Veteran actor Macdonald Carey made an appearance aboard Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ("Planet of the Slave Girls") playing Dr. Mallory, the scientific genius racing against time to find the cause of a medical plague threatening the survival of planet Earth. In his career, the man also booked appearances on Science Fiction Theatre, The Outer Limits, End of the World (1977), and It's Alive III: Island of the Alive. Though he's no longer with us, Carey was born on this day in 1913.
The late, great Lawrence Tierney tangled with a certain captain of a certain Enterprise-D starship aboard "The Big Goodbye," one of the more memorable episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation's first season. Though he's no longer with us, Tierney was born on this day in 1919.
I'll probably always remember Walter Gotell as the Russian adversary to James Bond in several of that series entries, but I'm also thankful he turned up in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Though he's no longer with us, Gotell was born on this day in 1924.
Veteran heavyweight Judd Hirsch (above left) brought some considerable gravitas along with a bit of comic relief to 1996's SciFi summer blockbuster, Independence Day, and he even returned for its sequel Independence Day : Resurgence which screened in 2016. Hirsch was born on this day in 1935.
Legendary storyteller David Cronenberg may not be to every cinema-goer's delight, but he certainly knows how to achieve a certain aesthetic appeal to those willing to embrace his visions. He's brought to life such films as Scanners, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, Existenz, and The Fly, to name but a few. Cronenberg was born on this day in 1943.
Nicholas Shaffer (above right) has booked appearances in several SciFi properties, including roles aboard Voyagers!, Quantum Leap, K-9000 (1991), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Shaffer was born on this day in 1951.
Craig Wasson will likely always be known for his work aboard Brian De Palma's Body Double, but genre fans might know him from work in A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), Trapped In Space (1995), and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Wasson was born on this day in 1954. [Source: IMDB.com]
The lovely Jacqueline Schultz arrived late to the party that was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, appearing in the seventh season as the wife to the nefarious Mr. Sloane. Schultz was born on this day in 1956.
The lovely Lisa Langlois found herself trapped in The Nest (1988). So far as genre entries go, she's also been a part of The Man Who Wasn't There (1983), Transformations (1991), Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, and Relic Hunter. Langlois was born on this day in 1959.
Director Renny Harlin has given genre fans something to dream about by martialing such projects as A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) and The Legend Of Hercules (2014) to the silver screen. Harlin was born on this day in 1959. [Source: IMDB.com]
Poison frontman Bret Michaels took a little time off from rock'n'roll to make an appearance in the greater Sharknado universe. Michaels was born on this day in 1963. [Source: IMDB.com]
Greg Nicotero knows a thing or two about your nightmares. He works in the realm of makeup effects, polishing off stars to look either good or bad in such properties as Transformers (2007), Splice (2009), The Book Of Eli (2010), and AMC's Apocalypse juggernaut The Walking Dead. Nicotero was born on this day in 1963. [Source: IMDB.com]
Though she probably feels more at home in conventional fare, Robyn Malcolm has worked in such projects as Atlantis High and The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002) for balance. Malcolm was born on this day in 1965. [Source: IMDB.com]
In his youth, James G. Becker gave the whole "acting thing" a shot, but the only gig that truly came his way (so far as IMDB.com indicates) was some uncredited work aboard Star Trek: The Next Generation. Still, he managed to book appearances aboard forty different hours of the program. Though he's no longer with us, Becker was born on this day in 1966.
The great Chris Bruno (above left) was one of the regulars aboard USA Network's TV adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone. Bruno was born on this day in 1966.
The lovely Isa Dick Hackett (above left) has worked with Amazon Studios to usher her the work of her late father -- Philip K. Dick -- to their streaming platform, and The Man In The High Castle continues to impress audiences. Hackett was born on this day in 1967.
Mark McGrath is another actor who braved a Sharknado for the benefit of all mankind and his professional career. McGrath was born on this day in 1968. [Source: IMDB.com]
Kim Raver's gifts include a natural beauty along with the unassuming ability to step into just about any role -- big or small -- and make something of it. Sadly, she's done so very little Science Fiction -- she did have a role braving the Apocalypse at the heart of the short-lived Revolution -- though methinks fans would love to see more of her. Raver was born on this day in 1969.
The lovely Cara Pifko maintains both live- and voice-acting citations, and she's definitely proven to have 'the right stuff' as part of such projects as Mass Effect 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Mass Effect 3. Pifko was born on this day in 1976.
