Category Archives: Science Fiction

Bringing the Lifeform to Life: An Interview with Brian Schiavo

Filmmaker Brian Schiavo freely names Davids Lynch and Cronenberg, along with Guillermo del Toro, as major influences in his work — and in my book that’s pretty impressive name-dropping. By the time he adds Alan Moore’s run on the comic … Continue reading

Posted in Demons, Exploitation films, Frankenstein, Horror, Independent film, Monsters in general, News, Science Fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Visions of John Carter

Back in the day I read pretty well all the science fantasy of Edgar Rice Burroughs, from Tarzan, through the Pellucidar series and the tales of Barsoom — Mars — with its scantily clad Princess. Inevitably those of my generation … Continue reading

Posted in Fantasy, Film, Pictorial art, Science Fiction | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

When Faux Cicadas Get Real: A Backbrain Exclusive

At the moment The Attack of the Giant Killer Cicadas is the subject of a faux movie trailer for a 1950s style sci-fi/horror movie that doesn’t exist … but which, in the words of its creator “probably should!” You know … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Giant Bugs, Giant Monsters, Horror, Independent film, News, Retro, Science Fiction, Teaser, Trailers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

War of the Worlds: Goliath Trailer

New trailer for the animated steam-punk sequel to H.G.Wells’ War of the Worlds — War of the Worlds: Goliath (US-2011; dir. Joe Pearson) Source: Quiet Earth via Avery Guerra

Posted in Animation, Robots, Science Fiction, Update | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Zombies From Outer Space: Update

Remember the retro scifi horror flick Zombies from Outer Space (Germany-2010; dir. Martin Faltermeier), which Undead Backbrain revealed to the world at the end of last year? No? Well, go read about it here. Go on! Hurry up! We’ll wait. … Continue reading

Posted in Flying Saucers, Humour, Independent film, Retro, Science Fiction, Update, Zombies | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Curse of the Phantom Shadow

An entirely understandable passion for 1940s pulp adventure/crime fiction culture has inspired filmmaker Mark Ross to undertake the always daunting task of making a movie of his own, intended to capture the style and aesthetic qualities of such influences as: … Continue reading

Posted in Fantasy, Film, Independent film, Science Fiction, Superhero | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Last Day of MORAV Appeal

I meant to plug this earlier but ran out of time. So this is a flash info-dump. MORAV — the giant robot combat franchise being developed by Fon Davis — is in its last day on Kickstarter, seeking funding to … Continue reading

Posted in Independent film, News, Robots, Science Fiction, Where's the Film? | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Two Suns in the Sunset

So sang Roger Waters on the Pink Floyd album The Final Cut. It was an image evoking the detonation of a nuclear bomb seen on the horizon as the sun sets — both signaling an end. Then George Lucas gave … Continue reading

Posted in It's True! Really!, Science, Science Fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Real War of the Worlds?

One of the most influential novels in my personal development as both a writer and an obsessive SF/horror geek was H.G. Wells’ alien invasion classic War of the Worlds (1898) — a novel that created the template for such things. … Continue reading

Posted in Apocalypse, Film, News, Science Fiction | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Laputa: Castle in the Sky [original title: Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta] (Japan-1986; dir. Hayao Miyazaki Reviewed by Robert Hood There is a distinctly steampunk — or perhaps more accurately retro, post-Industrial — aesthetic  to Hayao Miyazaki’s typically luminous fantasy anime, … Continue reading

Posted in Animation, Fantasy, Film, Review, Robots, Science Fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment