Reason #1: Because the Sci Fi Channel wouldn't be the Sci Fi Channel without those craptastic movies-of-the-week.Reason #2: Because it might star Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: TNG's Counselor Troi) and Luke Goss (the pastey prince from Hellboy II).
Reason #3: Because TV could use more evil mohawk-sporting, Fine Young Cannibal-rockin' punks and medieval mad scientists.
Am I wrong?
It doesn't matter, because Sci Fi is moving ahead with a TV movie based on director Neil Marshall's post-apocalyptic box office bomb. Nick Lyon, who directed one of those straight-to-DVD Species movies, and writer Rafael Jordan, one of Sci Fi's more talented indentured servants, are currently working on the project. It's unclear if this will be a sequel or a prequel to Marshall's movie, but one thing's for sure – it'll be trashy, but it'll probably be a lot fun if you don't take it too seriously.
The original Doomsday stole ideas, concepts and almost everything else from great films like The Road Warrior, Aliens and Escape From New York -- not to mention Resident Evil, Underworld and most of John Carpenter's oeuvre. It wasn't original, and it wasn't that good, but somehow it kept me entertained for ninety minutes. Something tells me a TV version with C-list talent and one-third of the original's budget might be just as entertaining. I'm not sayin' I want this thing to spin off into a series, I'm just sayin' I wouldn't mind seeing Counselor Troi re-enact some of Tina Turner's more quotable scenes from Beyond Thunderdome.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-01-2009 @ 6:32PM
ussilov said...
someone really needs to take the sci-fi channel to the back of the tool shed. Then we can start over from scratch and create a channel that respects and provides QUALITY science fiction/fantasy programming.
*two cents deposited*
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1-01-2009 @ 6:31PM
Jimmy said...
This is what annoys me about the Sci Fi Channel's Saturday movies. For the same money they spend on these, as you say, craptacular movies they could option some really great science fiction novels. No one says great science fiction has to have space battles, sandworms, and alien invasions. With Sanctuary-style green screen even those movies wouldn't cost as much.
Sci Fi likes to brag that these movies draw 2 million viewers to their network every Saturday, but what kind of viewers could they draw if they aired something like Stranger in a Strange Land, Neil Gaiman's American Gods, or The Doomsday Book. Even some of the epic-type sci fi novels can be made well on a low budget with modern CGI and green screen effects. Novels like the Foundation series or Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars can be filmed for what is spent on two episodes of Stargate. Yet, Sci Fi continually puts out crap monster movies.
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1-01-2009 @ 7:47PM
k4ffy said...
i'd love to see an adaptation of the Foundation series.
1-01-2009 @ 9:20PM
bc said...
I don't think I've ever watched a Sci Fi original movie, but I think you're vastly overestimating how much they spend. In 2005 it was reported that the most expensive of these films were budgeted at approximately $2 million, with the least expensive coming in around $1 million. By way of contrast, 2 hours of the original Star Trek series would have cost approximately $2.4 million in 2005 dollars, and that was a very expensive production for its time.
The movies may suck, but they have a proven formula that brings in more advertising revenue than they cost to make, which is more than some networks can say about Saturday night programming. The crap Sci Fi churns out on a routine basis allows them to make a couple high quality miniseries projects a year--be glad of that. Doing more would require probably require a different business model, like a subscription channel, or higher carriage fees than a niche channel is likely to command.
1-01-2009 @ 10:04PM
Tony said...
Original Sci-fi movie? I'd rather watch puppies being drowned. Horrible, horrible stuff.
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1-01-2009 @ 10:48PM
Tara said...
If Luke Goss is in this movie it is not going to be a poor quality movie. Luke is a A list actor and not C by the way; he has proven in more than enough movies he is a talented actor. Check out Blade II, The Man, One Night With the King and Hellboy II. www.lukegossforum.com
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1-01-2009 @ 11:45PM
socrates said...
I am in just for your stated three reason alone. Yes SciFi has some...less than quality stories they bring to life but I love the channel with all my heart and when I don't have anything better to watch I'll be watching stupid zombies eating what is left of the world and loving it even if I don't subscribe to the idea.
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1-02-2009 @ 12:50AM
AutomagV said...
It was definitely a B-movie, no doubt about it. A damn fine one with a budget even. I'd be down for more.
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1-02-2009 @ 9:40AM
Renee said...
LUKE GOSS is the best actor there is! His acting ability is better than those so-called A-listers out there. Check out some of his films. Luke can act circles around those other guys!!! Watch out form him - Luke Goss will be the new actor to see in 2009 - GO LUKE!!! LUKE IS GONNA SHINE IN 2009!!!
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2-02-2009 @ 7:34PM
indra said...
he will shine in 2009 he is the best actor ever!!!!
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1-08-2009 @ 9:40PM
James said...
Is it really related to Neil Marshall's Doomsday from last year?
Back in September, Marina Sirtis's Official Site told us: "Marina just completed filming in Bulgaria for her role as a government official involved in a particle collider project. The new movie is called "Doomsday" and will air on the Sci-Fi Channel."
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1-08-2009 @ 11:16PM
James said...
http://www.myspace.com/mikefreshjohnson
This guy was in the film, check out his photos for proof, him and Luke Goss and other cast members. And his blog tells us it's not related to Neil Marshall's film.
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