Since launching a professional acting career in 2000, Brian Tee has built a resume impressively stocked with quality genre work. He's had roles aboard The Invisible Man, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, The Wolverine, and Jurassic World. Tee was born on this day in 1977.
Apocalypses don't get much more barren than AMC's The Walking Dead, but recent addition Pollyanna McIntosh leads a group of survivors who speak in the same manner Yoda does, bringing the program some unintentional comic relief. McIntosh was born on this day in 1979.
Lisa Marcos trafficks in the realm of Fantasy for her work aboard Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments. She's also booked time aboard Mutant X, Threshold (2003), and Lost Girl. Marcos was born on this day in 1982. [Source: IMDB.com]
Aside from appearing in the Harry Potter series of films, Sean Biggerstaff made a vocal contribution to the 2003 animated adaptation of Doctor Who's "Shada." Biggerstaff was born on this day in 1983. [Source: IMDB.com]
Though Tatum Langton is more well known for work in conventional dramas and such, she did give SciFi a try with a role aboard Alienate (2016) for Film Base. Langton was born on this day in 1984. [Source: IMDB.com]
While some actors are content baring their souls, others are better at baring their abs. Kellan Lutz does both. Fans have seen his work in the Twilight saga, Immortals (2011), and The Legend of Hercules (2014). Lutz was born on this day in 1985.
The lovely Vimala Pons found herself trapped in the heart of the SciFi vision known as Eden Log (2007) for Imperia Films. Pons was born on this day in 1986.
Playing the villanous Eric, international star Jai Courtney has lit up the silver screen in the Divergent series as well as taking over the shoes of 'Kyle Reese' in the ill-received Terminator reboot, Terminator: Genisys. Courtney was born on this day in 1986.
So many young actors roared into the realm of Fantasy with roles aboard the Harry Potter franchise, and Anna Shaffer was one of them. Thankfully, she's continued to flex her acting muscles with roles in such programs as the BBC's Class and Netflix's The Witcher. Shaffer was born on this day in 1992. [Source: IMDB.com]
On this day in 1933, the original Monster Movie classic King Kong roared to life on the silver screen with a special premiere engagement in Baltimore, Maryland. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the feature starred Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition."
For the record:
In 1991, King Kong was inducted into the U.S.'s National Film Registry, which seeks to preserve films for the ages that have demonstrated significant historical, cultural, or aesthetic contributions to the genre.
"A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition."
For the record:
In 1991, King Kong was inducted into the U.S.'s National Film Registry, which seeks to preserve films for the ages that have demonstrated significant historical, cultural, or aesthetic contributions to the genre.
On this day in 1934 (in Spain), The Invisible Man emerged from the shadows and appeared in glorious black-and-white ... well, when he wasn't invisible, that is! Haha! Directed by James Whale, the Universal Pictures Monsters Classic starred Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, and William Harrigan; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane."
"A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane."
On this day in 1957 (in France), Godzilla roared onto the silver screen. Written (in part) and directed by Ishirô Honda, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, and Akira Takarada; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast."
"American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast."
A star is born! Good grief! Some megalomaniacs never learn! On this day in 1967, Frankenstein Created Woman gave the fateful doctor one more chance to get his act together. This picture starred Peter Cushing and the lovely Susan Denberg, and here's the plot summary as listed on IMDB.com:
"Baron Frankenstein has acquired the dead body of a young maiden, Christina, and all it lacks is the spark of life. He captures the soul of a recently executed young man and installs it in the young woman. With the memories from the young man still intact, she starts to kill the people whose false accusations led to the young man's execution."
For the record:
Frankenstein Created Woman comes from Hammer Films, and -- according to IMDB.com -- it's apparently a longtime favorite of critically acclaimed director Martin Scorsese.
"Baron Frankenstein has acquired the dead body of a young maiden, Christina, and all it lacks is the spark of life. He captures the soul of a recently executed young man and installs it in the young woman. With the memories from the young man still intact, she starts to kill the people whose false accusations led to the young man's execution."
For the record:
Frankenstein Created Woman comes from Hammer Films, and -- according to IMDB.com -- it's apparently a longtime favorite of critically acclaimed director Martin Scorsese.
