Ergo Proxy Theme

So I've been relatively immersed in kaiju and anime since roughly July alternating between the two.  Yes, the arrival of Pacific Rim (2013) naturally sent me reeling off in that direction.  Since then there's been no looking back.

 

 

 

Though I have made time for other avenues simply to take a break.  I recently viewed Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go (2010) and Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain (2006), both exceptional, on the recommendations of fellow readers/writers.  I'm pleased I took a chance on those two powerful sci-fi, human dramas.  They may require a bit of patience but these thoughtful films are both ever so rewarding.

 

On the anime front, I've been jumping into some old school anime, Gatchaman, but also checked out the next two entries in Ergo Proxy (2006) featuring the goth sexy Re-l Mayer.

 

One of my only complaints with the new anime productions is the same complaint I sometimes have for today's live action science fiction.  It's computers.  The CGI effects in today's cinema is sometimes underwhelming.  It's just too damn perfect and polished for its own good and simply can't compare to the gritty practical effects of yesterday.

 

The same goes for the world of anime.  While it's certainly more economical and computers do wonderful things for the visionary, the look of the production is often too clean, sharp and sterile.  This complaint is minor and comes from an old school fan of the hand drawn variety.  It's simply hard to let go of some those deep, dark line drawings that graced everything from Gatchaman to Neon Genesis Evangelion and in between.  That warmth of artistry is absent, but that's the sad reality of today's 2D digital cel animation and 3D computer animation and modelling.  Nevertheless, I embrace both and I'm more than happy to give new and old a chance.  Ergo Proxy is one of those new ones that lured me into its fold.

 

The opening theme song from the series is called Kiri by Japanese alternative rock band Monoral.  I have to admit - I dig it.  Also, Ergo Proxy actually employs Radiohead's Paranoid Android appropriately enough for the closing theme.

 

Enjoy this opening theme to the solid science fiction yarn that is Ergo Proxy.  Also worth noting is the editing and effects used in the making of the opening theme.  Aesthetically it is impressive and does complement the anime quite nicely.

 

The Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 10: Greatest Science Fiction Films Of The 1970s

John Kenneth Muir is running one of his week long, popular Reader's Poll Lists at John Kenneth Muir's Reflections On Cult Movies And Classic TV.

 

Who doesn't love a good list?  I know I'm an addict.  He generously offers readers to contribute.  He posted a list from yours truly here. Be sure to check out the rest.  Here's an amped up version of that same post.

The subject is the Greatest Science Fiction Films Of The 1970s.  So I offer you Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic's BIG 10: Greatest Science Fiction Films Of The 1970s.

Let's begin by admitting straight away that the 1970s was so much more than the disco era.  It was indeed a fertile period for science fiction film and television. There was simply no shortage of wonderfully rich and imaginative material.



So, clearly no pretensions here.  I'm not venturing into high art, though I think it is, but rather insanely incredible, fun art of the classic science fiction variety and no less sincere.



10. Godzilla Vs. Hedora (or more famously Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster) (1971).
Director: Yoshimitsu Banno.
The only film to be directed by Banno on a Godzilla feature that doesn't spotlight directorial mainstays Ishiro Honda or apprentice Jun Fukuda from the Showa period of films.  Underrated and brilliant good fun with a significant ecological message.





9. Space Amoeba (also famously known as Yog, Monster From Space) (1970).
Director: Ishiro Honda.
Honda steps away from his baby, Godzilla, and comes up with a good, old-fashioned Toho, fantasy monster romp that manages to predate Sigmund And The Sea Monsters (1973-1975).  The famous Akira Kubo (Matango, Invasion Of Astro-Monster, Kill!, Gorath) and Kenji Sahara (Rodan, The Mysterians, Matango) are in the cast and it's an absolute blast.  Played often in heavy rotation on Saturday Creature Double Feature out of Boston, MA in the 1970s.  The 1960s and 1970s were a rich period for Toho and these two aforementioned pictures are proof of that.







8. Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971).
Director: Don Taylor.
A film centered on two of my favorite characters from the franchise.  The late, great Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter shine.  With Ricardo Montalban thrown in for good measure, honestly, you can't go wrong with this exceptional installment in the series.



7. Terror Of Mechagodzilla (1975).
Director: Ishiro Honda.
The final installment for the Godzilla Showa period sees the return of Honda on directing chores for his final outing of the Big G.  Akihiko Hirata also appears.  Hirata and Honda collaborated on the classic Gojira (1954). So you know I'm not completely in the tank for Toho and Godzilla pictures there several conspicuously absent from my list simply because they are fun if not classic.  Godzilla Vs. Megalon (1973), Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), and Godzilla Vs. Gigan (1972) all miss the cut.  I've even omitted Gamera Vs. Zigra (1971) and Gamera Vs. Jiger (1970) from Daiei Studios.



6. The Omega Man (1971).
Director: Boris Sagal.
The father of Sons Of Anarchy's Katey Sagal directs one of those classic dystopian tales of apocalypse and implements the mood and decay of the 1970s era to great effect.  There's a terrific vibe of isolation throughout the picture based on Richard Matheson's I Am Legend (1954).  I still like it better than the Will Smith vehicle of the same name.





5. The Land That Time Forgot (1975).
Director: Kevin Connor.
A fantastic and fun adventure picture based on the terrific work of American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).  The B-movie doesn't get more classic than this science fiction fantasy. Wonderful and the stuff of dreams.  At The Earth's Core (1976) and The People That Time Forgot (1977) are good, but not quite this good. I also positively adore Connor's Warlords Of Atlantis (1978) a picture cut very much from the same mold as The Land That Time Forgot. I wish I had room for the latte ron this list.





4. The Island Of Dr. Moreau (1977).
Director: Don Taylor.
Taylor makes my list twice.  This is just a terrifically entertaining picture starring Michael York (Logan's Run) and based on the 1896 novel by H.G. Wells.  It's a stunning morality tale and something remarkably different from other science fiction pictures of the period with plenty of lessons concerning the use of science to go around.  I'm also a fan of the under appreciated 1996 adaptation from the late John Frankenheimer.





3. Star Wars.
Director: George Lucas.
Much backyard play was had in those carefree days.  It's sci-fi fantasy perfection even if my son calls it "old man fighting." Nuff said!



2.  Alien (1979).
Director: Ridley Scott.
The start of a beautiful love affair with director Scott and the Alien franchise.  Like David Bowie sang, I was indeed Loving The Alien.



1. Space Battleship Yamato (1977). Director: Toshio Masuda.  Space Battleship Yamato, the series, and Tatsunoko's Gatchaman (Battle Of The Planets) were influential on my love of all things anime.  Not only was Starblazers (the American version of Space Battleship Yamato) terrific, but this film was a standout highlight in retrospect putting it all together.  Masuda and Leiji Matsumoto's Farewell To Space Battleship Yamato: In The Name Of Love (1978) is another winner along with the final third in the trilogy, Be Forever Yamato (1979).  The original picture actually outsold Star Wars in Japan.  I'm just saying.  Starblazers (1979-1984), Battle Of The Planets (1978-1985) and Force Five (1979-1989) were indeed the gateway anime drugs into that world until Ghost In The Shell (1995) came along.



In truth I didn't really have a specific order.  These were films I simply loved and actually just ran out of room.  What a decade!  But I wish I had room for others including Logan's Run (1976), Jack Smight's Damnation Alley (1977), Jun Fukuda and Toho's fun The War In Space (1977), The Last Dinosaur (1977), Kinji Fukasaku's Message In Space (1978), The Spy Who Loved Me (sort of sci-fi) (1977), Moonraker (1979), Mad Max (1979), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and The Black Hole (1979) - all pictures I just love.  Heck I even loved those Witch Mountain films. What an era!



