Is Stargate Emmerich's "Best" . . . ?

[Wryan]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/comparisons/comparisons/s/stargate/stargate_ue_us4.jpg

Love this movie. Love it love it love it. The sense of wonder that's a wee bit Indy with extraterrestrial edges that doesn't feel too derivative. Kurt Russell being the badass. James Spader being the dork that wins the girl. Jaye Davidson being another quasi femme with smoldering eyes (and a dinosaur-with-down's-syndrome visage underneath that). The native leader who looks vaguely like a monkey but gets to run down the sandhill screaming his bald-headed ass off at the end. The great score. The freaky metal Anubis dudes. The prologue which opens in 8000 BC. The tense, awesomely choreographed reversal of fortune-explosion at the end cut to sweet music.

PYRAMIDS. FLYING PYRAMIDS. FLYING SPACE PYRAMIDS.

[lovejuice]

love it too. although the greatest thing about it is how emmerich really works wonder with limited budget. that's why, i think, except for id4 which i love, his other movies don't hold up as well. if released today, it might be at best straight to dvd, but for what it is, in its time, the movie rocks.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Flying space pyramids are cool. The rest? Not so much. Maybe in a view-when-drunk-off-ass sort of way.

[Sven]

Universal Soldier, bitch.

[Morris Schæffer]

ID-4 is superior, but Stargate is watchable. Both appear better than 10,000 BC.

[eternity]

I'm not sure, all I know is that I've never liked an Emmerich film and this one is no different. In fact, it's pretty fucking terrible.

[lovejuice]

Universal Soldier, bitch.

that one ain't so scrubby either. among many terminater knock-off, it's actually the better. emmerich is the man, i tell ya.

[MadMan]

Universal Solider is medocre at best. ID4 is highly entertaining. I actually want to see Stargate. Strangely enough I think 10,000 BC looks awesome.

[megladon8]

I love Stargate.

I also love Independence Day for sheer American patriotic bravura entertainment.

Not too big on any of Emmerich's other movies, though, especially the travesty that is Godzilla.

Not looking forward to 10,000 B.C. either.

[D_Davis]

My vote is for The Patriot. I love this film. So wrong, and oh so right.

Stargate would have been cool if they would have focused more on the mystery and science of the Stargates, but it turns into a not-so-good action flick way too fast.

It's better than The Fifth Element though, that's for damn sure.

[MadMan]

My vote is for The Patriot. I love this film. So wrong, and oh so right.

Stargate would have been cool if they would have focused more on the mystery and science of the Stargates, but it turns into a not-so-good action flick way too fast.

It's better than The Fifth Element though, that's for damn sure.As a history buff I think The Patriot is funny, entertaining pro-American jingoistic bullshit fantasy. I enjoy the hell out of that cheesy flick, and I actually saw it in the theater. I forgot about Godzilla('98) for a very good reason: its a steaming pile of worthless crap that even rips off the first two JP films.

[megladon8]

My vote is for The Patriot. I love this film. So wrong, and oh so right.

Stargate would have been cool if they would have focused more on the mystery and science of the Stargates, but it turns into a not-so-good action flick way too fast.

It's better than The Fifth Element though, that's for damn sure.


:cry: You don't like The Fifth Element?

I would have pegged that as a potential D_Davis favorite.

[D_Davis]

:cry: You don't like The Fifth Element?

I would have pegged that as a potential D_Davis favorite.


I think the Fifth Element is tripe, shite, and garbage. One of my absolute least favorite genre films. It never shuts up, has one of the lamest soundtracks I've ever heard, and it also features one of the most obnoxious "actors" of all time playing one of the worst characters ever created.

I despise and loath this film.

[megladon8]

I think the Fifth Element is tripe, shite, and garbage. One of my absolute least favorite genre films. It never shuts up, has one of the lamest soundtracks I've ever heard, and it also features one of the most obnoxious "actors" of all time playing one of the worst characters ever created.

I despise and loath this film.


Wow. You really hate it.

I love it.