A star is born! On this day in 1967 (in Japan), Gamera took flight again with the big screen premiere of Gamera Vs. Gyaos! Starring Kôjirô Hongô, Kichijirô Ueda, and Reiko Kasahara, the monster movie was the third outing for the singular creature, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Gamera's back, and just in time to save Japan from Gaos, a mysterious bat-like creature awakened by a volcanic eruption. As in the first Gamera movie, a young boy establishes an emotional link with Gamera, and the two work together, with the help of the world's scientists, to put and end to Gaos' violent rampage."
"Gamera's back, and just in time to save Japan from Gaos, a mysterious bat-like creature awakened by a volcanic eruption. As in the first Gamera movie, a young boy establishes an emotional link with Gamera, and the two work together, with the help of the world's scientists, to put and end to Gaos' violent rampage."
A star is born! I had the good fortune of meeting author Kurt Vonnegut Jr when he was speaking at a seminar one time. Truth be told, he wasn't a very friendly guy. Whatever, I guess. Anyway, a filmed adaptation of his novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, was first released theatrically on this day in 1972. Directed by George Roy Hill, the SciFi/Drama stars Michael Sacks and Ron Leibman, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"A man tells his story of how he became unstuck in time and abducted by aliens."
For the record:
it's worth noting that Slaughterhouse-Five was no slouch when it came to critical and cultural acclaim. In the inaugural year of Saturn Awards being issued for Best Science Fiction Film, it took home 1973's top honor. The film also took the Jury Prize for the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, with director Hill being nominated for the Palm d'Or. In 1973, it won the Hugo Award for the Best Dramatic Presentation.
More for the record:
I had the good fortune of receiving a complimentary copy of Arrow Films 2019 Blu-ray release of the feature, and I penned a review of it. Those interested can access my thoughts right here.
"A man tells his story of how he became unstuck in time and abducted by aliens."
For the record:
it's worth noting that Slaughterhouse-Five was no slouch when it came to critical and cultural acclaim. In the inaugural year of Saturn Awards being issued for Best Science Fiction Film, it took home 1973's top honor. The film also took the Jury Prize for the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, with director Hill being nominated for the Palm d'Or. In 1973, it won the Hugo Award for the Best Dramatic Presentation.
More for the record:
I had the good fortune of receiving a complimentary copy of Arrow Films 2019 Blu-ray release of the feature, and I penned a review of it. Those interested can access my thoughts right here.
A star is born! Very, very little can be found out there on the Information Superhighway about The Space-Watch Murders. Scripted by Howard Rayfield, the SciFi/Drama starred Joan Caulfield and Russ Conway. It aired on this day in 1978 (in the U.S.), and here's what IMDB.com has to say about it:
"This 90 minute movie aired on Mystery of the Week series. This story was about a crew member who was held for the murder of her six shipmates by the inhabitants of a hostile planet."
For the record:
IMDB.com's trivia section associated to the flick states that it's believed that the film is entirely lost to history as it's never surfaced again after its sole listed airing as part of a 'Mystery Of The Week' television line-up of features. The only other interesting tidbit I've found about it is that scripter Rayfield also penned an episode of the fondly remembered Saturday morning SciFi television program Space Academy ("Space Hookey") for its 1977 season.
"This 90 minute movie aired on Mystery of the Week series. This story was about a crew member who was held for the murder of her six shipmates by the inhabitants of a hostile planet."
For the record:
IMDB.com's trivia section associated to the flick states that it's believed that the film is entirely lost to history as it's never surfaced again after its sole listed airing as part of a 'Mystery Of The Week' television line-up of features. The only other interesting tidbit I've found about it is that scripter Rayfield also penned an episode of the fondly remembered Saturday morning SciFi television program Space Academy ("Space Hookey") for its 1977 season.
A star is born! On this day in 1980 (in Japan), the sky's the limit when Space Firebird (aka Phoenix 2772) enjoyed its silver screen premiere. Written and directed by the team of Taku Sugiyama and Osamu Tezuka, the SciFi/Anime starred the voices of Kaneto Shiozawa, Keiko Takeshita, and Hiroshi Ôtake; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"In the distant future, a young cadet is sent to find and capture "Cosmozone 2772", a mystical universal Phoenix which possesses the power to rejuvenate the drained Earth."
For the record:
At the 1983 Saturn Awards, Space Firebird was nominated for 'Best Animated Film' but missed out on the win.
"In the distant future, a young cadet is sent to find and capture "Cosmozone 2772", a mystical universal Phoenix which possesses the power to rejuvenate the drained Earth."
