept they were.

Overall I’ve been really impressed with these films. I think they’ve stood the test of time and they still work well together. Of course you couldn’t make films like that now. They are slow, ponderous and thoughtful that I’m not sure they’d work cold for a modern audience. I think that was also shown by the terrible remake that came out.

I’m enjoying these immensely and looking forward to watching the lot and the documentary DVD at the end as well.

New V on SyFy

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Well, it wasn’t perhaps as bad as it could have been. There was a lizard. Not a great one, but a lizard nonetheless. I guess it was a bit better than series 1, but it hasn’t moved on much really, and as for the ending of the episode! Well, I won’t spoil it for you.

V is coming back, but will there be lizards?

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I watched the first series and now I’m watching the last 2 episodes again as Syfy has series 2 starting next week. But I have to ask myself why? The first series of V was awful. I know that as I’m watching the last 2 episodes.

Frankly I’m amazed that they got to make a second series. All I can say is that something has got to happen in the 2nd series and there better be lizards or else.

Inception and the oscars

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Why is it that science fiction films don’t do well with awards? Ok, this year, pretty much everything has gone to the King’s Speech. Fine, it is a landmark film. I get it. But even so, sci-fi films just don’t win so much.

Now I can understand it when it is films where the special effects are more important than the story, but what about films like Inception and District 9? Inception was a great film with great concepts and performances too. As for District 9 it was incredible.

Getting to the end of Dune

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I’m a big fan of audio books and have been for ages. I used to have a lot of walking to do on my journey to work every day and it was a good way of listening to more than just music.

I’ve listened to all sorts of things from fiction to history to music theory, and over the last few weeks I’ve finished listening to one of the biggest stories. Dune.

I’ve listened to:

  • Dune
  • Dune Messiah
  • Children of Dune
  • God Emperor of Dune
  • Heretics of Dune
  • Chapterhouse Dune

It feels kind of odd to have finished listening to the books now. A bit like there’s no where left to go.

I know that there are the prequel books and a few others in the franchise too now, and I’ll probably get around to listening to those at some point, but for now it feels like an ending, and it is.

Goodbye Pamela

Sad news, Pamela Salem passed away last month. She played the character ‘Toos’ in the classic Doctor Who story ‘The Robots of Death’ with Tom Baker. Which is one of my favourites of all time. She then recently reprised the role in the Big Finish story ‘Robots’ with Nicola Walker.

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