Here's part two of my list of favorite movies, and the ones that have had some influence on my fiction.
6. Alien. I consider this my
second favorite horror movie. It’s far more horror than SF to me, although it
combines those elements. It has definitely influenced some of my more graphic
horror. I know Sigourney Weaver from this film, and I would recognize the name
of the Captain if I heard it, although I can’t think of it now. Despite that,
there’s one element of this film that irritates me, and that is how fast the
alien grows after it “hatches.”
7. Aliens.
The sequel to Alien is a very
different movie. It has horror elements but it is primarily adventure SF, which
I do enjoy writing. There are some great dialogue lines in this one, and some
great characters. I know Weaver, of course, and would certainly recognize the
names of several of the other actors if I heard them. This was an influence on Under the Ember Star.
8. Predator. This movie nicely combines
horror and adventure. The SF elements are really quite minimal. I know Arnold,
of course, and Apollo Creed. I know that’s not the real name of the actor but
the character he played on Rocky.
There are elements of this movie that influenced Cold in the Light.
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1978. Also
a horror movie as opposed to a true SF film. Very enjoyable. I like the first
version quite a bit too, but this is the
first version I “saw” and I’ll always have a soft spot for it. This film was
remade a couple of times later and was horribly mangled. Only the first two
versions are worth seeing. I would say this has influenced some of my horror.
10. Brotherhood of the Wolf. This is a
French film starring a number of actors whose names I wouldn’t even recognize.
It’s based on real historical events, a “beast” that terrorized the French
countryside and was widely believed at the time to be a werewolf. The movie
puts quite a bit different spin on the “beast.” It’s got great action and
wonderful visuals. I enjoyed this enough to go and buy a copy. I did so,
partly, because I figured it wouldn’t show very often on TV. I was right.
Honorable Mentions:
11. The Exorcist. One
of the few movies that actually creeps me out.
12.
Excalibur. A dramatic retelling of
elements from the Arthur legend.
13. Raiders of the
Lost Ark. Great pulp adventure.
14. The Good, the
Bad, and the Ugly. Western mythmaking with Clint Eastwood.
15. Young
Frankenstein. I seldom watch movie comedies but this is one of my favorites.
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