 September 2, 2012 - 6:54pm | I've been enjoying exposing the kids to the Chronicals of Narnia the lastest Star Trek, and most recently The Lord of the Rings the Return of the King (its the only one we had in that trilogy). The Kids are out with the Mom and I'm channel surfing and encountered ET (the politically correct one where the film maker went back and used a computer to eliminate guns from the hands of FBI agents and replace them with walkie talkies. Thought occured to me how much my kids would enjoy ET as the humor is up their alley and the heros are their age. Although the 6 year old is bound to wear me out with questions. So I've made a mental note to not only look for the rest of the Lord of the Rings Trillogy at the library but also ET and I figured I'd pose the question of, Lets compose a bibilography of classic sci fi to expose our kids to sort of an indoctrination of all the sci fi goodness that went into developing our geekdomness. I'll start that list with ET, love it or hate it (and some people hate it) its geared to appeal to kids and the alien is pretty adorable which will grab my daughters I'm sure. It will also expose them to ideas of alien visitors, space travel, first contact and difficulty in communication. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 2, 2012 - 8:04pm | Though the graphics are very dated, the last star fighter is certainly a kid friendly Sci-Fi adventure. I would also include enemy mine because it has a lot of good moral fibre for the kiddies to munch on and the subject matter maybe a little more mature but its not as graphic as movies of the same calibre out there today. I'm a bit consrvative and would caution anyone younger than a teen to watch the new BSG but it's really well done. BBC's outcasts would be good for the teen and Earth2 would be alright for the kiddies One of my all time fav's is Space Above & Beyond and its tame PG by today's standards. |
 September 2, 2012 - 9:18pm |
the politically correct one where the film maker went back and used a computer to eliminate guns from the hands of FBI agents and replace them with walkie talkies Wait...what?! First cookie monster and now ET? (or, I'm guessing, it might be the other way around) As for the list...well it would be incomplete without the orignal Star Wars trilogy (New Hope to Return of the Jedi). Bonus points if you can get the Cannell TV series knock offs (Battlestar Glactica & Buck Rogers). Animated Flash Gordon stuff was good too. |
 September 2, 2012 - 9:46pm | Close Encounters. It's not old skool, but Signs is a great one too. |
September 3, 2012 - 8:19am | Also the original Planet of the Apes, and Star Trek II - the wrath of Khan - greatest old skool sci fi movies EVER! The original Twlight Zone series was a major influence as was Star Trek TOS and TNG. |
 September 3, 2012 - 8:26am | Signs is a bit scary for pre-teens. I would say Star Chaser The Legend Of Orin, and Titan AE are good kid sci fi. A bunch of my favorites have been mentioned. -iggy |
September 3, 2012 - 10:26am | original BSG- new one has too many adult themes and once I got hooked on it I had to wait till late at night to watch the DVDs and usually fell asleep- which led to problems when the wife came in and saw something she disapproved of- good thing that didn't happen when I was trying to watch Rome! At anyrate old BSG portrayed woman in warrior roles so that might be good for the girls. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 3, 2012 - 11:47am | While we are on this topic and somebody mentioned Star Wars perhaps somebody could explain something to me. I heard that "Empire Strikes Back" got censored in Sweden because Luke's hand got cut off and they thought it was to violent for kids. BUT in "A New Hope" (the first one) Ben cut the guy in the bar arm off completely and probably killed him. Never heard any bad things about that in the censored for kids realm. Anyone heard any differently? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 3, 2012 - 12:21pm | While we are on this topic and somebody mentioned Star Wars perhaps somebody could explain something to me. I heard that "Empire Strikes Back" got censored in Sweden because Luke's hand got cut off and they thought it was to violent for kids. BUT in "A New Hope" (the first one) Ben cut the guy in the bar arm off completely and probably killed him. Never heard any bad things about that in the censored for kids realm. Anyone heard any differently? the slice is off screen in New Hope and only the after effects are seen but in episode five the laser ginzu is seen chopping the hand though there is less blood. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 3, 2012 - 4:08pm | Lost Hands via light sabers in Star Wars movies (and I'm sure I missed a few): Episode 1 - numerous battle droids Episode 2 - Zam Wessel, numerous battle droids & geonosians, and Anakin Episode 3 - Count Dooku (x2), several battle droids, Grievous (x2), and Anakin (again, up to 2 now) Episode 4 - Pig Face guy with death sentence on 12 systems Episode 5 - Luke Episode 6 - Darth Vader (it was a robotic hand that got hacked that time, for a total hand loss of three) It's basically a signature jedi disarming move.  Pun intended.Somewhere in the galaxy some sick bastard has an impressive collection... |