For the record:
At the 1983 Saturn Awards, Space Firebird was nominated for 'Best Animated Film' but missed out on the win.
On this day in 1985 (in West Germany), The Terminator established screenwriter/director James Cameron as a creative force in Hollywood. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation."
For the record:
It's impossible to deny the clout James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger earned with the release of this little gem. Yes, it gave them a franchise in the broader scheme of things, but it's an enduring property that continues to produce iterations in film, television, and print which give fans more to consume, if not think about. As for the original flick? The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films was smitten, giving the feature an incredible three Saturn Awards ('Best Make-up,' 'Best Writing,' and 'Best Science Fiction Film') while having to settle for nominations only in four other categories ('Best Music,' 'Best Director,' 'Best Actress,' and 'Best Actor'). Like that unstoppable machine of the title, the franchise refuses to go down for the fight, and I suspect we'll see more of the same in the years ahead.
"A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation."
For the record:
It's impossible to deny the clout James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger earned with the release of this little gem. Yes, it gave them a franchise in the broader scheme of things, but it's an enduring property that continues to produce iterations in film, television, and print which give fans more to consume, if not think about. As for the original flick? The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films was smitten, giving the feature an incredible three Saturn Awards ('Best Make-up,' 'Best Writing,' and 'Best Science Fiction Film') while having to settle for nominations only in four other categories ('Best Music,' 'Best Director,' 'Best Actress,' and 'Best Actor'). Like that unstoppable machine of the title, the franchise refuses to go down for the fight, and I suspect we'll see more of the same in the years ahead.
A star is born! The Stepford Children was a 1987 SciFi telefilm that took audiences back to that sleepy little burg in Connecticut for another go-round in the world of fashionable, tailor-made families. It starred Barbara Eden and Don Murray, and here's the plot summary compliments of our friends at IMDB.com:
"In this sequel to The Stepford Wives, Steven and Laura Harding (along with their kids David and Mary) have moved to the quiet community of Stepford, CT. Steven joins the men's club, which is still assimilating their wives into robots. This time, they have begun to turn their out of control teens into robots as well. Once they are assimilated, they are obedient, homework loving, big band dancing droids. Laura, David, and Mary stumble onto this mystery, and they must avoid Steven's plans to turn them into robots."
For the record:
Believe it or not, the Stepford franchise actually has remained modestly popular throughout the years following the publication of the original novel back in 1972. The first film to explore this universe was the 1975 adaptation from Columbia Pictures (it's largely billed as a 'Horror/Satire' by critics). 1980 saw the telefilm Revenge Of The Stepford Wives introducing Don Johnson and Sharon Gless to the ongoing saga. Almost a decade after this 1987 telefilm, another twist on the franchise -- The Stepford Husbands -- put Donna Mills and Michael Ontkean in a similar situation, albeit one more dramatic than truly SciFi. Then in 2004, Paramount Pictures dabbled in this universe with their more comedic interpretation of the original, this one starring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick.
"In this sequel to The Stepford Wives, Steven and Laura Harding (along with their kids David and Mary) have moved to the quiet community of Stepford, CT. Steven joins the men's club, which is still assimilating their wives into robots. This time, they have begun to turn their out of control teens into robots as well. Once they are assimilated, they are obedient, homework loving, big band dancing droids. Laura, David, and Mary stumble onto this mystery, and they must avoid Steven's plans to turn them into robots."
For the record:
Believe it or not, the Stepford franchise actually has remained modestly popular throughout the years following the publication of the original novel back in 1972. The first film to explore this universe was the 1975 adaptation from Columbia Pictures (it's largely billed as a 'Horror/Satire' by critics). 1980 saw the telefilm Revenge Of The Stepford Wives introducing Don Johnson and Sharon Gless to the ongoing saga. Almost a decade after this 1987 telefilm, another twist on the franchise -- The Stepford Husbands -- put Donna Mills and Michael Ontkean in a similar situation, albeit one more dramatic than truly SciFi. Then in 2004, Paramount Pictures dabbled in this universe with their more comedic interpretation of the original, this one starring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick.
On this day back in 2002, our collective future got a little more grim as the video game inspired Resident Evil launched its first film theatrically, giving Milla Jovovich a franchise to call her own. I saw it, but I honestly don't remember all that much of it, so here's the plot summary compliments of IMDB.com:
"A special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident."
