NNicoll.ES@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (03/15/84)
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the science fiction movies I have herewith gathered under the name of "Desolation Opera" : "MAD MAX" This was, I think the beginning of the genre (ripoff?) and sets the formula for the rest. The formula is (1.) Start with an opening of bombs and war and fade to scenes of desolation, (2.) Costume the characters in Heavy Metal, (3.) Have Mr. T design and build the vehicles out of whatever is handy, and, (4.) Paint the characters with as wide a brush as possible (heros are REAL heros, heroines have LARGE busts, villians are truly VILLANOUS, etc.... (5.) The story line goes good guys loose, then win a little, then loose again and finally win big, (6.) The hero rides off into the sunset at the conclusion of the movie. Mad Max is a brilliant film for the size of its budget and enjoyable as a "student" type work. "ROAD WARRIOR" Is a remake of Mad Max with a larger budget. "WARLORDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY" This little gem has a truck that must have taken Mr. T at least 15 minutes to weld together, some really funny lines (after the villian captures a village he casually tells his second in command to "Inventory and Requistion", the second turns to the third and snidely says "Inventory and Requistion, Willie", Willie runs off yelling "LOOT, LOOT"), and all elements of the formula in exact sequence. "1999, THE BRONX WARRIORS" They didn't really need to set this one in the future. They used the modern day Bronx for the sets and the characters could be the ones running the place today. The story line is pure opera. "STRYKER" This is a basic Italian ripoff, poorly acted, dubbed and filmed. Not quite as bad as a "Golan-Globus" production, but not really worth the effort to sit thru. "ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK" This high budget number has good cinematography but otherwise......enjoy the formula one more time. Nick Nicoll
hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison) (03/20/84)
<dirt is a wonderful special effect> So, who has bothered to see "Ice Pirates" yet? Is it in fact what it seems - a comic takeoff on this new genre of desolation (space) opera? Hutch