Explorers

[00:00:00] Welcome to season 5 of the Big Sci-Fi Podcast with Adina, Brian, Chris and Steve, the biggest

[00:00:14] sci-fi podcast in the galaxy.

[00:00:17] The adventure is just beginning here at the Big Sci-Fi Podcast and we invite you to come

[00:00:21] aboard the Starship Tangent.

[00:00:23] We know you'll enjoy the conversation, the laughter, the banner back and forth and most That's two people. I see what you did there. That's a funny dad joke mode activated. Excellent. And me, Flicker Farkler, is Steve from California. There we go. That past three times, Steve. Not at all. OK. All right. So now now I'm still laughing at this joke.

[00:01:41] You're welcome.

[00:01:41] But we got to talk explorers.

[00:01:44] I feel like we have to unpack this movie because this for the for context There is only, there is the and only moonfall. There is no other moonfall. If there's another moonfall and we find it, heaven help us. Yes. We'll find it. Brian, go ahead. Yeah, sorry, my dog was barking. I put my microphone on mute. But Christian, Christian, Christian,

[00:03:02] this is no moonfall, thank the Lord above.

[00:03:05] And thank you, Chris.

[00:04:07] suffers from there was just too many other really good sci-fi films in the 80s that this got lost. And I think this is obviously for a certain targeted audience too. Like I think

[00:04:12] of Flight of the Navigator that probably was, I come out in August, but they moved it up sooner because they wanted the summer and they got just, he got beaten the pieces. And that's, you know, when I saw after I watched it, I read the Wikipedia page on it and they were talking about right, right in the front and says it was rushed

[00:05:41] into production. It was never properly finished. So they stopped editing, which

[00:06:41] Oh, go ahead, Chris. That's what I was going to say for me, because I feel like I liked it as much as I did when I saw it as a kid.

[00:06:45] But even as a kid, my issue was like, okay, I like the first two acts.

[00:06:49] But in the third act, I feel like, okay, they do a thing, they talk to the aliens,

[00:06:53] they go home. And that's it. And I'm like, I felt like there was something missing.

[00:06:57] There wasn't like...

[00:06:58] Yes, there... Yes, you're absolutely right.

[00:07:00] They weren't at the lowest points. Because if you look at the classic three act structure,

[00:07:04] by the third act, you're supposed to the day the earth stood still, which we've covered on this podcast. And we should do that. Humans shoot aliens and destroy alien ships. And that's why they didn't. And so there was kind of this moment, this crescendo moment that looked like they were, but they never

[00:08:22] got back to that. They never, there was, wasn panel and everything. Yeah. And again, so, uh, you know, kind of interesting. And then they're inside the ship. And of course it's the, you know, it looks like sewers inside the ship. You know, this very industrial looking thing.

[00:09:41] Okay. Okay. Okay.

[00:11:04] And then the whole, the whole thing with the brainiac kid and the that kind of a thing in a movie or TV show Like I kind of feel like I have this memory of you know And not not the memory of this movie particular but other movies like like again John Hughes movies are a good thing is what when I watch like pretty and pink right now and that kind of stuff It's like oh Wait, like why did I just kind of watch this then and not cringe as much and I think it was just because we were Just all kind Right, but that's the whole thing is just the way he talks about her like, I'm going to get her as my girlfriend. And it's all, it's that interaction. No Wolfgang with the alien. It's an alien. It's fine. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That creeped me out. Maybe that's the homeschool side of me.

[00:12:21] No, no, I agree with Brian. I don't disagree with examples of it. No, they're really not doing anything to win over. Like not really. We're not doing it. And he doesn't really do that in this either. He doesn't really win over the girl. She just ends up getting the dream sequence at the end. She's part of the, the foursome now or the yeah,

[00:13:42] of them. They're all part of this now.

[00:13:44] We know what you mean. And, and I, you know,

[00:14:47] the military base and they're like, can the ship fly? And they power it up for the first time. And like, oh, we can go, we can upload the virus. I thought there was a musical cue from that,

[00:14:53] even though obviously, Independence Day is much later. But I'm not sure. I've got to go back and

[00:14:57] watch it. In a different composer too. Yeah, a different composer. Yeah. But like,

[00:15:01] but I mean, I was pleasantly surprised. It made me, Jerry made me want to watch the whole film have the dreamer whose mother is like, oh, that's so nice about you in the form of Ben. You've got Wolfgang who lives in this completely dysfunctional house that is boarding on insanity and he is constantly being bullied by the kids at school.

