Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties (2 Volumes in 1)
by Bill Warren
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bill WarrenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-11-01
ISBN: 0786404795
Number of pages: 1344
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Book Reviews of Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties (2 Volumes in 1)
Book Review: "Keep Watching The Skies! "
Summary: 5 Stars
Bill Warren's massive 1300+ page two volume set, "Keep Watching The Skies!: American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties", is by far the most comprehensive work of its kind, however, it is not completely exhaustive. Incredibly detailed - where else could one find a lengthy discussion of four different scripts by four different authors, each vying for the honors in "Conquest Of Space"? - the volumes include penetrating reviews of the "Big Five": "The Day The Earth Stood Still"; "The War of the Worlds"; "The Thing From Another Planet"; "Forbidden Planet" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", as well as a host of lesser heralded lights. Warren grew up during this era and his (self admitted) nostalgia creeps in periodically in an entertaining way, but not to the point of interfering with his objectivity. In fact, it's nostalgic passion that provided him the "rocket fuel" to tackle and complete such a formidable task. As well as the "Big Five", I derived considerable pleasure from reading Warren's favorable reviews of such spicy delectables as "The Man From Planet X"; "Kronos"; "The Creeping Unknown" and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" - films that made lasting graphic impressions upon me as a child in the 1950s. I have two quibbles - both relatively minor - with "Keep Watching The Skies!" - the first is Warren's inclusion of a small number of films such as "The Bowery Boys" and "Jungle Jim", where the sci-fi elements are so scant and peripheral as to hardly qualify them for the genre. The second is his choice of the subtitle, "American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties", which I feel is potentially confusing. Both volumes cover the period from 1950 to 1962, Warren says that "trends don't follow calendars", and while I don't have a big problem with inclusion of early 60's films, I think it would have been more appropriate and straightforward for the subtitle to have been something like "The Golden Age of American Science Fiction Films -1950-62". Quibbles aside, "Keep Watching The Skies!" is THE DEFINITIVE REFERENCE GUIDE for the 1950's sci-fi film connoisseur/afficionado, and will remain so for many years to come.
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