[D_Davis]

As a history buff I think The Patriot is funny, entertaining pro-American jingoistic bullshit fantasy. I enjoy the hell out of that cheesy flick, and I actually saw it in the theater.

Oh God yes. It's just wrong on so many levels, but damn does it ever entertain me.

It's like Mad Max fighting the dirty British in America.

[D_Davis]

Wow. You really hate it.

I love it.

I rented it about a month ago to give it another chance, got about 30 minutes into it and had to turn it off. It was actually making me feel angry.

[MadMan]

Oh God yes. It's just wrong on so many levels, but damn does it ever entertain me.

It's like Mad Max fighting the dirty British in America.With the late Heath Ledger, a Brit hating Frenchie and a bunch of rag tag colonists in tow. While yes the Swamp Fox did exist that's really not how the whole thing went down heh.

I too am somewhat surprised that you don't like The Fifth Element Davis. I love it despite admitting that at times the film is high with excess.

[D_Davis]

I too am somewhat surprised that you don't like The Fifth Element Davis. I love it despite admitting that at times the film is high with excess.

It has two of my least favorite people in the industry in it:

Chris Tucker
Mila Jalosovoshichjfghdfwhatshernam e

These two people are like nails on a chalkboard to me. They make me cringe.

Plus I think it is just a poorly made film in every regard except for some of the special effects.

[lovejuice]

I too am somewhat surprised that you don't like The Fifth Element Davis. I love it despite admitting that at times the film is high with excess.

told ya, he's a tricky fellow. count me in as another surprised.

[[ETM]]

I think the Fifth Element is tripe, shite, and garbage. One of my absolute least favorite genre films. It never shuts up, has one of the lamest soundtracks I've ever heard, and it also features one of the most obnoxious "actors" of all time playing one of the worst characters ever created.

I despise and loath this film.

You actually hate everything that's good about it... talk about cultural differences.

As for Stargate, it's one of my early favorites... it just needed a tighter script, bigger budget, more sci-fi, about 15 minutes trimmed from the middle, and abso-fuckin-lutely none of James Spader's lame-ass phone-in performance.

[lovejuice]

;36402']
As for Stargate, it's one of my early favorites... it just needed a tighter script, bigger budget, more sci-fi, about 15 minutes trimmed from the middle, and abso-fuckin-lutely none of James Spader's lame-ass phone-in performance.

as mentioned in my first post, i think, emmerich has a tendency to turn into michael bay when he has a lot of money to burn. working with tight budget, he seems more capable of utilizing the money.

[D_Davis]

This makes me sad that everyone thinks I should love Fifth Element. :)

To me, this would be like me thinking everyone here loves Norbit, and being shocked to find out that y'all don't.

[Wryan]

Come on. Any damage done by Chris Tucker or Jovovich is more than made up for by Gary Oldman and Ian Holm. Action is great, too.

Me love The 5th Element.

[Sven]

This makes me sad that everyone thinks I should love Fifth Element. :)

To me, this would be like me thinking everyone here loves Norbit, and being shocked to find out that y'all don't.

....

No comment.

I loves me some Fifth Element and count me among those that thought you would love it too.

[D_Davis]

I never knew Fifth Element was so loved.

Crazy, usually I understand when I stand in the vast minority (Armageddon), but this one perplexes me. I really do think it is one of the worst semi-big budget genre films I've ever seen. I find it absolutely unwatchable, not even bad enough to be good. Beyond some of the special effects, I cannot recall a single redeemable quality.

[eternity]

I never knew Fifth Element was so loved.

Crazy, usually I understand when I stand in the vast minority (Armageddon), but this one perplexes me. I really do think it is one of the worst semi-big budget genre films I've ever seen. I find it absolutely unwatchable, not even bad enough to be good. Beyond some of the special effects, I cannot recall a single redeemable quality.I can't find a single redeemable quality in either The Fifth Element or Armageddon, they both are :frustrated: inducing. Go me.

[Mysterious Dude]

I really like The Fifth Element. I'm not sure what it has to do with Roland Emmerich, though.

[Velocipedist]

I agree with Davis. It's putrid.