[00:17:44] And then finally, you've got the last. I mean, back to the future was a fantastic film in all respects. Well made. Well made. So sorry, but back to the future deserved. It's not back to the higher quality. Well consider this, you said this movie cost 25 million to make. Star Wars was made on a 10 million dollar budget. Aliens was more than the adults when it comes to the invasion by aliens, Earth versus now, um, the invasion, the invasion of the saucer men and stuff where the teenagers are all, they're cool. They know what's going on. They understand. And the adults are like, what?

[00:20:21] Even the blob with Steve McQueen, the teenagers know that this is a horrible creature, but

[00:20:26] the adults are like, so what?

[00:20:27] I don't care. Yes, make a musical out of the probably one of the cheapest made horror films of all time. The little shop of horrors. But the Steve Martin one is is is hilarious and great. Yes, with the musical and everything. I love Steve Martin one. So I was going to say I wanted to pivot a little bit just because like the possibility,

[00:21:46] how do we feel about the plausibility that this kid has a dream? not control it, that was where I was starting to have a hard time because the way it was so out of control, it's like, oh my God, they should have almost, they should have accidentally killed themselves. Like it's, it's like five miracles deep that they did not accidentally hurt or kill one, you know, like themselves. I love it.

[00:23:00] That's where I lose it.

[00:23:02] So two things.

[00:23:03] One it seemed it was because like the cat, it seemed like, you know, that yes. I've got four words for you people. Oh yeah, please, please. I've got four words for you guys. Okay. Let's just say it. Willing suspension of disbelief. Obviously, it was hard for you guys on this film. Chris asked the question, Chris asked the question, what did we think about believability here? Yeah.

[00:24:21] Okay. Yeah.

[00:24:23] Because I feel like with movies, yes, you're right, Brian, that they all,

[00:24:26] like, we're all Trek fans. Of course that could have happened. And so I think. This could be ripe for a modern day remake. That's. Yeah, I think there's a remake where and here's how I oh, here's how I.

[00:25:43] Here's how I would do this.

[00:25:44] A child. OK.

[00:25:46] Yeah, this is this is.

[00:25:47] Do it. Why not?

[00:25:48] OK, here's them go meet aliens. But then when they're out there meeting the aliens, and yes, the aliens can still be kids that, and they're not revealing their kids, it's fine. But then have just a little something extra happen up there.

[00:27:01] And there's like dozens of things you could do.

[00:27:03] And you could still have the parents come out

[00:27:05] and reveal and be like, wait a second, dude.

[00:27:07] But then that gets part of what resolves. had the charm factor and the adventure. And I gotta say Jerry Goldsmith, he tried real hard to make this a better film than it actually was. If, if, I'm telling you guys without his music, this film would be way worse. Brian adds some energy to it that it needed. Brian.

[00:28:20] Yo, I wrote those same things down in my notes. Just what you said,

[00:28:25] that his character was okay. Oh, I'm sorry. Don't worry about me. Well, we are legally adults. OK, we are over the we're past the drinking age or past the voting age. We're still kids at heart. And we still feel like if this we had that opportunity, we'd go for it. You know, we'd want it. Yeah. And so that's the charm of this film. It's it's but it's kind of wasted on the youth.

[00:29:42] You know, it's it's it's it's not, you know, he should have been flying in the sky, not the girlfriend or fake girlfriend. You know, he should have been up there with those guys. Um, yeah, no, but you know, it did, did have some charm. Uh, there were moments. I mean, I thought they captured the adventure

[00:31:03] and Ethan Hawk, just like, come on guys, think about it over and over. Think about But ever since then, I can surprised it took so long to get to the aliens. Yeah. But when we got there, I was like, please go back to it was much better before the aliens. And the spaceship, once again, you have this giant spaceship for two alien children. And the whole thing is designed like, like Dr. Seuss had made it.