For the record:
This day marked the film's full U.S. (and Canada) theatrical release, though it actually enjoyed its first theatrical screening in Los Angeles on March 12, 2002. At the 2003 Saturn Awards, Resident Evil enjoyed a pair of nominations -- 'Best Actress' and 'Best Horror Film' -- but missed out on the trophy in both cases.
"A special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident."
For the record:
This day marked the film's full U.S. (and Canada) theatrical release, though it actually enjoyed its first theatrical screening in Los Angeles on March 12, 2002. At the 2003 Saturn Awards, Resident Evil enjoyed a pair of nominations -- 'Best Actress' and 'Best Horror Film' -- but missed out on the trophy in both cases.
On this day in 2005 (in Australia), the 1993-produced Philadelphia Experiment II enjoyed its release on DVD. Directed by Stephen Cornwell, the SciFi/Thriller starred Brad Johnson, Marjean Holden, and Gerrit Graham; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"David Herdeg's participation in a failed 1943 experiment in radar invisibility has propelled him 40 years into the future. An aberration in his genetic makeup enabled him to pass through the portal of time. It has also made him sensitive to any alteration to the time continuum. Another disasterous experiment in 1993 sends a stealth aircraft through the time portal, into 1943 Germany. Simultaneously, Herdeg is pulled into the portal, and finds himself in the terrifying 1993 that resulted from a Nazi victory in World War II."
"David Herdeg's participation in a failed 1943 experiment in radar invisibility has propelled him 40 years into the future. An aberration in his genetic makeup enabled him to pass through the portal of time. It has also made him sensitive to any alteration to the time continuum. Another disasterous experiment in 1993 sends a stealth aircraft through the time portal, into 1943 Germany. Simultaneously, Herdeg is pulled into the portal, and finds himself in the terrifying 1993 that resulted from a Nazi victory in World War II."
A star is born! On this day in 2006 (in France), the animated SciFi/Thriller Renaissance gave audiences something black-and-white to look at. Directed by Christian Volckman, the feature starred the voices of Daniel Craig, Catherine McCormack, and Jonathan Pryce; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A young gene researcher, Ilona, is kidnapped in a future Paris. Police Captain Karas and his team are in charge of finding her."
For the record:
In 2006, the film won the 'Best Feature' Award from the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. In 2007, director Volckman took home the 'Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Silver' Award from Fantasporto.
"A young gene researcher, Ilona, is kidnapped in a future Paris. Police Captain Karas and his team are in charge of finding her."
For the record:
In 2006, the film won the 'Best Feature' Award from the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. In 2007, director Volckman took home the 'Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Silver' Award from Fantasporto.
A star is born! As I'll always warn you, Science Fiction and Fantasy comes in all shapes, sizes, and predilections ... so on this day in 2011, the adult-themed SciFi/Comedy Bikini Time Machine was released on television. The feature starred Kylee Nash and Jenna Presley, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Two down-on-their-luck waitresses become paid guinea pigs in a wacky doctor's time travel experiments in this erotic adult comedy. Traveling back and forth through History has a peculiar side effect - it makes the girls lose control of themselves and become very frisky!"
"Two down-on-their-luck waitresses become paid guinea pigs in a wacky doctor's time travel experiments in this erotic adult comedy. Traveling back and forth through History has a peculiar side effect - it makes the girls lose control of themselves and become very frisky!"
On this day in 2013 (in Ireland), Earthbound landed in theatres. This film starred Rafe Spall and Jenn Murray, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Joe is an Alien on Earth. At least that is what his father told him before he died when Joe was eleven. He finds it difficult to adjust, and to find a compatible girl friend."
"Joe is an Alien on Earth. At least that is what his father told him before he died when Joe was eleven. He finds it difficult to adjust, and to find a compatible girl friend."
Ach! That's gonna leave a mark! On this day in 2014 (in Japan), the Fantasy-themed Gallowwalkers enjoyed a theatrical run. The feature starred Wesley Snipes and Riley Smith, and here's the plot summary as provided by the reliable IMDB.com:
"A cursed gunman (Snipes) whose victims come back from the dead recruits a young warrior to help in the fight against a gang of zombies."
"A cursed gunman (Snipes) whose victims come back from the dead recruits a young warrior to help in the fight against a gang of zombies."
