Message-ID: <12643@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Aug-84 20:41:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12643
Posted: Mon Aug 20 20:41:06 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Aug-84 05:46:25 EDT
Lines: 37

From:  Doug Bryan 



 In reply to Dave Mankins' message about Dreamscape:

 Some who have seen "Dreamscape" seem to think it was a good SF film.  I
 very much disagree.

 The plot was thin; the villain was under-developed and quite simple minded.
 In the end the hero was able to defeat the villian and save all only because
 the villain came right out and told our hero the secret to 'dream warfare'.

 The dream sequences contained very few special effects.  The main dream
 monster (the snake-man) was nothing more than a rubber suite one could
 probably buy at a good costume store.  I felt the special effects were
 very much substandard for a 1984 film.  A number of the dreams had a nuclear
 distruction theme and in these you can see film clips from 1950's DoD 
 tests.  These clips were made into 'special effects' by simply adding
 color masks and filters.  Such techniques would be acceptable for TV or 
 a feature film make 25 years ago but not in a modern SF film.

 Also I felt the film did not nearly enough develope the technical aspects
 of dream intervention.  In the early parts of the movie all kinds of computers
 and electrical equipment are shown to be used to help a person enter another
 person dream yet not even a hint as to how this is done is given.

 So if you want to see a good SF film, avoid "Dreamscape" at all costs.


        Doug Bryan
        bryan@su-sierra

        facts are temporary...
        long live fantasy!

-------