tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post4680204850087558344..comments2024-03-28T00:43:37.279-05:00Comments on Future War Stories: FWS Forgotten Classics: OUTLAND (1981)Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17218428427067689631noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-7243078631866059622023-11-06T04:35:40.569-06:002023-11-06T04:35:40.569-06:00this is a klink to a facebook group for outland ht...this is a klink to a facebook group for outland https://www.facebook.com/groups/1351285008810653/joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09583473021332998745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-86922827492237300582023-05-05T23:32:28.411-05:002023-05-05T23:32:28.411-05:00This is the logical extension into the future of c... This is the logical extension into the future of corporate greed in our time, in partnership with corrupt government, as exemplified in our era by the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. And a steady stream of almost daily similar derailments, before and since. That as long as corporate profits on the net excede goals, the people destroyed by these continuing derailments are completely unimportant, and beneath consideration. <br />This dehumanizing aspect of technology, and of corporate leadership being perfectly willing to sacrifice the lives of employees, and anyone else, if it gives them greater profits and new technology. A theme similarly explored in the "Alien" movie series, "Bladerunner", and several other Philip K.. Dick adaptations. And in the "Resident Evil" movies. <br /><br />There are also a number of really funny and ironic lines in Outland that give playful and much-needed comedy relief, over the course of the edge-of-your-seat tension of the movie.<br />The pornographic holograms displayed in the bar are another interesting futuristic element, that despite how well they were done, I've never seen duplicated in another futuristic movie, in now over 40 years. <br /><br />The only other two movies I can think of offhand that present such striking and believable futures as the above movies are "Bladerunner" (the 1982 film, definitely not the over-rated and disappointing later sequel), and "Minority Report". <br /> Bladerunner in particular presents future technological developments some of which have actually happened, such as computer-aided digital enhancement of photos, that allow police to follow leads and make identification of suspects. <br /><br />One I would love to see adapted, BUT IN A WAY TRUE TO THE NOVEL, is Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", which if you read the book, and Wikipedia's description of it, is required reading at West Point, because many elements described in the book have been developed and utilized in modern warfare. Such as each soldier wearing a body camera, so even if they are killed, the rest of the unit, unit commanders, and wider battle-force can see in real time what is happening and react. (and yes, a movie was made, and had some interesting elements, but it wasn't the more interesting story in the original book. I liked how the soldiers wore body armor that made them many times stronger, and able to do super-human things, with the proportionate strength of ants or fleas, and could jump hundreds of yards across the battlefield. I'd love to see a movie version that does justice to these elements as portrayed by Heinlein's book.) <br />-- Dave B. RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-59889338585502344892023-05-05T23:32:10.067-05:002023-05-05T23:32:10.067-05:00One more I would add to that list is "Silent ...One more I would add to that list is "Silent Running" (1972) , a remarkably good and ahead-of-its-time movie, and produced with great sophistication, social conscience, plus gorgeous visuals on an epic scale. And equally impressive, done on a remarkably small budget, by first-time director Douglas Trumbull. <br /><br />The most outstanding element for me in "Outland" is its above-mentioned similarity to the western movie "High Noon", and basically is High Noon in space. With Sean Connery as the new sheriff of a frontier mining colony in space, where he alone is the law with no one he can trust to back him up. Peter Boyle is impressive, threatening and thuggish as his Connery's opponent, and almost unrecognizable from his other film and TV roles (as contrasted with, say, The Candidate, Young Frankenstein, Everybody Loves Raymond, and another underrated favorite of mine, Red Heat ).<br />I like the further aspect of Sean Connery's character, that there's no surface reason why he would fight so hard, for minimal pay, with so many against him, nothing in his past to indicate he would be so heroic. But he makes clear he wants to prove he is better than his career history indicates, and aspire to prove to himself that he is capable of being more. <br /><br />I also like the corrupt corporate-mafia element, of which Peter Boyle's character is a powerful but lowly middle-manager within. Where the colony's miners are pressured to use a dangerous drug to enhance their work productivity and corporate profits, with no corporate regard for the lives of the men it affects negatively. <br /><br />-- Dave B. RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-56793796186945063562023-05-05T23:29:25.801-05:002023-05-05T23:29:25.801-05:00"Outland" is an outstanding movie. I sa..."Outland" is an outstanding movie. I saw it in the theatre when it first came out, in a double-feature with "Excalibur" which is likewise excellent and a visual feast.