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design219 · 09:59 PM

Top 50 Dystopian Movies of All Time

Dystopia is the opposite of utopia. I was amazed to find I have seen about half these films, and now I want to see the other half.

So, what films do you think are missing from the list?

I think Eraser Head should be there.

Timo · Sep 28, 2007, 09:55 PM

Wings of Desire is dystopian?

Interesting list, tho'

ort888 · Sep 28, 2007, 10:21 PM

Many of those movies do not take place in the future.

They Live, War of the Worlds and Pleasantville.

Also, while may of them take place in the future, I would hardly call the worlds dystopian.

Starship Troopers, I, Robot, A.I. and Total Recall,.

ShortcutToMoncton · Sep 28, 2007, 10:58 PM

Starship Troopers and I, Robot are in any kind of top-50 not including the word "worst"? Jebus.

greg

SpaceMonkey · Sep 29, 2007, 12:34 AM

Barf. When I got halfway through the list, I half-expected to see Waterworld.

Strictly speaking, I'm not sure what was supposed to be dystopian about Ghost In The Shell either, although it has been a long time since I have seen the movie. Ditto for On The Beach.

red rocket · Sep 29, 2007, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton

Starship Troopers and I, Robot are in any kind of top-50 not including the word "worst"? Jebus.

Coddammit, how can you even mention those two in the same sentence? Starship Troopers was brilliant satire, man.

There's a lot of garbage on that list, in my opinion, and what isn't is in the wrong order.

analogika · Sep 29, 2007, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by red rocket

Coddammit, how can you even mention those two in the same sentence? Starship Troopers was brilliant satire, man.

There's a lot of garbage on that list, in my opinion, and what isn't is in the wrong order.

Agreed, although I'm not sure about too much "garbage", since there's a bunch I haven't seen yet.

I was just happy that the very first thought I had ("Metropolis!") is on there, and pretty far up.

MacosNerd · Sep 29, 2007, 03:35 PM

Films like blade runner, twelve monkeys and 1984 makes sense.

films such as AI, War of the Worlds, Total recall makes no sense to be in this list.

nonetheless an interesting list.

analogika · Sep 29, 2007, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

Films like blade runner, twelve monkeys and 1984 makes sense.

films such as AI, War of the Worlds, Total recall makes no sense to be in this list.

nonetheless an interesting list.

AI I haven't seen. War of the Worlds - agree.

Total Recall belongs on the list.

Chuckit · Sep 29, 2007, 04:29 PM

Some of these are really questionable. Like, I had no idea that A.I. was dystopian. For all its desire to be Blade Runner, that was one aspect it didn't copy. And Battle Royale was a dystopian book, but the movie really didn't touch on any of that. (Well, the second movie actually did, but it isn't on the list and it sucked.)

ort888 · Sep 29, 2007, 04:37 PM

Exactly. What was dystopian about the future world of A.I.? It seemed like a pretty nice place for the most part. Same with Starship Troopers (mean bugs don't make a world dystopian) and Total Recall. What was so bad about the world of Total Recall? sure, the hero had some crap go down, and Mars was a mess, but it seemed like a normal enough world.

lpkmckenna · Sep 29, 2007, 04:45 PM

Handmaid's Tale?

ShortcutToMoncton · Sep 29, 2007, 08:02 PM

I wonder if 28 Days Later would count as a dystopian movie?

greg

ort888 · Sep 29, 2007, 08:59 PM

Well, it makes more sense then a few of the other movies that made it.

design219 · Sep 29, 2007, 09:14 PM

Yes, 28 Days should be there.

analogika · Sep 30, 2007, 04:43 AM

Originally Posted by ort888

Same with Starship Troopers (mean bugs don't make a world dystopian)

What - apart from the bugs - about Starship Troopers WASN'T dystopian?

MacosNerd · Sep 30, 2007, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by analogika

What - apart from the bugs - about Starship Troopers WASN'T dystopian?

I think the book better illustrates the type of society then the movie and it's clearly not dystopian.

analogika · Sep 30, 2007, 06:58 AM

Only have the movie to go by.

