The Letters to the Editor department is intended to be a forum for our readers to express their own opinions and ideas. While we appreciate the many complimentary letters we receive each day, you won't find them on this page. Instead, you will find letters that go beyond or even contradict what we have written, letters that offer a different perspective and provide a different view of science fiction. If you would like to submit a letter, please use our feedback form or send a message to scifiweekly@scifi.com.
-- Craig E. Engler, Editor
Don't watch it, don't rent it
just had to comment on your review of Event Horizon. In the hopes that I can save at least one person fron seeing that horrible movie. I was looking forward to seeing it as I am a longtime fan of science fiction movies (and often disappointed) and this one looked quite intriguing. They lost me however when they come across a spacecraft seemingly parked in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant? Not to mention them calling off the distance to it on approach in 100's of meters and then almost running into it? Huh?
After that we have almost every cliche known to science fiction. I mean, what was with the stargate being some kind of black viscous liquid that you can stick your hand in hm? I seem to recall there's a fair bit of gravity associated with a black hole or maybe I'm just confused (heavy sarcasm). I don't mean to belabor what my friend refers to as minor technical points, but it seems as though the writers assumed that we are all as ignorant of science as the "crew of their interplanetary ship!" I am of course referring to their briefing where these supposed astronauts show no evidence of an education, so I have to wonder if the requirements to become an astronaut have been drastically reduced in the future? The sad part of this is the original premise was so interesting, I mean you are trying to create a gateway to another star and instead open a portal to Hell! Wow it could have been great. Instead, well, I think my opinion of this movie is obvious. Don't see it, don't rent it, instead let's send a message to Hollywood: give us intelligent well written science fiction and don't assume that the audience will never notice when you don't.
Doug Clark
dougc@nucleus.com
A waste of money
he movie Event Horizon was just terrible! It began with the possibility of being a decent space action movie, but quickly degenerated into a latex-and-fake-blood gross-out that can only recall a bad Hellraiser!
And to compare Event Horizon at all with Stanislaw Lem's Solaris does that literary masterpiece a low blow. "Event Horizon begins slowly, almost poetically, like a dark Solaris."
I do agree that mostly I was bored until the meaner, nastier bits came up, always heralded by the loud, eardrum-shattering bass boom. (Very annoying in a theater without any surround sound equipment.)
I felt like I wasted my money...
Cara A. Torta
ctorta@wgslaw.com
The Black Hole was great
saw [The Black Hole] some time ago. I found it quite engaging. There was allegory of the genre of Dear Devil, an old sci-fi short by Isaac Asimov (I think). The music was from an old opera and it was a classic. It wasn't of the same type of today's synthesized variety but one of the last that used really classic music to suggest a mood. It was a film to be appreciated for its uniqueness.
I agree that it could have been more "scientific" in its exploration of the half-human "bots" but there is something to the art of letting the setting suggest the story that gives one a participatory feeling in its development. Instead of an "illustration," it becomes a true fantasy that has as many endings as there are viewers!
The robots were somewhat anthropomorphized but that made them somewhat more "human" than the half-real bots that manned the lost ship. An interesting take on the difference between man-made and adaptation. The allegorical nature is even developed through the interplay between the robots!
I think it was a great film.
SueChar
suecharblan@som-uky.campus.mci.net
Hopes for more Hyperion stories
have just read John Clute's write up on Dan Simmons new book The Rise of Endymion and found it right on target.
I have read the first three books in this series and am in the middle of the present book addressed here. The series is great.
Actually, I hope that this is not the final story and like Mr. Clute hints at, there should be more forthcoming.
I would urge you to "prod" Mr. Simmons to consider such.
Noah Anglin
nlaark@hooked.net
It's not just another collector's guide
hanks for your review of Saucer Attack. Since it is a fairly small book, I probably never would have noticed it if not for your review. As it was, it took two weeks before I found a bookstore that had it in stock (partly because this sort of non-fiction stuff seems to fall in the crack between the categories of art and science fiction). As a collector of science fiction items (particularly golden-age pulp), I found plenty of rare items to drool over in Saucer Attack, yet, it never came off as just another "collector's guide" book. I hope good exposure like the kind in Science Fiction Weekly results in good sales: I would like to find more books like this in my local bookstore.
Anne Simmons
asimmons@nas.edu
Give more coverage to Who groups
understand that this magazine cannot take sides in a debate like the battle to bring Doctor Who back to television. However I think you should give more mention to those organizations that are trying to bring the show back, at least in your news section, or something. We fans need all the attention we can get.
Miss Rori Stevens
vislora@hotmail.com
Editor: We will certainly cover any news about Doctor Who and the organizations that are trying to revive it. If you (or any of our readers) think we have missed a news item of importance, please let us know.