A star is born! On this day in 2019 (in Canada, Turkey, and the U.S.), Captive State enjoyed its first theatrical engagements ever! Written (in part) and directed by Rupert Wyatt, the SciFi/Drama starred Ashton Sanders and John Goodman, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Nearly a decade after occupation by an extraterrestrial force, the lives of a Chicago neighborhood on both sides of the conflict are explored. In a working-class Chicago neighborhood occupied by an alien force for nine years, increased surveillance and the restriction of civil rights have given rise to an authoritarian system - and dissent among the populace."
"Nearly a decade after occupation by an extraterrestrial force, the lives of a Chicago neighborhood on both sides of the conflict are explored. In a working-class Chicago neighborhood occupied by an alien force for nine years, increased surveillance and the restriction of civil rights have given rise to an authoritarian system - and dissent among the populace."
On this day in 2019 (in Brazil and the U.S.), Chimera Strain appeared in cinemas. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A brilliant but disturbed scientist freezes his children alive, while he races to cure their deadly genetic disease by decoding the DNA of the immortal Turritopsis jellyfish."
"A brilliant but disturbed scientist freezes his children alive, while he races to cure their deadly genetic disease by decoding the DNA of the immortal Turritopsis jellyfish."
A star is born! On this day in 2019 (in the U.S.), the Russian-language SciFi/Thriller The Blackout played for audiences in attendance of the Cinequest Film Festival. Directed by Egor Baranov, the film starred Aleksey Chadov, Pyotr Fyodorov, and Svetlana Ivanova; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"No meteorites hit Earth, no terrorists put the world in danger, no atomic war was started, but something did go wrong. Contact between most towns on Earth has been severed. A small ring-like area in Eastern Europe still has electricity, and maybe even life is being reported from the Space. What military forces find outside the Ring is shocking. There are dead corpses everywhere: in stores, in cars, on roads, in hospitals and railway stations. Who or what is destroying all life on Earth? How long will the last outpost of mankind survive?"
For the record:
I've seen this one, and -- while it's quite good as a feature -- it's entirely unfinished at this point. From what I've read, it was written originally as a TV-style miniseries, ending on a massive cliffhanger ... and its second season has never happened. For those who want to know more, here's my review of the project.
"No meteorites hit Earth, no terrorists put the world in danger, no atomic war was started, but something did go wrong. Contact between most towns on Earth has been severed. A small ring-like area in Eastern Europe still has electricity, and maybe even life is being reported from the Space. What military forces find outside the Ring is shocking. There are dead corpses everywhere: in stores, in cars, on roads, in hospitals and railway stations. Who or what is destroying all life on Earth? How long will the last outpost of mankind survive?"
For the record:
I've seen this one, and -- while it's quite good as a feature -- it's entirely unfinished at this point. From what I've read, it was written originally as a TV-style miniseries, ending on a massive cliffhanger ... and its second season has never happened. For those who want to know more, here's my review of the project.
A star is born! On this day in 2019, Volition enjoyed its first theatrical presentation ever for audiences in attendance of the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival. Written (in part) and directed by Tony Dean Smith, the SciFi feature starred Adrian Glynn McMorran and Magda Apanowicz, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A man afflicted with clairvoyance tries to change his fate when a series of events leads to a vision of his own imminent murder."
For the record:
Volition has a very respectable track record at garnering solid praise on the film festival circuit, including the "Best SciFi Feature" from the 2019 Shriekfest as well as trophies for "Best Writing In A Motion Picture," "Best Lead Performance By A Male in A Motion Picture," and "Best Sound In A Motion Picture" from the 2020 Leo Awards.
"A man afflicted with clairvoyance tries to change his fate when a series of events leads to a vision of his own imminent murder."
For the record:
Volition has a very respectable track record at garnering solid praise on the film festival circuit, including the "Best SciFi Feature" from the 2019 Shriekfest as well as trophies for "Best Writing In A Motion Picture," "Best Lead Performance By A Male in A Motion Picture," and "Best Sound In A Motion Picture" from the 2020 Leo Awards.
On this day in 2020 (in Italy), A.I. Rising (aka Ederlezi Rising) enjoyed its debut on television. Directed by Lazar Bodrosa, the SciFi/Drama starred Stoya, Sebastian Cavazza, and Marusa Majer; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"An intimate relationship between a human and an android tests the boundaries of human nature."
For the record:
I think there may be a set of critics that've largely dismissed Ederlezi Rising as a kinda/sorta bloated sex film mainly because Stoya -- one of its stars -- has worked in visual sexual therapy (ahem) for years. I'd argue that's a dissservice because intimacy is certainly a component of the tale the film doesn't revel in excess the way other adult-themed flicks do. On the festival circuit, the film has been warmly received, winning a handful of statues, including a 'Best Film' category twice while missing out on a few other nominations.