Cadaver · Sep 30, 2007, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Only have the movie to go by.

They do talk about the downfall of democracy in the movie (in the school's history class), and we hear about the difference between a civilian and a citizen. Plus, the brutality of the military service, public lashings, etc. Sounds dystopian to me.

analogika · Sep 30, 2007, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Cadaver

They do talk about the downfall of democracy in the movie (in the school's history class), and we hear about the difference between a civilian and a citizen. Plus, the brutality of the military service, public lashings, etc. Sounds dystopian to me.

The whole movie starts of with a huge ad for the Mobile Infantry, with people getting mangled and the cynical "Service guarantees citizenship" slogan.

May be to close to reality for some, but that sets the tone for the movie, right there.

Kevin · Sep 30, 2007, 12:32 PM

Idiocracy was great

Because it has what plants crave.

I have seen lots of these movies too (not a TV watcher, but big movie buff..)

They Live rocked too... in a B movie sort of way.

And Dark City was awesome. One of the best movies I've ever seen.

Dang, going down this list there are tons of good movies on the page.

Alphaville.. .wow... haven't seen or remembered that in a long time.

This thread wins.

Chuckit · Sep 30, 2007, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by design219

Yes, 28 Days should be there.

The one where Sandra Bullock is an alcoholic?

ShortcutToMoncton · Sep 30, 2007, 01:56 PM

Heresy!

ghporter · Sep 30, 2007, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Cadaver

They do talk about the downfall of democracy in the movie (in the school's history class), and we hear about the difference between a civilian and a citizen. Plus, the brutality of the military service, public lashings, etc. Sounds dystopian to me.

That "movie" is an abomination wrapped up in a large turd. Verhoven bought the rights to the name "Starship Troopers" because he wanted to make a "bug hunt movie." Then he distorted and twisted Heinlein's VERY democratic society (note that democracy does not depend on universal suffrage) into some sort of Nazi nightmare. Instead of tough, smart, and dedicated soldiers using the latest hardware to fight smart, he made the MI a bunch of cowardly and ineffective bullet-hose operators. It was horrid.

Read the book and I don't think you'll get "dystopian" out of it.

And yeah, that list is screwy. Fantasies and cautionary tales as "dystopian?" I don't get it.

JoshuaZ · Sep 30, 2007, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

That "movie" is an abomination wrapped up in a large turd. Verhoven bought the rights to the name "Starship Troopers" because he wanted to make a "bug hunt movie." Then he distorted and twisted Heinlein's VERY democratic society (note that democracy does not depend on universal suffrage) into some sort of Nazi nightmare. Instead of tough, smart, and dedicated soldiers using the latest hardware to fight smart, he made the MI a bunch of cowardly and ineffective bullet-hose operators. It was horrid.

I was extremely annoyed at the **** that was Starship Troopers. I loved the book, and the movie took nothing but the name. The movie is a satire on facism and the first Iraq war. It has nothing to do with Heinlein`s book. Urge to kill rising....

Though on a side note... I think I`ll watch robocop tonight...

ghporter · Sep 30, 2007, 07:42 PM

I grew up near Detroit...I'm not so big on Robocop either.

design219 · Sep 30, 2007, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

The one where Sandra Bullock is an alcoholic?

Ha, yeah, anythings she is in is Dystopian!

That should be 28 Days Later.

OwlBoy · Sep 30, 2007, 11:53 PM

Where is Herby the Love Bug?

-Owl

OwlBoy · Sep 30, 2007, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

The one where Sandra Bullock is an alcoholic?

Zing!

analogika · Oct 1, 2007, 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ

I was extremely annoyed at the **** that was Starship Troopers. I loved the book, and the movie took nothing but the name. The movie is a satire on facism and the first Iraq war. It has nothing to do with Heinlein`s book. Urge to kill rising....

Even more than that, though, it's a satire on B-Movies (in fact, I recall reading that almost every line is a direct quote copped from some other B-movie).

I swear I did not know about the Robert A. Heinlein connection though. That's a book I'll have to read.

Chuckit · Oct 1, 2007, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Fantasies and cautionary tales as "dystopian?" I don't get it.

