My Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies of All Time - #2
by Ken Parker

From the very beginning of this series
way back in January I mentioned that one element that I hold as a
high standard for film is the visuals. The story must also hold
water but the visuals can make or break a movie. They can also take
a movie that extra step from being a great movie to a superb one.
Films like
Metropolis,
Forbidden Planet,
Star Wars
and
Close Encounters of the Third
Kind are examples of this type of criteria. Visuals
doesn’t mean just special effects. It is the entire composite
which includes camera shot, colors, movement and so on. It is the
visuals telling the story. Sci-Fi often relies on visuals to sell an
idea. You may not believe in flying saucers but after seeing
Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, at minimum you now know what they
may look like if they existed.
Visuals are also very important in the
tone of the film. How it is shot and what the final image looks like
is part of the blueprint of the film structure. Star Wars had
a visual style with a very straight forward feel. Quick edits and
throwback transitions helps set an “Exciting Days of Yesterday”
and nostalgic old school feel. Couple that with stereotypical and
yet re-imagined stunts and scenes and you have a classic adventure
tale.
On the other hand, you take dark
imagery along with slow sweeping and gloomy shots and you have a
different type of movie. That is where we go today.