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    [TV/Movie] What happend to all the "geeky" sci-fi shows/movies?

    Yeah, what happened to them? Why aren't they being made any longer? Or have I simply somehow missed them for these past years?

    I'm talking about films like Contact. One of the best movies I've ever seen, it's a masterpiece in my eyes.
    Another classic is 2010.

    Movies where it's all about the sci-fi, with little to no action or drama... eh, I hope you know what I mean if you look at my examples of movies.
    "In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." Paradox of tolerance

  2. #2
    Movie studios don't want to risk millions of dollars on something that might be a flop. So, they stick with what they know works. High action, comedies, etc are proven to make money. Take "Serenity" for example, it had a budget of $40 million, theater ticket sales worldwide totaled just short of that at approximately $39 million. Granted I'm sure with dvd sales it probably did a little better than break even, but, studios want to make gobs and gobs of cash with every movie they make.

  3. #3
    Old God conscript's Avatar
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    They don't get ratings and they rarely make tons of box office money unless they are established franchises. Money determines everything in the entertainment industry.

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    Scarab Lord xylophone's Avatar
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    Nerd and geeky culture is now chic. Producers have adapted by lowering the quality of the genre to appeal to the masses more than it did previously. IMO anyways.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wells View Post
    Lets say you have a two 3 inch lines. One is all red and the other is 48% red and 52% blue. Does that mean there's a 50-50 chance they're both red or is the second line matching the all red line by 48%?
    ^^^ Wells using an analogy

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    Immortal SirRobin's Avatar
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    Yeah, the potential market is too small, and the costs are too big, for most to be willing to risk it anymore.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dezerte View Post
    Yeah, what happened to them? Why aren't they being made any longer? Or have I simply somehow missed them for these past years?

    I'm talking about films like Contact. One of the best movies I've ever seen, it's a masterpiece in my eyes.
    Another classic is 2010.

    Movies where it's all about the sci-fi, with little to no action or drama... eh, I hope you know what I mean if you look at my examples of movies.
    You are looking in all the wrong places, Films like that are always being made. Although the big studios are doing comic book films, the hard core sci-fi stuff is being done by independent studios.


    A few years ago Man From Earth was made, you should find a copy. I watch these thing all the time but I live in the Hollywood area and have nerdy friends that work in films, so I'm a bit luckier than most.

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    LOAD"*",8,1 Fuzzzie's Avatar
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    Chances are you're not going to see any sci-fi movies that are original properties any time soon. We'll likely continue to get remakes and sequels because they're safe and people keep going to see them. Although, if you want a good sci-fi movie that's somewhat recent and not a shitty remake, take a look at Children of Men.

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    Yea I get what you mean, ones that explore the science of nature of space, and not going against a villain of any kind except the dangers itself of a human going into space. They've mostly been going into indi territory I believe. Hell, I'd even go for another killer Asteroid movie done right, Deep Impact was good for entertainment. Might be awhile before we see one like you're wanting again though, people just get bored too easily.

  9. #9
    I would put this down to a case of 'geek-chic'. Things that were once considered just for hardcore nerds or which focused very much on sci-fi/gaming/book loving audiences that were generally termed 'geeks' has now been embraced by a far larger audience. Shows like 'Heroes' and more recently 'Arrow' show this evolution.

    Chat rooms and Star Trek used to be for nerds. MMO's were for losers. That was the generalised opinion. Now we have Star Trek becoming more action orientated, MMOs are almost as popular as Call of Duty and its various competitors, fantasy films are either cult status or broadly watched by everyone and even sci-fi that tries to retain some of the 'geekiness' tends to be only found in indie movies, which have their own in-built audience also.

    For some 'geeky' indie sci-fi films though, check out the likes of Moon and Primer.

  10. #10
    I see, I feared as much.

    Thanks for information and movie tips though, I'll be sure to check them out.
    "In order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance." Paradox of tolerance

  11. #11
    Just realised, I missed one of the biggest pointers to the evolution of geek-chic: The Big Bang Theory being one of the most watched TV shows in America.

  12. #12
    Did you see the movie Moon? I know it came out in 2009 but people didn't talk much about it so I figure a lot of people missed it.

    Doh, Shinzai mentioned it...
    Last edited by unholytestament; 2012-12-12 at 06:38 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shinzai View Post
    Just realised, I missed one of the biggest pointers to the evolution of geek-chic: The Big Bang Theory being one of the most watched TV shows in America.

    Since I stopped watching TV in 2002 I have yet to see an episode, people often say that my roommates and I are just like that show. but I have no clue if this is true.

  14. #14
    Deleted
    Sci-fi movies don't appeal to the large masses, which are comprised of, let's face it, red-necks, more or less. People lacking imagination and dreams.

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    Scarab Lord xylophone's Avatar
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    Who knows? Maybe the Ender's Game movie(s?) will go deeper than the first book into the series. Doubt it though, I can see them bastardizing it and ignoring the whole xenocide aspect of the story.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wells View Post
    Lets say you have a two 3 inch lines. One is all red and the other is 48% red and 52% blue. Does that mean there's a 50-50 chance they're both red or is the second line matching the all red line by 48%?
    ^^^ Wells using an analogy

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    Quote Originally Posted by xylophone View Post
    Who knows? Maybe the Ender's Game movie(s?) will go deeper than the first book into the series. Doubt it though, I can see them bastardizing it and ignoring the whole xenocide aspect of the story.
    Since Orson Scott Card is one of the actual writers of the film script I highly doubt he will destroy his own work. Although Orson Scott Card did say he was editing out some of the side stories as they where not needed for the film, and the ending twist which was good for the book will not be in the movie, the audience will know the truth even though Ender will not.

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    Scarab Lord xylophone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gothicshark View Post
    Since Orson Scott Card is one of the actual writers of the film script I highly doubt he will destroy his own work. Although Orson Scott Card did say he was editing out some of the side stories as they where not needed for the film, and the ending twist which was good for the book will not be in the movie, the audience will know the truth even though Ender will not.
    So it ends with Ender killing the big bad bugs and saving the day? That's what I was afraid of.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wells View Post
    Lets say you have a two 3 inch lines. One is all red and the other is 48% red and 52% blue. Does that mean there's a 50-50 chance they're both red or is the second line matching the all red line by 48%?
    ^^^ Wells using an analogy

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by xylophone View Post
    So it ends with Ender killing the big bad bugs and saving the day? That's what I was afraid of.
    Actually the moral issue is highly important to OSC so that is still in it. I'll look for the interview.

    ---------- Post added 2012-12-12 at 01:08 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by xylophone View Post
    So it ends with Ender killing the big bad bugs and saving the day? That's what I was afraid of.
    Here is the old interview, the latest interview pretty much says the same thing.

    http://www.hatrack.com/research/inte...icholson.shtml

  19. #19
    Just do like I do, watch Firefly incessantly. As for the Big Bang Theory, it's trash. It's a horribly written show that relies on stereotypes with minor input from actual "geeks". Frankly there isn't a market for the old style sci-fi, not with this "geek chic" movement. Sure you can make a show that takes place in space or on another planet, but the second anything besides the usual contrived television dialogue shows up it gets cancelled. Hate to come back around to Firefly, but that was exactly why it was cancelled. Fox didn't want an intelligent character study, they wanted "buddy comedy... IN SPACE!"
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  20. #20
    Try watching Mission to Mars, i find its in the same vein as Contact.

    Also go read Contact, Carl Sagan's only fiction book.

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