Arthur C. Clarke Movies
Heavily praised as one of the preeminent science fiction writers of the 20th century, Arthur C. Clarke did much to reinvent the genre by building his fictions on a solid foundation of known scientific principles (particularly advanced physics and astronomy) -- a technique that foreshadowed the work of such contemporaries as Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick. Born in Minehead, Somersetshire, England, on December 16, 1917, Clarke acquired a deep-seated adoration for sci-fi as early as age 12, and wrote avidly for his school paper, but his family's dire economic circumstances forced him to leave school and take a job as an auditor for the English government. In subsequent years, the young Clarke both joined a science fiction and fantasy club known as the British Interplanetary Society, and -- in his spare time -- delved headfirst into authoring both science fiction short stories and speculative nonfiction essays on the future of space travel. Following service in World War II, Clarke earned university degrees in advanced mathematics and physics, which gave him a more thorough basis for his fictions and thus presaged an eminently successful career; indeed, beginning with the masterful novel Childhood's End in 1953 (which became a runaway best-seller), he achieved many a writer's dream by authoring full-time. In the decades to follow, his output quickly ascended to around one novel per year.Cinematically, Clarke is best known for his genre-shattering work scripting (and authoring the short story that inspired) Stanley Kubrick's gloriously enigmatic sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). A sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, appeared in 1984 -- this time co-scripted by Clarke and director Peter Hyams and adapted from Clarke's novel; perhaps inevitably, it literalized the earlier film and left many with feelings of intense disappointment.
Clarke's literary credits also include the novels Rendezvous with Rama (1973), The Fountains of Paradise (1979), and 3001: The Final Odyssey (1997). The author died in March 2008 at the age of 90. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- 2001
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Stanley Kubrick was one of the most acclaimed and controversial filmmakers of his generation, but he was also an intensely private man who rarely gave interviews and produced most of his films under a shroud of secrecy, which tended to foster a great deal of rumor and speculation about his working methods. Jan Harlan, who worked as Kubrick's assistant and executive producer on several projects (and was also his brother-in-law), directed this documentary, which offers a rare in-depth look into Kubrick's career as a filmmaker, structured around interviews with a number of actors, writers, technicians, composers, friends, and family who speak on the record about his relentless perfectionism, his creative vision, his life both on and off the set, his relationships with actors, his unrealized projects, and his importance and influence as an artist. Among those who share their thoughts in Stanley Kubrick -- A Life In Pictures are actors Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Malcolm McDowell, Peter Ustinov, and Keir Dullea; writers Arthur C. Clarke and Michael Herr; special effects artist Douglas Trumbull; composers Wendy Carlos and Gyorgy Ligeti; filmmakers Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Paul Mazursky, and Sydney Pollack; and Kubrick's spouse Christiane Kubrick. Stanley Kubrick -- A Life In Pictures was originally produced as a television project, to be aired in three parts, though the project was shown in its entirety at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, (more)
- 1994
- PG
Forget the Hollywood-heavy sci-fi flash of Armageddon and Deep Impact as you experience the terror of a destructive asteroid impact firsthand in this startlingly realistic faux news broadcast from filmmaker Robert Iscove. The unthinkable has happened, and it's not long before television news cameras across the globe bring images of death and destruction to the evening news. With advanced news technology that allows for the kind of extensive coverage never before possible, viewers will be riveted as veteran journalist Sander Vanocur, author Arthur C. Clarke, and Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek step before the camera for a startling piece of speculative science fiction that may be a bit too realistic for more sensitive viewers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 1985
A documentary looking at firewalkers, people who can walk on hot objects without pain or injury. ~ Rovi
- 1985
Using eyewitness testimonies, this film examines the existence of poltergiests. ~ Rovi
- 1985
In this series, Arthur C. Clarke explores the paranormal. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary explores possible reasons for the mysterious appearance of wounds on the palms of certain people. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This film profiles people with paranormal abilities. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary looks into voodoo and black magic, spells and curses. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This concluding episode invites the viewer's decision as to the existence of supernatural forces. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary explores the innate power of divining in animals and the possibility that it is also innate in humans. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary examines photographs which have apparently captured mythical and supernatural beings. ~ Rovi
- 1985
Using many interviews, this documentary explores the possibility of reincarnation. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary examines the possibility of receiving messages from spirits and the dead. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary explores extra sensory perception. ~ Rovi
- 1985
This documentary offers a look into the spooky world of ghosts. ~ Rovi
This belated sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is directed by Peter Hyams. Roy Scheider plays the astronaut/skipper of a U.S.-Soviet space mission, sent to find out what happened to the missing Discovery flight that carried Keir Dullea into the beyond in the original 2001. Scheider's polyglot crew includes Americans John Lithgow and Bob Balaban (the latter a computer whiz, responsible for the notorious HAL 9000) and Russians Helen Mirren, Elya Baskin and Natasha Schneider. The reason for this international mixture is that the world is on the brink of nuclear war, and it is hoped that the space mission will assure east-west solidarity (in this respect, 2010 dates far more than 2001, given the collapse of the Iron Curtain). When the astronauts catch up with Dullea, still in orbit around Jupiter, producer/director/writer Hyams attempts to demystify the enigmatic climax of 2001. Arthur C. Clarke, author of the story upon which 2001 was based, appears in 2010 as a man on a park bench. Incidentally, the voice-over credited to Olga Mallsnerd is actually Candice Bergen. (The name Mallsnerd is a play on the name of one of the characters created by her ventriloquist father Edgar.) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Roy Scheider, John Lithgow, (more)
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates unusual phenomena. This episode asks, are beings from outer space communicating with us? The Face on Mars, and the Star of Bethlehem are among the phenomena investigated. ~ Rovi
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates unusual phenomena around the world. This episode investigates reports of outlandish events, such as stones that move themselves from place to place, and an archaic man-like creature that lives in the Asian wilderness. ~ Rovi
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates unusual phenomena around the world. In this episode, the focus is on earth monuments. It looks at some of the large drawings on the landscapes of Europe and the Americas. Were these giant drawings meant as messages for the gods? ~ Rovi
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates some of the most strange and wonderful phenomena in the world. This episode is about freakish storms. Instead of rain, these downpours bring frogs, flowers, and fish. ~ Rovi
- 1980
This video series investigate unusual or inexplicable phenomena around the world. From the beauty of Stonehenge to the riddle of the Abominable Snowman, from the face on Mars to rainstorms of frogs, the video takes the viewer for a firsthand look at some of the world's great mysteries. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates unusual phenomena around the world. This episode investigates the legends and stories of strange creatures beneath the sea. It considers the much-heralded story of the Loch Ness Monster, as well as the lesser-known creature called Ogopago. ~ Rovi
- 1980
In this volume Clarke continues his quest to understand mysterious phenomena. ~ Rovi
- 1980
This video is part of a series that investigates unusual phenomena in the world. This episode searches out some of the strangest creatures on earth, including the world's largest lizard, the monitor lizard, which resembles the dinosaur of another age. There are also snakes of unbelievable length and girth, and birds with amazing wingspans. ~ Rovi
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