[00:33:44] It's there's smoke, there are a lot of, and a lot of mentions of things, you know, you saw the Daily Earth Show still, which we talked about on a prior episode, but also they referenced Forbidden Planet. Very, they just said that the movie name Forbidden Planet once. Yeah. So there's a lot of those little, which of course, if you are a science fiction fan,

[00:35:02] that's cute.

[00:35:03] That's really cute.

[00:35:04] You know, you know what was great bimbo girl that's in it,

[00:36:21] and he looks like he's from Flash Gordon of the 1980s.

[00:36:27] Yeah. there. I'm sorry, Chris. All I could say is so my favorite, the thing that always stood out to me, I'm like, this still actually holds up and holds my interest is all the dream stuff with the circuit board. Like that stuff I thought was really cool. And like when he's flying over and you're seeing the little pieces being added. What is that? What movie did that remind you of? What movie? Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely.

[00:37:45] With the same type of effects. And it's just a remarkable film. It really is the quality of the special effects in that are just. Did they make a third Tron? I don't know about that. I don't know. I will look like I'm going to I'm going to have to disagree. I didn't think the second Tron film was all that bad. I just remember like just being around when like I just remember hearing about it.

[00:39:03] People being disappointed.

[00:39:04] I don't think it was a success at the box office.

[00:39:07] But yeah, I don't know that one at all. I guess maybe I didn't wanna watch it because after seeing Tron Legacy. Animated because it's saying Voices of.

[00:40:20] Oh.

[00:40:21] So all the characters are Voices of,

[00:40:21] but listen to Voices of Elijah Wood,

[00:40:26] Bruce Box Lightner.

[00:40:28] Which is the original film. I'll tell you, I can't remember if I've seen this movie before or not. There were times I was watching this movie and I'm like, this looks familiar. And then there are times where like, this does not look familiar. So I might have seen this, but you know, might not have. I have no idea, but it did remind me of a couple other movies that in future episodes I want us to talk about.

[00:41:41] Can the Last Starfighter be one of them?

[00:41:43] Because that was one of them.

[00:41:44] Which one?

[00:41:45] I've been wanting to watch that for a long time.

[00:41:46] The Last Starfighter.

[00:42:49] animated film, Chicken Little. Have you ever seen Chicken Little? I love Chicken Little. Oh my god, Chicken Little is fantastic movie.

[00:42:53] I think I've seen it, but I don't remember the alien.

[00:42:56] Oh yeah!

[00:42:57] I remember being an alien.

[00:42:58] Chicken Run is popping into my head.

[00:42:59] No, there's an alien that's inadvertently films that are way worse than this one, even. So this is to me, this is kind of one of those

[00:44:23] middle of the road sci-fi films. The you know, it makes you, I think, I think that's worth discussing for at least a second or two is sure directors matter. And they

[00:45:43] do what another would, would Wolfgang Peterson said, just, you know, and they have their niches. And so Joe Dante definitely has a lot of stuff, you know? That's how we resolve stuff, you know? Like I think they were trying to make, have some sort of message there, but it just fell

[00:48:24] so flat. to this time. Okay. I get to go as well. Oh, it's sorry. Sorry. One last thing we have to mention. So we did already talk about Robert Picardo, but the sheriff who's I can't remember the name. Yes. Yes. I know where you're going. Go there. Also DS nine. Yes. Uh, past tense plays one and two. One and two. Yes. Yeah. I can't remember just want to say enjoy the music is what Brian say. Okay. Exactly. Look up the watch the trailer for the movie and then just listen to the album. I think you're good. Yeah. Now we've covered all, I mean, all the things I wrote in my final thoughts have

[00:51:00] been covered in our discussion about lack of the sequel chicken little being better.

[00:51:07] No, this doesn't know.

[00:51:08] We don't make this movie. I'm not involved in it, but I had like the I'm on a competition show and the judge is like, all right, well, Christian, you gotta give you an effort because you tried really hard. I think I think part of it is just the moonfall syndrome. You're trying to avoid another moonfall.

[00:52:25] But you didn't know you don't. This movie is cute and as hard.