Invasion of the Drive-In Sci Flicks Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Welcome, folks, to the Atomic Drive-In, where the popcorn’s freshly popped, the sodas are always sparkling, and the screen stays alive with the images of distant planets, rampaging DNA experiments, insectoid nasties, marauding robots and all sorts of intergalactic meanies taking a shot at conquering our planet.

Science Fiction has always been one of my favorite film genres because of its amazing pliability. A sci-fi movie doesn’t have to be JUST a sci-fi movie. It can be a mix of sci-fi and horror or comedy. You can have sci-fi drama or sci-fi action hybrids. Heck, sci-fi can even be used in a Western setting. Science Fiction can take place anywhere; in space, on a different planet, on a military base, in the suburbs, out in the country, anywhere. The possibilities are endless.

Although, in compiling the reviews for this compilation I ran into a little snag. Some flicks had more elements of horror than sci-fi, or action over the sci-fi. Flicks that I would consider sci-fi, people were telling me weren’t, and vice versa. Are monsters spawned from toxic waste more horror than sci-fi? What about post-apocalyptic soldiers battling crazed robots and hideous mutants? Sci-fi or not sci-fi?

For our purposes here I decided that anything that incorporated space ships, aliens, laser guns, brilliant scientists and their rampaging creations, or astronauts returning from space with any kind of deadly funk growing on, in or them in some way, was sci-fi. (ROAD WARRIOR-type actiontransforming flicks- although I love dang near every one- are not included. Neither are fantasy flicks like CONAN or BEASTMASTER. I’ve always hated when reference books or video outlets dump fantasy flicks in with sci-fi.)

There’s not much on the more popular sci-fi flicks like ALIEN, STAR WARS or STAR TREK, but there’s plenty of rip-off flicks spawned from those monumental, mainstream mega hits. Here at the Atomic Drive-In we talk more about Roger Corman and Charles Band than George Lucas and Gene Roddenberry.

Also absent from our sci-fi roster is the long list of Godzilla flicks. Let me say that Godzilla is both the King of all Atomic Monsters, as well as the Atomic Drive-In, but so much has been written about the lizard-king from Tokyo since the Tri-Star picture a couple summers ago I felt it wise to omit him this go around. Please, take no offense G-Fans. (For the record, I hope I live to see a big budget Toho remake of KING KONG VS. GODZILLA flash across the Atomic Drive-In’s oversized screen.)

Before the movies start I’d like to say that this effort is dedicated with much love to my wife Frances. Without her the movies wouldn’t be half as much fun. She’s the only gal I’d ever imagine taking to The Atomic Drive-In.

It’s just a couple more minutes to showtime. Let’s scramble to our cars with our arms full of popcorn, candy and soda and strap in for a wild sci-fi drive-in movie ride. (Oh, yeah, at Intermission time, don’t forget to try the shrimp rolls or the corn dogs. They’re to die for!) The Atomic Drive-In would like to thank you for your patronage and remind you not to go chasing any shooting stars. If you do, and find where it landed, the staff of The Atomic Drive-In urges you to please not poke it with a stick. You never know what might come oozing out!

The last preview has played and the screen is coming to life. Wait. What’s that, up there, near the corner of the screen? Up in the sky…up there. There! Do you see it? My god, it’s fantastic. What’s it doing? Oh, no…no. It can’t be…It can’t be…

Robert Freese

Fall

1999