"An intimate relationship between a human and an android tests the boundaries of human nature."
For the record:
I think there may be a set of critics that've largely dismissed Ederlezi Rising as a kinda/sorta bloated sex film mainly because Stoya -- one of its stars -- has worked in visual sexual therapy (ahem) for years. I'd argue that's a dissservice because intimacy is certainly a component of the tale the film doesn't revel in excess the way other adult-themed flicks do. On the festival circuit, the film has been warmly received, winning a handful of statues, including a 'Best Film' category twice while missing out on a few other nominations.
On this day in 1967, Lost In Space aired "The Colonists." Officially, this served as the twenty-fifth episode in the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A female alien meets the Robinsons and uses them to help erect an arch to bring her people to colonize the Robinsons' planet."
"A female alien meets the Robinsons and uses them to help erect an arch to bring her people to colonize the Robinsons' planet."
Star Trek's "Bread and Circuses" remains classic Trek, the kind of story the program did quite well in its first and second seasons. It first aired on this day in 1968, and the action saw the crew encountering nothing but danger while investigating a sector of space for a missing starship. What do they find? They land on a world that's derivative of ancient Rome, where captives are forced to fight to the death for the amusement of the greater society.
On this day in 1973 (in the United Kingdom), UFO aired "The Long Sleep." Officially, this served as the twenty-sixth episode in the program's only season on original broadcast television, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Ten years earlier Straker accidentally knocked Catherine Frazer down in his car as she was running away from something which frightened her and she has been unconscious ever since.Now Catherine awakes from her coma and explains that she and a boy named Tim whom she had not long met went to a derelict farm-house to take recreational drugs. There they saw two aliens planting a bomb. The couple ran off - Catherine into the path of Straker's car, Tim, she understood to have fallen off a roof and died. However, he was taken by the aliens who took him over and is now back, looking no older than he did ten years ago and about to set off the bomb."
For the record:
UFO purists can confirm that "The Lost Sleep" was, in fact, the last show produced for the Gerry Anderson program, but while the show originally aired during the 1970-1971 television season this installment wasn't broadcast in the United Kingdom until 1973. (It did air earlier elsewhere where the show was sold into syndication.) Apparently, the reason for this unusual delay was the fact that "Sleep" included sequences of LSD drug trips which censors found inappropriate for audiences at the time. [Source]
"Ten years earlier Straker accidentally knocked Catherine Frazer down in his car as she was running away from something which frightened her and she has been unconscious ever since.Now Catherine awakes from her coma and explains that she and a boy named Tim whom she had not long met went to a derelict farm-house to take recreational drugs. There they saw two aliens planting a bomb. The couple ran off - Catherine into the path of Straker's car, Tim, she understood to have fallen off a roof and died. However, he was taken by the aliens who took him over and is now back, looking no older than he did ten years ago and about to set off the bomb."
For the record:
UFO purists can confirm that "The Lost Sleep" was, in fact, the last show produced for the Gerry Anderson program, but while the show originally aired during the 1970-1971 television season this installment wasn't broadcast in the United Kingdom until 1973. (It did air earlier elsewhere where the show was sold into syndication.) Apparently, the reason for this unusual delay was the fact that "Sleep" included sequences of LSD drug trips which censors found inappropriate for audiences at the time. [Source]
On March 15, 1985, V visited "The Secret Underground," a story that saw Julia and Donovan boarding the Mothership, hoping to recover a list containing the names of the Resistance from the aliens!
On this day in 1993, "Night of the Savage" aired as the eighth episode of Time Trax's first season. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Darien tracks a killer from the future to London. Known as the Savage, the killer drains the blood from his victims and may be posing as a police officer."
"Darien tracks a killer from the future to London. Known as the Savage, the killer drains the blood from his victims and may be posing as a police officer."
On this day in 1997, Crime Traveller aired "Fashion Shoot." This served as the third episode of the program's first (and only) season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Fashion designer Sonia Duvall has been receiving death threats and despite all the efforts of Slade and the team, is shot on the catwalk."
"Fashion designer Sonia Duvall has been receiving death threats and despite all the efforts of Slade and the team, is shot on the catwalk."
