Category Archives: Science Fiction

Bringing the Lifeform to Life: An Interview with Brian Schiavo

Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2012 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2012 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Saturday, November 26, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Friday, October 21, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2011 by Robert Hood

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?

Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 by Robert Hood

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

Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2011 by Robert Hood

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