Dystopian stories very often are cautionary tales (e.g., 1984 is generally accepted as dystopian and is unquestionably meant as a cautionary tale).

Andrew Stephens · Oct 1, 2007, 03:44 AM

Children of Men. If you haven't seen it...see it. If you've seen it...see it again and if you've just finished seeing it again watch it for a third time.

Doofy · Oct 1, 2007, 04:41 AM

If I go out and point a camera at Britain, would that class as a dystopian movie?

And, given their famous 1984 ad, why doesn't Apple's spell-checker recognise the word "dystopian"? I wonder if it recognises "Microsoftian"? Hmmm... Nope.

Kevin · Oct 1, 2007, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Read the book and I don't think you'll get "dystopian" out of it.

Yeah.. when the book came out he was accussed of trying to create a utopia..

Starship Troopers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good book, but I still liked the movie for different satirical reasons.

Kevin · Oct 1, 2007, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens

Children of Men. If you haven't seen it...see it. If you've seen it...see it again and if you've just finished seeing it again watch it for a third time.

That is one on me and the ole ladies list to watch. I heard nothing but good things about it.

ghporter · Oct 1, 2007, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by analogika

I swear I did not know about the Robert A. Heinlein connection though. That's a book I'll have to read.

Set aside a day or so to read it. It's not huge, and it's pretty easy to read. Before you read it I'll say that it had a big impact on me when I read it. When you finish, come back and I'll tell you about what kind of impact it was.

I still wish Verhoven had just written his own darn story with his own darn title.

wallinbl · Oct 1, 2007, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I still wish Verhoven had just written his own darn story with his own darn title.

Every person I've ever talked to thinks that movies failed their books in some way. The way I see it, by reading books, you're ruining movies. If you'd just skip reading, you'd like movies much better!

ghporter · Oct 1, 2007, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Every person I've ever talked to thinks that movies failed their books in some way. The way I see it, by reading books, you're ruining movies. If you'd just skip reading, you'd like movies much better!

Ummm... I'm not going to stop reading. If Verhoven had actually TRIED to make Heinlein's story, that would have been different. Instead, he used Heinlein to market his own story. Stupid and dishonest of him.

analogika · Oct 1, 2007, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Ummm... I'm not going to stop reading. If Verhoven had actually TRIED to make Heinlein's story, that would have been different. Instead, he used Heinlein to market his own story. Stupid and dishonest of him.

If he'd used the Heinlein name to market it, you'd have a point.

This thread was the first I'd heard of Heinlein's "involvement", and I OWN the Special Edition DVD... (in fact, the only mention of Heinlein on the outside of this DVD box is on the back, in those six compressed lines of credits "nach dem Roman von Robert A. Heinlein" - sixth line, bottom left.)

Verhoeven's name ('from the creator of "Robocop" and "Total Recall"') pulled what crowds went to the movies to watch Starship Troopers, not Heinlein's.

SpaceMonkey · Oct 1, 2007, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

If he'd used the Heinlein name to market it, you'd have a point.

They used the name of a (presumably copyrighted) Heinlein work, which amounts to the same thing.

ghporter · Oct 1, 2007, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

If he'd used the Heinlein name to market it, you'd have a point.

This thread was the first I'd heard of Heinlein's "involvement", and I OWN the Special Edition DVD... (in fact, the only mention of Heinlein on the outside of this DVD box is on the back, in those six compressed lines of credits "nach dem Roman von Robert A. Heinlein" - sixth line, bottom left.)

Verhoeven's name ('from the creator of "Robocop" and "Total Recall"') pulled what crowds went to the movies to watch Starship Troopers, not Heinlein's.

Up until weeks before the theatrical release, it was marketed as "Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers". Then Ginny Heinlein got wind of the poo Verhoven had made of the movie and demanded Robert's name be removed. (Nobody EVER went against Ginny Heinlein on purpose...) I should have taken that as a sign to not spend the money to see it. Too bad I went ahead and saw it.

analogika · Oct 1, 2007, 04:41 PM

Edit: This was in response to SpaceMonkey.

I was unaware that this thing was actually marketed as "Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers" - it certainly wasn't over here, where it was released quite a bit later than in the U.S.

I'll leave my original post standing, though:

---------------------
How many people do you think that pulled into the cinema?

40?

Maybe even 40,000 worldwide?

How many do you think recognized Verhoeven's name, or Robocop, or Total Recall, or any combination of those?

Maybe I'm off-base, but I know who Heinlein is, and Starship Troopers was one I *hadn't* heard of until this thread, and in fact, I knew nothing of Heinlein's book being the basis for this screenplay until this thread.

And that despite the fact that I own the DVD, know who Heinlein is, and have seen the movie probably at least a half-dozen times.

Maybe I'm just denser than the average movie-goer, though.

ShortcutToMoncton · Oct 1, 2007, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Maybe I'm just denser than the average movie-goer, though.

Welllllllllllll.....you've seen Starship Troopers "at least a half-dozen times"...so at the risk of inviting an infraction, I would say that "denser" is a much milder word than I'd use....

greg

ghporter · Oct 1, 2007, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

And that despite the fact that I own the DVD, know who Heinlein is, and have seen the movie probably at least a half-dozen times.

Maybe I'm just denser than the average movie-goer, though.

Maybe you'll see a difference after you read the book. I read it first in 1975 or '76, and several times again before the movie was made. Being a Heinlein fan may have something to do with my take on the film, but I really felt that it was not only over the top in terms of gory visuals, but down the other side as well.

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton

Welllllllllllll.....you've seen Starship Troopers "at least a half-dozen times"...so at the risk of inviting an infraction, I would say that "denser" is a much milder word than I'd use....

greg

I'd say "masochistic" in terms of sitting through the gore (almost all of it gratuitous), the really whacked out story line, and the frequently "unstellar" acting that many times. I've read the book probably half again that many times, but I only saw the movie once.

analogika · Oct 1, 2007, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Maybe you'll see a difference after you read the book. I read it first in 1975 or '76, and several times again before the movie was made. Being a Heinlein fan may have something to do with my take on the film, but I really felt that it was not only over the top in terms of gory visuals, but down the other side as well.I'd say "masochistic" in terms of sitting through the gore (almost all of it gratuitous), the really whacked out story line, and the frequently "unstellar" acting that many times. I've read the book probably half again that many times, but I only saw the movie once.

Again, it's more of a B-movie satire than anything else.

It has no relation to the book other than loosely lifting the storyline from it.

I'm not sure why it's so difficult to see just why this movie is brilliant - all respect for Heinlein aside.

ghporter · Oct 1, 2007, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

I'm not sure why it's so difficult to see just why this movie is brilliant - all respect for Heinlein aside.

That's probably the point-I can't set aside the book and what it means to me. If the movie were more like the animated series, which was pretty darn good, especially for a low-budget animated anything, that might be something else. Or if they hadn't tried to warp Heinlein's ideas to make it look like they were really doing his story. But the fact that it was marketed as something very special, but wasn't that at all, still gets me. So maybe I hold a grudge on this...

Kevin · Oct 2, 2007, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by analogika

Again, it's more of a B-movie satire than anything else.

That is what I got off of it. Movies are never as good as books. The Mothman prophecies was as big disappointment. I book I read, and have read since I was in jr high. The Movie just played out a chapter, while mixing in other stuff.

The book was 10x better.

analogika · Oct 2, 2007, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

That is what I got off of it. Movies are never as good as books.

No no - a satire ON B-movies. Again: IIRC, most of the key phrases are deliberately quoted from various other classic and not-so-classic B-movies.

Kevin · Oct 2, 2007, 07:04 AM

I was agreeing with you on that part analogika. I was just mentioning in general. Usually for the most part, movies are rarely as good as the books they are based on.

ShortcutToMoncton · Oct 2, 2007, 10:10 AM

Yeah, see, the fact that it's supposedly a lot of satire doesn't make the movie any better for me. It can make fun of B-movies all it wants; I don't see how that changes the fact that the actual movie was still awful in any number of categories.

I guess my point is: if you deliberately make a bad movie, that doesn't somehow make it a good movie.

greg