On this day in 1997, Dark Skies aired "To Prey In Darkness." This hour served as the seventeenth episode of the cult program's only season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"When Majestic learns that some film that shows the aliens is missing they look for it. They eventually find the film in the possession of TV news reporter who's hoping that it could get her into more serious work. So Loengard, Juliet, and Albano proceed to CBS and inform Majestic member William Paley of the situation. When the reporter turns up dead, they have to find it. But the hive also is there."
"When Majestic learns that some film that shows the aliens is missing they look for it. They eventually find the film in the possession of TV news reporter who's hoping that it could get her into more serious work. So Loengard, Juliet, and Albano proceed to CBS and inform Majestic member William Paley of the situation. When the reporter turns up dead, they have to find it. But the hive also is there."
On this day in 2000, Star Trek: Voyager aired "Good Shepherd." This served as the twentieth episode of the program's sixth season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by TrekCore.com:
"Janeway goes on an away mission in the Delta Flyer with three misfit crewmembers from the lower decks who, according to Seven, are constant underperformers. When the mission runs into difficulty, Janeway's leadership skills are needed more than ever."
"Janeway goes on an away mission in the Delta Flyer with three misfit crewmembers from the lower decks who, according to Seven, are constant underperformers. When the mission runs into difficulty, Janeway's leadership skills are needed more than ever."
On this day in 2000, Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles aired an episode titled "Spirits of the Departed." According to our friends at TV.com, here's the plot summary:
"As Rico Struggles with his promotion to Lieutenant and leader of the Roughnecks, the squad is assigned to Honolulu, Hawaii and when they arrive, they greet the new recruit, Max Brutto. While on station, they are attacked by a huge swarm of the Bug Army. Will Rico be able to get the Roughnecks out alive as his first mission as their leader?"
"As Rico Struggles with his promotion to Lieutenant and leader of the Roughnecks, the squad is assigned to Honolulu, Hawaii and when they arrive, they greet the new recruit, Max Brutto. While on station, they are attacked by a huge swarm of the Bug Army. Will Rico be able to get the Roughnecks out alive as his first mission as their leader?"
On this day in 2002, Dark Angel aired "Fuhgeddaboudit." This served as the fifteenth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A transgenic with the ability to control people messes with Max's mind to keep her from coercing a meek mob bookie into selling out his boss to Eyes Only. But once the mutant sets her sights on Alec, the stakes are raised, leading him back into the boxing ring to make some money for some not-so-good fellas."
"A transgenic with the ability to control people messes with Max's mind to keep her from coercing a meek mob bookie into selling out his boss to Eyes Only. But once the mutant sets her sights on Alec, the stakes are raised, leading him back into the boxing ring to make some money for some not-so-good fellas."
On this day in 2002, Stargate: SG-1 aired "48 Hours." This served as the fourteenth episode to the long-running program's fifth season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"When Teal'c is trapped in the Stargate buffer, the team must juggle the technical challenges along with personal, interdepartmental and diplomatic rivalries to rescue him in time."
"When Teal'c is trapped in the Stargate buffer, the team must juggle the technical challenges along with personal, interdepartmental and diplomatic rivalries to rescue him in time."
On this day in 2003, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed aired "War For Two." This served as the twenty-fourth episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A war is under way between genetically enhanced Coordinators and unmodified Naturals."
"A war is under way between genetically enhanced Coordinators and unmodified Naturals."
On this day in 2007, Smallville aired "Promise." This served as the sixteenth episode of the program's sixth season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Clark has second thoughts about Lana marrying Lex, Lana starts to have the same concerns. Meanwhile... the doctor involved in the secret behind Lana's pregnancy threatens Lex with his knowledge."
"Clark has second thoughts about Lana marrying Lex, Lana starts to have the same concerns. Meanwhile... the doctor involved in the secret behind Lana's pregnancy threatens Lex with his knowledge."
On this day in 2017, The 100 aired "We Will Rise." This served as the sixth episode of the program's fourth season, and here's the plot summary as listed on IMDB.com:
"Clarke and Roan are forced to work together when they are tasked to deliver a dangerous but crucial asset to Abby through enemy territories."
"Clarke and Roan are forced to work together when they are tasked to deliver a dangerous but crucial asset to Abby through enemy territories."
On this day in 2017, The Expanse aired "Pyre." This served as the eighth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Naomi tracks down signs of protomolecule and Fred Johnson's control over OPA collapses."
"Naomi tracks down signs of protomolecule and Fred Johnson's control over OPA collapses."