 September 3, 2012 - 5:04pm | Somewhere in the galaxy some sick bastard has an impressive collection... Yeah, that would be me...  |
 September 5, 2012 - 12:55am | I have to say the list is a very good one so far. I would include some of the old 70's tv series shows if the kids can stand to watch the horrible acting. ARK II, Jason of Star Command, Space Academy. The come in a boxed set and I think they are on Netflix. B5 and Farscape for the teen set or maybe a more mature preteen. Tron 1 and 2 would be good for young ones. I don't recall anything too adult in them. Some of the Godzilla movies might be good too. Actually there are a few 50's-60's sci-fi like Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, War of The Worlds, and 20,000 Leagues. All are pretty clean by todays standards. My dad shared thoughs with me when they came on on a saturday afternoons, so it helped influence me. |
 September 5, 2012 - 8:59pm | The original BSG is a must. As close to SF in story, tone and technology as I can remember. Skip BSG 1980 though--that stunk. Despite being a kiddie show (as required by the censors of the time) it managed to be interesting and entertaining. Too bad it was killed off just as it was finding its footing. I like that I can watch it with my little ones in the room. Another suggestion is Magnum P.I. Yes, it's not Science fiction but it has many good story elements and characters that translate well into SF. And it's family friendly. |
September 5, 2012 - 10:21pm | . Another suggestion is Magnum P.I. Yes, it's not Science fiction but it has many good story elements and characters that translate well into SF. And it's family friendly. I absolutely loved Magnum PI but strangley my number one memory of it is from the openning credits when hes teaching that hot chick to swim and holding her up in the water and he looks down square at her bum in that skimpy bikini. Yeah that's a great memory. Thanks for that Mother I hadn't thought of that in years. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 6, 2012 - 5:48pm | The original BSG is a must. As close to SF in story, tone and technology as I can remember. Skip BSG 1980 though--that stunk.
The Glen Larson (I said Cannell earlier, I get them confused often enough) Sci-Fies tended to be that way, Buck Rogers really stunk the second/final year as well. It opened with a very promising story arc (Hawk) but the whole series imploded after that, turning into a quasi-Star Trek wanna be and failing at every angle --- they're off looking for the lost tribes of earth and encounter nothing but humans (some with mutations etc like the guy that takes his head off and sets it on the table while talking to himself...yeah, that sunk pretty low). It could have been a SF "Age of Exploration" but it was just terrible in every aspect. And the new voice for Twiki didn't help matters much. Although the episode with the dwarves was entertaining...remeniscent of the first season. Yeah, just watch the pilot and the dwarf episodes and scrap the rest. |
September 7, 2012 - 3:07pm | One note I should have thrown in sooner. Be careful watching the supposedly "nice" shows and movies of yesteryear. 1950s B-movies the scares are more imagined than seen and blend well with SF BUT you are also dealing with 1950s social mores and customs. Minorities and women not represented very well and everyone smoking and drinking is perfectly normal. Not to mention that things we understand from having been close to that time will need to explain to kids. IE Papa that guy picked up the phone and started talking to an operator. What's an operator and why are they listening in on his phone? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 7, 2012 - 3:19pm | I use every depiction of smoking on TV or video to ask my kids if they'll ever smoke and or talk to them about the activity and how bad it is- in other words I'm attempting to brain wash them into believing its bad. 6 yr old already pester's me non stop through most movies, so that would be nothing knew and sort of constitutes a teaching op. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 7, 2012 - 10:26pm | Jedion, I am glad I am not alone on that. My daughter who is now 15 asks lots of questions during movies, so she can get it. Now that she is older though, it is funny how we just have to give each other a look becasue she has learned from me. What gets me though is when someone is being stupid, she gets so mad and even yells at them. I just sit and laugh at her, it is kind of like having my own Mystery Science Theater. Oh, and I have trained her to stay away from the love sceens. She will avert her eyes or be grossed out even at 15. I can at least wait a few more years for the boy cooties to be OK with her. |
September 7, 2012 - 11:32pm | Oh, and I have trained her to stay away from the love sceens. She will avert her eyes or be grossed out even at 15. Well, those scenes do tend to be one sided. Now take Alexander, the scene where we're exposed to Colin Farrel's butt and sack...but the gals get a different reaction than us guys. Yeah, avoid that one. For both of your sakes. |
September 8, 2012 - 3:53am | When we get kissing scenes mine get excited and laugh and say somethign like, "They're kissing like a husband and wife, are they married now?" Its very cute. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 8, 2012 - 11:00am | Funny thing about brainwashing your kids. It works! I have been working with scouts for 15 years now and have observed many of the parents who insist on NOT brainwashing their kids and all too often the kids end up having to learn by mistakes which is very painful for them. Then the parents wander why their kids didn't know to stay away from troubles. Tell your kids to watch and learn from others. Help them to be aware that actions always have consequences. Help them see the trends and how they play out. They will end up wiser and better able to control themselves and make good decisions. Another movie I have been wanting to add to this list is Explorers. Great for eight to ten year-olds. Then there is D.A.R.Y.L. This is a fun one for 8 to 10 year-olds too. -iggy |
September 8, 2012 - 11:06am | @Iggy; great testimony. I just read the words of King Solomon, "Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart there from." And I figured that God will hold me accountable for it. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 8, 2012 - 5:56pm | Jedion, Excellent point on both counts. |
 September 9, 2012 - 8:40pm | ...Another movie I have been wanting to add to this list is Explorers... After reading this post I was like "OH YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT MOVIE!" and watched it with my 3-year-old and wife on Friday. It was fun re-living that movie! I also watched Enemy Mine with her. Another great flick from the past... she was sooo worried about Zamies (or however it's spelled). 3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our
vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time. |
 September 11, 2012 - 5:30am | The Black Hole, Treasure Planet, Battle Beyond the Stars |
September 11, 2012 - 5:31am | Space 1999, Space Above and Beyond |
 September 15, 2012 - 2:02am | Close encounters of the third kind, invaders from space 1965, invasion of the bee girls 1973, mission to mars, phantom from space 1953, planet 9 from outter space 1959, planet of the dinosaurs 1978, robinson crusoe from mars 1964, rocketship xm, the land unknown 1957, the phantom planet 1961, they came from beyond space, things to come 1938, conquest of space 1955, the time travelers 1964, Day the world ended 1955.. to name a few Cogito ergo sum; I think therefore I am. Batty [Blade Runner] I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die. |
September 16, 2012 - 12:14am | Wasn't there some Isaac Asimov TV show/series out in the late 1970's maybe mid 1980's kind of like twilight zone however with space/sci-fi stories? Cogito ergo sum; I think therefore I am. Batty [Blade Runner] I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die. |
September 16, 2012 - 5:14am | Stelk Possibly you are thinking of the Ray Bradbury Theatre which ran from 1985 to 1992. Alot of interesting ideas from around the SF Time. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 16, 2012 - 10:57pm | That's it! Thank you. They say your vision is the 2nd thing to go, I forget the first. Cogito ergo sum; I think therefore I am. Batty [Blade Runner] I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die. |
