So, the American Film Institute (AFI) once again made a list. That seems to be what they do.
On Tuesday, June 27, 2008, The AFI: 10 Top 10 was broadcast. Basically, they took ten genres (TEN?!? Really?) and declared the top 10 movies in each genre. And, as usual, they were wrong.
I don’t want to go into all of the various lists, but since this is The Steve Austin Book Club, I thought we’d take a look at what the AFI is calling the top 10 science fiction films of all time.
10 – Back to the Future – Okay, I liked this movie a lot… but putting it on a top 10 list for science fiction? Seems a little much. When I think “science fiction,” I gotta say – I don’t think, “Back to the Future.” Yes, I know, it does revolve around time travel… it just doesn’t leap to my mind. Still, for mass appeal and movie quality, I suppose I can go along with this, especially since it is this low on the list.
9 – Invasion of the Body Snatchers – This one should be in this list. Maybe even a little higher. My only complaint with this film is the sorta cop-out “happy” ending – which was tacked on. But, without a doubt, I think that this one does belong on the list.
8 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day – Yeah, I’ll go with this. At first, I was thinking that the original film should be here, but I can’t deny how much better overall this sequel is to the original. This one seems right, and probably about this spot.
7 – Alien – Now, some would argue whether this one or the sequel, Aliens, really belongs here. I won’t get into that, but I will say that this seems a little low. I would’ve thought this film would be in the top five, but I could be wrong. At least it is on the list, right?
6 – Blade Runner – At the risk of losing more geek-cred, I don’t like this movie. I know I’m in the minority here, but I can’t help it. Despite that, given the popularity of the film, I can see it in the top ten… I suppose… but certainly lower than the sixth position. Like I said, though, my personal taste is factoring in on this one.
5 – The Day the Earth Stood Still – I would’ve made it a little lower, but the 5 spot is perfectly acceptable.
4 – A Clockwork Orange – I don’t know that I can adequately express how much I hate this film. As such, and regardless of the way others feel about it, I can’t believe this is on any top 10 list, especially when I factor in the ridiculous number of other science fiction films that could have been on this list. I… I have nothing more to say on this.
3 – E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial – And as much animosity as I have for the previous film, I have an equal amount of love for this film. Great movie. That said, I don’t know that it would’ve made my top 10 for specifically science fiction films. I probably throw it more in with family films. And, if it had made my list for science fiction, I think it would’ve been a little farther down.
2 – Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope – Of course a Star Wars film was going to be on this list. I’m just surprised by two things – which one, and how high it is on the list. I suppose A New Hope, being the original film and essentially self-contained, could make the list, but in my experience, most people seem to agree that The Empire Strikes Back is the best of the Star Wars films overall. As for position, I would’ve put the representative of the Star Wars films somewhere in the fourth to sixth position.
1 – 2001: A Space Odyssey – Not my favorite science fiction film, but I can absolutely understand it being on this list, and why it is 1. If there is to be a flagship for science fiction film, this one fits the bill.
My biggest complaint with this list are the things that are missing. I’m not positive that films like John Carpenter’s The Thing, Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan, Twelve Monkeys, Planet of the Apes, Total Recall, or Robocop would’ve made my top 10 list for science fiction films, but they would certainly have been more likely to be on this list than some of these offered by AFI. And what about films like Forbidden Planet and Fantastic Voyage? Or even The Running Man and The Matrix?
Without a doubt, though, what makes this list most suspect is one ommission that is completely unacceptable in my mind – Where is Close Encounters of the Third Kind, AFI? How can there be a list for the best science fiction films of all time that doesn’t include Close Encounters?!?
Bah! AFI, you have failed again. Hang your head in shame.
THE STEVE AUSTIN BOOK CLUB 