[Sxottlan]

Stargate holds up pretty well. Always loved the imagery of the guys with the Anubis heads. I never got into the subsequent television phenomenon though.

I thought Emmerich was going to do some political thriller next? Something about the president is impeached, but refuses to leave office amid a siege? Sounded pretty incendiary for Emmerich, which made me intensely curious about it.

[Wryan]

I'm not sure what it has to do with Roland Emmerich, though.

Daniel Davis totally started it.

[monolith94]

The Fifth Element is definitely good. Great cast, great humor, lightning-fast pacing, charmingly cheesy comic-book plot...

[[ETM]]

as mentioned in my first post, i think, emmerich has a tendency to turn into michael bay when he has a lot of money to burn. working with tight budget, he seems more capable of utilizing the money.

Agreed, but we're talking best case scenario here - the film needed more visual panache, which would have required more money.

[Morris Schæffer]

Yeah, Chris Tucker in Besson's flick was relentlessly annoying. The actual movie looked expensive and somewhat original in concept and visuals, but the Frenchman is a terribly mediocre director, the adventure giving off a smell of unfulfilled potential. I've seen worse crowdpleasers though.

[D_Davis]

Daniel Davis totally started it.

:lol: - I'm sorry.

For some reason I always lump Stargate and Fifth Element together. Did they come out around the same time or something?

I don't know, but I do know that I like Stargate more, if only because it doesn't make me want to kill myself.

The first 30 minutes of Stargate are really good.

[Spinal]

Mila Jalosovoshichjfghdfwhatshernam e

Her name's not that hard to spell.

Jo. Vo. Vich.

[D_Davis]

Her name's not that hard to spell.

Jo. Vo. Vich.


I know. I just think it's funny to show my disgust of her by over exaggerating my inability to spell her name correctly or even care enough to check the IMDB to see what it really is.

And the irony that I actually spend more time making up funny misspellings is not lost on me.

[[ETM]]

I'm tempted to negative-rep for the Montenegrin surname misspelling alone.

[Qrazy]

So does anyone ever actually neg rep or is that just something that people say as a matchcutian synonym for disgust and disagreement?

[Kurosawa Fan]

So does anyone ever actually neg rep or is that just something that people say as a matchcutian synonym for disgust and disagreement?

The latter, though it's been known to happen on rare occasion.

[Winston*]

I've given out negative rep multiple times and in each case the neg-repee got exactly what they deserved. I have no regrets.

[Spinal]

I've only neg-repped once (at this site), but then repped the person back after they apologized. I'm such a softie.

[amberlita]

I love the beginning of Stargate. First 45 minutes or so. But when they get to the colony it all goes downhill. Same goes for the music. Both are adventurous and mysterious but get dark and lame after the first act.

[MadMan]

Stargate holds up pretty well. Always loved the imagery of the guys with the Anubis heads. I never got into the subsequent television phenomenon though.

I thought Emmerich was going to do some political thriller next? Something about the president is impeached, but refuses to leave office amid a siege? Sounded pretty incendiary for Emmerich, which made me intensely curious about it.While that sounds cool, I'm sure Emmerich would probably screw it up. Bummer.

I've never given out neg rep. But I've been tempted at times.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Also, it's important to note that Stargate doesn't have the ZF-1, nor does it have the brilliant conceit of having the chief hero and villain never even meet each other.

[lovejuice]

Yeah, Chris Tucker in Besson's flick was relentlessly annoying. The actual movie looked expensive and somewhat original in concept and visuals, but the Frenchman is a terribly mediocre director, the adventure giving off a smell of unfulfilled potential. I've seen worse crowdpleasers though.

yep! i don't hate besson as much as perplexed by how he's cited many times as being influential to action genre. he's almost talentless, with one good movie as a fluke -- which i don't even like. 5th element is mindless fun, and i give him that. but i'll take emmerich over him any day.

