Ep. 02-08: Star Wars (1977)

Episode 02-08 STAR WARS

Darth Vader and the Imperial Forces are holding Princess Leia hostage, in their quest to subdue the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (recruited via Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon, team-up with the amiable droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the imprisoned princess, assist the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the galaxy.

A long time ago, in a movie theater far, far away, before a gargantuan franchise was born, a sci-fi action flick thrilled not only the young but all ages, all over the world. Join us as we reflect upon first seeing this monumental film during its original theatrical release. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys take you back to the timeless archetypal story of the hero’s journey, and how a young man from a desolate planet can rise to be a champion. Welcome to Star Wars…

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Warp Speed Ahead

Autumn is here, and I know many of you are anxiously awaiting cooler weather, delicious comfort food, and the latest spooktacular movies for October and Halloween. Normally, I’d be right there with you, gearing up for classic films… AMC’s Fear Fest, TCM, and all the horror lurking on DVDs in my swelling media closet.

But no… right now I am fixated with a different kind of comfort food, one that has been with me since I was a child and that I often turn to for nostalgic cravings—a rock-solid show that never ceases to delight me for myriad reasons. I am talking about the original Star Trek.

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Ep. 01-20: Forbidden Planet (1956)

Episode 19 “Forbidden Planet”

In this sci-fi classic from 1956, a spacecraft travels to the distant planet Altair IV to discover the fate of a group of scientists sent there decades earlier. When Commander John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) and his crew arrive, they discover Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter, Altaira (Anne Francis). Soon, Adams begins to uncover the mystery of what happened, and why Morbius and Altaira are the sole survivors.

Forbidden Planet (one of David’s all-time favorite films) was a paradigm in Science fiction cinema, spawning countless knock-offs and still inspiring the minds of sci-fi writers and directors today. What is it that makes this, the first big-budget science fiction film ever produced, so influential? Join us as we discuss a plethora of reasons as well as tossing out a good handful of key elements found in media, both past, and present. Journey with us to Forbidden Planet!

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