My pictures may not be classic in the purest artistic sense, but for me these were ten of the most powerful and influential films in my young life. Going against the grain here these were films I had such admiration for as a kid. They may not be perfect but they were classics to me and I gleefully stand by them.

The 1970s was a remarkably creative period in pop culture.

Animate! The Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 30: Anime

What better way to promote and shine a light on anime than to present to you anime animated.

Can you think of a better way to taste the possibilities?

I've listed a combination of my favorite films or series that were influential in my anime diet across time and space for Animate! The Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 30: Anime.



The thirty (30) best according to The Sci-Fi Fanatic are highlighted in BLUE.

The remainder are not highlighted and are certainly noteworthy and in some cases exceptional as well. My reasons for the best are often tied with exceptional characterization throughout a given series, OVA (a short series) or film. In some cases, like Yukikaze, the visual experience is just as significant as character. Admittedly, a few I have not digested entirely such as Gundam, and as such cannot speak of intelligibly. These are just personal preferences as their hundreds upon hundreds of titles out there.



So those not highlighted should not be discounted. There is something for everyone in anime.  I'm certain I've missed some titles worth mentioning. To be honest I've completely omitted Hayao Miyazaki and the family-friendly films of Studio Ghibli because anything he touches is essentially gold and those high caliber pictures are generally well-established fact. Studio Ghibli is like a category unto itself. The only exception I made was Isao Takahata's Grave Of The Fireflies - a Studio Ghibli gem originally released and shown together with My Neighbor Totoro. Now that's one crazy double feature! Please feel free to make note of my omissions.



Enjoy Animate! The Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 30: Anime in a fun single animated post!  So let's take-off and get started.



5 Centimeters Per Second (2007).




Akira (1988).



Attack On Titan (2013).



Battle Of The Planets (1978-1985).
Gatchaman (1972-1974).



Blood: The Last Vampire (2000).



Blue Submarine No. 6 (1998-2000).



Burst Angel (2004, 2007).



Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999, 2001).



Diebuster (Aim For The Top 2!) (2004-2005).



Eden Of The East (2009-2010).



Ergo Proxy (2006).



Eureka 7 (2005-2006, 2009).



FLCL (2000).



Freedom Project (2006-2008).



Ghost In The Shell (1995).



Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004).



Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost In The Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig (2002-2006).



The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006).



Grave Of The Fireflies (1988).





Gunbuster (Aim For The Top!) (1988-1989).





Gunparade March (2003).

Gunslinger Girl (2003-2004, 2008).



Gurren Lagann (2007-2009).



His And Her Circumstances (1998-1999).



Kimba The White Lion (1965-1966, 1989-1990, 2009).
Jungle Emperor Leo (1997).



King Of Thorn (2010).



Last Exile (2003).
Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing (2011-2012).



Millennium Actress (2001).



Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-present; various).




Nadia: The Secret Of Blue Water (1990-1991).



Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1997, 2007-present).




Neo Tokyo (1987)



Ninja Scroll (1993)



Origin: Spirits Of The Past (2006).



Patlabor (1988-1993, 2001).





RahXephon (2002-2003).



Robotech (1985).



Royal Space Force: The Wings Of Honneamise (1987).



Samurai 7 (2004).



Samurai Champloo (2004-2005).



Serial Experiments Lain (1998).



The Sky Crawlers (2008).



Starblazers (1979-1984).
Space Battleship Yamato (1974-1975).
Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (2012-2013).



Steamboy (2004).



Strike Witches (2007-2008, 2010, 2012).



Voices Of A Distant Star (2002).



Witch Hunter Robin (2002).



Yukikaze (2002-2005).



Those in highlights above are anime productions I hope to spend some time on in the future.  Keep an eye.  If I can elaborate further in comments feel free to ask.  If you have a series or film to enlighten me on please do so.

One to look for on US release in 2015 is Knights Of Sidonia (2014) shaping up to be exceptional science fiction series.