<br /><br />I dislike the word "gritty" used by several commenters above. I see Outland as simply a realistic portrayal of the future, of a mining colony on one of Saturn's moons in space. Rather than gritty, I would use the word "utilitarian", with a mining colony, spaceships and other technology that is simply functional, and not overly decorative. Like the functional interior of a freighter or oil tanker. But by being understated, is still decorative in its own way. <br /><br />And yes, it's a movie ahead of its time, comparable to "Alien" in 1979, and John Carpenter's "The Thing" in 1982. <br />Like those other films, "Outland" received lukewarm reviews from critics on its release, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of any of them at that time. And regardless of the critics, I not only enjoyed each of these movies and re-watched them multiple times, first in the theatre, and then again after their release on DVD.<br /><br />-- Dave B. RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-48252998384084662612023-03-07T20:37:59.090-06:002023-03-07T20:37:59.090-06:00Outland is a gutsy, gritty space Western, and it r...Outland is a gutsy, gritty space Western, and it rightly wears those guts and grit as a badge of honor. Sean Connery is in top form as Marshal ONeil, supported by an amazing cast of actors including Peter Boyle, James B. Sikking, and Frances Sternhagen. All of them bring their A game to what is a big budget B movie. It is unabashedly High Noon in Space and filmmaker Peter Hyams makes the most of that premise. Other space Westerns could learn a thing or two from Outland.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02657932542572968305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-70217292014616550402016-12-07T23:18:37.763-06:002016-12-07T23:18:37.763-06:00Gonna put this on my Christmas listGonna put this on my Christmas listRelicchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01407243922196520949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-52670714681882032552016-11-25T10:53:04.257-06:002016-11-25T10:53:04.257-06:00Excellent review! I remember reading about this fi...Excellent review! I remember reading about this film when I bought a book about fantasy art techniques. There was an awesome image of the lander spacecraft. I went inmediately to rent the movie. It is truly a forgotten classic. And the comic book adaptation is nothing short of awesome. I am very fortunate to have gotten the spanish graphic novel edition in a trip to Argentina. It should be reprinted in english long ago.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-72196392649004348242016-11-24T07:20:45.194-06:002016-11-24T07:20:45.194-06:00You'll certainly enjoy it. It's a film WEL...You'll certainly enjoy it. It's a film WELL before its time and it's very well acted and filmed.<br />Very gritty and real; what I'd expect space to be like? not all shiny and clean like an apple commercial ;)<br />It's got old school long shots where you can look into the characters eyes. Very unlike today's movies where they're a series of 1/4second shots stitched together between `splosions.SunwolfNCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-69889954236847884372016-11-22T21:14:47.679-06:002016-11-22T21:14:47.679-06:00A great review. This and 2010 marks the high point...A great review. This and 2010 marks the high point of Hymas' work. His other stuff didn't work as well. Don't get me started on the adaptation of 'Relic'.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13320110826885133975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-3532394240368028492016-11-22T12:45:19.727-06:002016-11-22T12:45:19.727-06:00It is a very well made movie, it's one I alway...It is a very well made movie, it's one I always recommend to friends looking for something with a little grit and real world aesthetics.<br /><br />When I looked up the original trailer on YouTube, it seems they tried a little too hard to cash in on the popularity of Alien which might have gave allot of people the wrong impression about movie. Steel Ravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07033636526460614949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-1441149187212975682016-11-21T23:52:22.801-06:002016-11-21T23:52:22.801-06:00A solid review William! Been waiting for this forg...A solid review William! Been waiting for this forgotten classic piece.<br />To tell the truth I never heard about this gem before encounter FWS some 3 years ago so a big thank for FWS again.<br />Other Outland adaptions include a novel, photonovel & speed-metal song base on the movie called 'High Moon': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hy-Qy14qLE<br />I would agree with your remark about the possible Outland reboot or remake, although it hurt to think such movie be forgotten, in this age of shiny CGI and hollowed PC story telling a thing like Outland could have never saw the light of day.<br /><br />Yoel<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-83227965515137325102016-11-21T20:40:29.978-06:002016-11-21T20:40:29.978-06:00I'm not entirely sure if I've seen it befo...I'm not entirely sure if I've seen it before, but I'll hold off reading your review until I watch it again.....I'll be back :)Mr Papafakishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05449586265828153638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-50975163290491577512016-11-21T19:05:57.855-06:002016-11-21T19:05:57.855-06:00Hell, I have not thought of this thing in years, b...Hell, I have not thought of this thing in years, but now you bring it up this is most definitely one which deserves a re-watch. Thank you for the article citing its strengths here, I'm definitely going to be watching it this weekend to check up on these details.<br /><br />Also, given your brief praise, I might check out 2010 as well, thank you.Bellariushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02652722543111095280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726484495782035142.post-36594634886499159382016-11-21T17:21:31.825-06:002016-11-21T17:21:31.825-06:00This is great. First time I have ever heard of out...This is great. First time I have ever heard of outland. And it is now on my to watch list.commissarmoodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17453787431294606707noreply@blogger.com