It's Time for Sci-Friday Once Again!
My Top 5 Sci-Fi films that turned Forty this year, Just like me!
That’s right kids, it’s that time of the week again when we congregate right here on Substack to express our love of Sci-Fi and Sci-Fi related entertainment.
Each week we have seen an increasing number of writers choose to participate in this event, and this week is no different.
Before we get started I will ask you to stop what you are doing and go check out some of the other Sci-Friday participants here they are,
This week for Sci-Friday I am going to lay out my Top 5 Sci-Fi films that were born in 1983 just like me, I am no longer a baby and neither are these films, let’s go check them out!
Brainstorm (1983)
This is another great example of a piece of amazing technology being commandeered by the military-industrial complex. Christopher Walken plays scientist, Dr. Michael Brace.
He and fellow scientist Dr. Lillian Reynolds (Natalie Woods’ Last Role) lead a team in developing a device called "The Hat," which can record and playback people's experiences directly from their brains.
As they test the technology, they discover its vast potential, but they also realize the dangers it poses when used without ethics or restraint. Brainstorm explores the consequences of manipulating the human mind and the moral implications of invading one's privacy.
In this current state of technological advancement, this film is worth checking out as it may have been ahead of its time.
Videodrome (1983)
Videodrome is another vintage classic by David Cronenberg in which James Woods stars as Max Renn, the president of a small UHF television station in Toronto.
Max is constantly on the lookout for edgy and provocative content to boost his station's ratings, let’s just say that anything goes.
One day, Max stumbles upon a mysterious and disturbing pirate broadcast called "Videodrome." The content of the show consists of extreme violence and sadomasochistic acts.
Intrigued by the program's shock value, Max becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind "Videodrome." As he delves deeper into his investigation, he begins to experience bizarre and hallucinatory visions, blurring the line between reality and fiction.
In our current era of social media and “likes” "Videodrome" is a thought-provoking examination of the relationship between media, technology, and the human psyche.
Return of the Jedi (1983)
This is my first time recommending any of the films from the Star Wars franchise because I usually try to recommend something a little more offbeat but today this one seems fitting.
By now all of you probably know what this film is about but if you don’t here is a short synopsis of Return of the Jedi.
The Rebel Alliance is gaining momentum in its fight against the Empire.
Luke Skywalker, now a Jedi Knight, is on a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo, who is frozen in carbonite and held captive by the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt.
Meanwhile, the Emperor, Darth Vader, and the Imperial forces are building a new Death Star, a massive space station capable of destroying entire planets. The Rebel Alliance learns of this new threat and plans to launch an attack to destroy the Death Star before it becomes operational.
Stay tuned to find out what happens next!
The Dead Zone (1983)
I wonder what my choice of films says about my psyche. I don’t know, but this is the second Cronenberg film on my list today. It’s also the second film on this list that stars Christopher Walken, I do love some Walken after all.
Christopher Walken is Johnny Smith, a high school teacher who, after a car accident, slips into a coma for five years. When he awakens, he discovers he has developed psychic abilities, particularly the power to see a person's past and future just by touching them.
However, this gift comes at a great personal cost, as it isolates him from society and causes him physical and emotional pain. He must now decide whether to use his abilities for the greater good, even if it means sacrificing his own well-being.
What would you do if you were “blessed” with this ability?
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie is an anthology that pays homage to the classic television series created by Rod Serling. This film is made up of four distinct stories, each directed by a different filmmaker and interconnected by the overarching theme of the bizarre and the unexplained.
The Twilight Zone: The Movie presents a captivating journey through supernatural and mind-bending scenarios, leaving us the audience with a sense of unease and wonder about the mysteries that lie beyond the boundaries of what we consider to be reality.
Get ready to be taken to another dimension known only as…The Twilight Zone…The Movie.
Nice. I loved the Twilight Zone movie, and I think they really did a good job with the production values for the time.
It's also weird to see Christopher Walken looking so young back then! I have his Pulp Fiction scene forever emblazoned with his age/face from that era.
Another great read! Happy birthday my friend.