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
You're siding with conspiracy buffs
"NASA hasn't been telling the whole truth about what's been happening on Mars, but this site devoted to Little Green Martians will fill you in on what you've been missing." -- SFW
do not think you should be taking this tone with this particular site. To say that "NASA hasn't been telling the whole truth" says you are siding with the conspiracy buffs and that NASA is lying.
In reality there are valid scientific reasons for doubting the claims of the "Face on Mars" people. For my part, I very much doubt a conspiracy of the sort postulated exists; I can find no reason for NASA to promote such a conspiracy, and in fact it would be in the agency's best interest to make public any scientifically-valid evidence it had (such as the Mars Rock).
To take this tone puts you solidly on the Conspiracy-ists side. While I think pointing the site out to your readers is justified, I think the proper way to do so is in a "You Decide" manner. To do anything else would be a disservice to your readers.
By the way, if you are looking for links to consider for the "Sci-Fi Site of the Week," you might want to consider some of NASA/JPL's sites, including ones for the Cassini, Pathfinder, and Galileo missions. Very good sites.
Douglas B. Killings
doug@affordablecomputer.com
Editor: We're confident our readers can recognize sarcasm when they see it.
Schaffner, not Levin
our review of Boys from Brazil was right on the money, however I'd like to respectfully point out that Ira Levin didn't direct the film, but wrote the book. Franklin J. Schaffner was the director.
Anyway, thanks for reminding me of this underrated (silly parts aside)
film, which I haven't seen since its release in 1978.
John W. Anderson
drsleep@ionstorm.com
Editor: Oops. Thanks for pointing out the error. It's since been fixed.
Joanna Russ said it first
lthough your reviewer doesn't mention it, the underlying issue of Days of Cain derives from Joanna Russ. She was the first, as far as I know, to point out (in Picnic on Paradise) that all time travel stories are horror stories. If the past still exists to the extent that it can be altered, then every horror of human existence is still going on, just on the other side of "that door." Poul Anderson has tried to deal with this horror in microcosm; I wouldn't have believed it was possible to take it on point blank.
Alan Kornheiser
ASKornheiser@prodigy.net
Disappointed by Stargate SG-1
targate SG-1 has not lived up to my expectations. Of course I thought it would continue some of the issues raised in the film, especially the Egyptian connection. The idea of the metal that was used to construct the Stargates has not been dealt with in the series--Abydos was a planet with this metal and the United States has "chosen" not to exploit it or even research it.
Richard Dean Anderson certainly is not Kurt Russell, but he does not seem to have the "edge" that Russell had, and Tikal seems to stare a lot--they really need to explore his character. The idea of inserting the Ghouls as the alien element in the Ra character was a bad idea--it creates the monster which didn't seem to be as present in the movie as it is in the series. The first episode was also disgusting not only for the frontal nudity of the women--it wasn't necessary, and the Egyptian connection was lost. This series seems to have become just another sci-fi series which visits an alien culture one week and leaves. The Earth connection is there witness the Cretin-like civilization and taken to old heights. Star Trek has explored some of these themes and done it better.
If they need some ideas for shows--I would suggest exploring some of the ideas and themes raised in the motion picture. There were other gods in the Egyptian pantheon--Isis, Horus, Seth, and Hathor to name a few--the stories based on their exploits seem endless. Ra didn't have to be alone--but the current crop on Stargate SG-1 seem [to be] monsters, and Ra in the movie seemed oh so human.
Alice Reviere Smith
a.smith@csu-e.csuohio.edu
Agrees that Event Horizon was bad
must say that I agree 100 percent with Hank Baca's opinion of Event Horizon. This movie has to be the most disappointing sci-fi (so-called in my opinion) movie I've ever seen. Event Horizon was an exercise in meaningless plotlines, excessive and soul-numbing gore, and shallow characters. My wife and I didn't leave the film in the middle, as we paid decent money to see it and were hoping fervently that it would somehow redeem itself, but all we got for our patience was a caricature of Hellraiser.. sort of a "PinHead and the Guys Go to Outer Space" Bad movie. Shame on the producers and even more so on the actors. Sam Neill is going to have to work hard to regain my respect after this disaster, and I feel bad for Laurence Fishburne for getting wrapped up in such a dog.
Matthew Vaughn
mwvaugh@uiuc.edu