[Dukefrukem]

Emmerich is in talks to reboot this with a trilogy.


http://www.aintitcool.com/node/64038?utm_source=feedly

[Dukefrukem]

Emmerich is in talks to reboot this with a trilogy.


http://www.aintitcool.com/node/64038?utm_source=feedly

More rumors about this, just a day after they hired a new writer for ID4-2

[MadMan]

Stargate (1994, Rowland Emmerich)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0cy47o4az1r9xev1o1_500 .gif
Pretty cool, huh?

Despite being heavily dated I really enjoyed Stargate in terms of it being good, fun cheesy science fiction mixed in with action and adventure. Kurt Russell plays a stereotypical version of the characters he's often portrayed over the years in action movies, while James Spader manages to almost convince us that he's a nerdy scientist. I never bothered to watch the TV show but the movie is big, dumb, loud, and has explosions, which is the classic trademark of one Mr. Rowland Emmerich, a director who is a poor man's Paul W.S. Anderson-although I would place him above Michael Bay I suppose. Stargate's best feature is that a group of soldiers with Russell and Spader in tow end up traveling to another dimension and discover they are in a place like Ancient Egypt, only the ruler is guarded by creatures armed with cool looking spear guns that shoot lasers or something.

Now that I think about it though the film's plot is a bit flimsy, the characters thinly developed, and the explosion rate is too low for a movie with Kurt Russell involved. I guess I was entertained regardless, and that speaks to my low standards for entertainment these days but also to the fact that this is a simply well made movie that has simple pleasures. I almost laughed at the uprising that occurs near the end, and I wonder why in sci-fi movies it always has to be the nameless oppressed rabble being led by someone advanced, throwing off the chains of their superior masters and claiming freedom. Well at least freedom from being ruled over by assholes, for they will then have the right to experience the misery of democracy and actually vote for their asshole leaders. Hurray!

PS: And apparently the pyramids were built by aliens. Which reminds me of this guy:

http://beckert-itservice.de/content/wp-content/uploads/aliens-guy-history-channel-meme-552.jpg

These days I'm either reposting reviews I wrote on the Corrie or old ones from my blogs.

[Ezee E]

I remember really digging Stargate when it first came out.

[Wryan]

ha what the hell. Who's digging up my old threads? This was surreal.

And I still love Stargate.

[Dukefrukem]

“The Stargate thing is a different story. We did the original Stargate as an independent movie. It was a surprise success. Shortly before the movie came out, the financiers who were frightened the movie might not do well sold the film to MGM. When the film came out, it was a hit and spawned TV shows.

Of all the projects I’ve ever done, Stargate is the only one from the beginning intended to be a trilogy. We always wanted to do parts two and three, but the thinking was they didn’t want to do anything other than the TV series. So literally for 20 years I’ve been chasing this project. Twenty years later, we can’t really do part two. We have to start over from the beginning. So let's reboot the series, put in all the things we couldn’t the first time, and set it up properly.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/06/leverage-producer-dean-devlin-on-why-he-wants-to.html?page=all

[Mysterious Dude]

PS: And apparently the pyramids were built by aliens. Which reminds me of this guy:
Never thought about that. And more recently, Anonymous endorses the theory that Shakespeare didn't write his own plays. What insane conspiracy theory will Roland Emmerich endorse next?

[MadMan]

Never thought about that. And more recently, Anonymous endorses the theory that Shakespeare didn't write his own plays. What insane conspiracy theory will Roland Emmerich endorse next?Oh wow I forgot about Anonymous. Heh maybe he'll suggest we never landed on the moon? Rowland Emmerich presents.....APOLLOSCAM.

[Dukefrukem]

Just read somewhere that Emmerich is rebooting this. Cool I guess.

[Dukefrukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itqq9hzLapk

[Milky Joe]

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen a more horrendous trailer. Is this a real movie, or is it a joke trailer like Dundee? Somebody put a stop to Emmerich—he needs to head down to wherever his buddy Bryan Singer went.

[Skitch]

—he needs to head down to wherever his buddy Bryan Singer went.

Making X-Men movies?

[Milky Joe]

He was removed from the Freddie Mercury project and stepped down as producer of Legion. He's done.