It really is that bad

[GKarsEye]

I am of course talking about Battlefield Earth. Just for a gag, my buddy and I decided to rent this and rag on it a la Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The disappointing thing is that is was boring bad, not funny bad like Plan Nine From Outer Space. This is simply the most poorly edited and directed film in the science fiction genre. Travolta is awful as usual, and Forest Whitaker's sometimes charming screen persona isn't enough to help the film.

Why is the camera always tilted?!

The sound mix just didn't make any sense. Anytime there was some action going on, the sound would be all muffled and muddy.

The cuts in between shots did nothing but confuse the already preposterous plot. Sometimes, they would cut away from an important moment to point to some wall or some extra.

The screen transitions were done using this dumb-ass wipe, from center to edges. It's like a kid playing with his daddy's camera for the first time.

And the story itself- cavemen flying Harrier jets, an entire planet destroyed by one bomb, all the gold in Ft Knox being hidden from extra-powerful aliens who are looking for gold, the fact that aliens even want gold- ugh.

This is one of the few times I agree with everybody else- truly a dreadful piece of garbage.

 

[zootle]

Friends of mine who've read the book, on which the film is based, say it's a really good book.
I think people have a problem thinking anything by Hubbard can be any good because he created Scientology. If he created that nonsense, then everything else he created must be nonsene too, right?! Nonsense. The man created scientology for a bet, he was bet that he couldn't make money out of religion. So he did.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Just for a gag, my buddy and I decided to rent this and rag on it a la Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Reminds me of a line from Neil Simon's California Suite:

"Somebody sent me one of her albums as a gag. He was right, I did."

Regards,

Joe

 

[taichidave]

Nah, Battlefield Earth (the book) wasn't nonsense. Nothing groundbreaking, it was a fairly fun read in the tradition of the old pulps.

I thought the first half was superior to the second, though.

As for the movie, I have yet to see it for myself. I do have a morbid curiosity about it...

 

[Recoil]

Yep.

That movie was complete ass.

And by FAR the worst part was these cavemen guys learning to fly harrier jets. GOD you have to be kidding me...

 

[channe]

When I got my ticket for Battlefield Earth, the guy behind the counter told me that if I wanted a refund after seeing the movie, I could get one.

I said, "It can't be that bad."

I walked out, demanded my refund, and got it.

Only time that's ever happened in my life.

 

[GKarsEye]

I think people have a problem thinking anything by Hubbard can be any good because he created Scientology.

Hubbard was a well-respected member of the sci-fi community and very good friends with Asimov. I am curious to read one of his books (besides Dianetics, which I tried but couldn't get far because it was just so stupid).

The man created scientology for a bet, he was bet that he couldn't make money out of religion.

I've read that this, as well as the famous quote "the best way to make money in this country is to start a religion," are urban legends.
I can't site a source, though.

Nah, Battlefield Earth (the book) wasn't nonsense. Nothing groundbreaking, it was a fairly fun read in the tradition of the old pulps.

It was the one book Hubbard wrote completely for fun and for himself as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of his writing career.

When I got my ticket for Battlefield Earth, the guy behind the counter told me that if I wanted a refund after seeing the movie, I could get one.

Wow, that's pretty nice. A fellow victim helping you ease the pain.

 

[Recoil]

HAHAHAHAHA! Thats AWESOME!

That cracks me up that the clerk would make a joke like that, but not be joking at all and follow through with it. He must have really thought that movie was horrid!

 

[tygirwulf]

Ok, I have a horribly dirty secret to tell. I am so ashamed of it.

When Battlefield Earth came out, I heard all these horrible reviews saying it was the worst movie ever. Well guess what my mother wanted to see? I told her about the reviews ,and saw another movie. She said it can't be that bad, the critics aren't always right. When we got out of our movies, I asked her what she thought. "Oh, I liked it, wasn't bad at all."

When we got HBO, Battlefield Earth came on. I went downstairs for something, and she was watching it! Ugh. The five minutes I saw was enough for me.

 

[Glacophane]

I read the book a few years ago and after forcing myself to get into, I couldn't put it down until the end. As usual the book is much better than the movie. I saw the movie with a friend of mine and after it was over he thought it was the greatest movie he had ever seen. It was all I could to to stop myself from attacking him right there in mid-row.

 

[Oatley1]

There are a certain number of films that I will refuse to watch on principle - this is one of them. (Blair Witch 2 is another).

 

[G Kar of the Kha Ri]

Egods. I actually sat down and watched the majority of Blair Witch 2. I wish I had that time back. Seriously, I always thought the original was the dumbest looking thing ever, despite never actually SEEING it. But the second was absolute crap. Perhaps not as bad as BE, since it wasn't as long, but it was still extremely retarded.

And then there was the time I watched Mimic 2...

*foams*

 

[Oatley1]

Generally I avoid sequels - they are generally crap (Godfather, Star Wars Ep 5, and Austin Powers are notable exceptions).

Another movie I will not watch is the Mariah Carey movie, Glitter (Glimmer? I forget which).

 

[Wanderer]

Ok, I have a horribly dirty secret to tell. I am so ashamed of it.

Well, if you have any more please share in nc-17...

Yes, I have also heard the movie sucks very much....

 

[kin_of_zathras]

Generally I avoid sequels - they are generally crap (Godfather, Star Wars Ep 5, and Austin Powers are notable exceptions).

I would add The Wrath of Khan and Terminator 2 to that list. Haven't seen Goldmember yet.

 

[AntonyF]

Yeah, Terminator definitely. Toy Story too (although they're both near equally good).

 

[Oatley1]

Goldmember ain't bad - not as good as the previous 2, but there are still some great scenes. If you can, get the DVD - the Mike Myers commentary is brilliant !!!

 

[GKarsEye]

Superman II is also a good sequel.

I wish I had that time back.

This is why I get angry and sometimes personally offended by bad movies. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I'm a busy man, and it means a lot to dedicate 2+ hours to just sitting in one place and staring at a screen. And if I go to a theater, it's a lot more time and costly.

Instead of watching a bad film, I could have spent that time studying or cleaning or working out or doing something productive.

Of course I don't count Battlefield Earth because I knew it would be awful.