22 Comments

You couldn't really film any of Heinlein's novels accurately- Hollywood will never be libertarian enough in nature to accept his worldview. As you said, they basically took the title and the character names and superimposed them on their own story.

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Exactement, and I seriously doubt they’ll ever film any of my stories for the same reason hahaha (not that I’m libertarian).

The movie is a strange beast. An interesting one, but a strange one.

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Heinlein after the 1950s wouldn't get filmed for sure- he lost his plot then...

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We need independent film-makers to pick up where big Hollywood studios failed. Imagine faithful screen adaptations of this and many other original stories!

🦀

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Agreed wholeheartedly, it is why I’m in contact with Jacob Calta, Tom Hyland and planning after I recover from my cold to get in contact with one Canadian filmmaker my family is friends with.

I also think it might be worth it trying to get in with the French cinema business as they’re producing great filmes these days.

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Really? huh, sounds like the ultimate anti-hollywood guy.

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Actually...

I read an article in a Sci-fi magazine that had interviewed the author or whatever of the movie and he said that he (the author) hated Heinlein and his ideas. That the movie was made as a deliberate mockery or contradiction to Heinlien.

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Good analysis of the movie, mon ami! If you like, I can DM you a couple of YT videos that also explore the movie, compare all the major deviations from the book etc etc. All quite interesting I must admit!

As for those of you who wish to watch a more accurate adaptation of Starship Troopers, I have this old school anime OVA series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKR1eaSV4Bg&list=PLrPVT5RfI89ec-KcN6IURqNcV0VWBwpk5

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To me, the whole thing felt like satire. Not very good satire but at the very least too ridiculous to take any of it seriously. Of course I only saw it the one time, and I don’t really have any desire to watch it again (though with a husband who loves mindless action films, including this one, I’m sure I’ll be made to suffer through it again at some point 😒)

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I enjoyed it, but it did feel like strange satire and like I wasn’t in on the joke. I’m still pretty confused by it and want to watch it again if only to better understand it.

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Excellent article. The book truly is great and I recommend it to everyone and then if you want to, I'd say watch the movie because it surely is interesting to say the least.

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Agreed, it seems to be a study in propaganda, not a serious movie about it but a study in how it shapes society. It truly was interesting.

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How about an article on the 1993 film "Demolition Man" with Sly Stallone and Wesley Snipes?

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Love that movie, definitely gonna have to start analyzing it.

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I only remember the shower scene where all their butts are on display.

A better B-flick sci-fi from the 90s, I think, is Stargate.

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Never seen it, will watch it since you recommended it mon ami.

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Stargate is awesome. Not great bear in mind, but it was a solid film

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Gotcha, will tackle it since you like it so much. I’ve never seen it, but will do so after my cold subsides.

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Your views are spot on because this really was a film devoid of any meaningful moral substance. All about sex and violence and eye candy to appeal to teen boys.

The idea of giant insects threatening earth in the manner that they did, is beyond ridiculous. And also let's not forget that being a "citizen" also gave you the right to vote – an interesting thought exercise, but certainly does not make up for the pervasive vacuity of this film.

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Oh yeah I forgot about the matter of the suffrage, I suppose my suspicion was that given the votes are naturally counted by the Federation the right doesn’t count for much.

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Yes, it was a strange one for sure. But I did relish the propaganda theme. I found that relevant for today's world and as you say-always relevant. So many buy the 'current story' and never look any deeper.

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Oh very good point, I definitely did appreciate that aspect of it even as I found that there were things that went over my head.

My gf might understand some better, maybe I’ll have her watch it with me next and go over it with me.

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