I'm impressed by the general consensus that most of you have expressed about SF24. One of the reasons that I started this thread (aside from marking time until May) was a result of revisiting Galaxy of Terror/Mindwarp and paging through the program for that Marathon, the result of which gave me a whole new appreciation for it.
A few of you mentioned how odd it was for a Marathon with one of the most reviled premieres of all time to receive so many notices of favor. When considering the last ten years, I agree with this thought, but almost in reverse. There have been a few 'thons that have featured a run of really solid films, but which were ultimately weakened by several other features. SF19 is bookended with stretches of high quality (When World Collide, Happy Accidents, Day the Earth Stood Still, Cube, THX 1138), but the premieres of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Lost Skeleton are relatively weak sauce. And there were only ten films in the lineup!
In a similar manner, SF20 had several great premieres (Cowboy Bebop and Beyond Re-Animator) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but the decision to show Twilight Zone in segments lead to only over half of it making the screen. And the attempt to cater to the Arena Grand's sound system with Eight Legged Freaks and X-Men sticks out now like the proverbial sore digit. And again, for all intents and purposes this lineup only featured ten films!
SF21 was a generally solid slate from top to bottom, so it comes close to being my fave. Ultimately, like some of you, I'm split between SF24 and SF26. It's ironic, because at the time I (along with many of you) was concerned that too many of the SF26 films were goofy or schlocky. But looking back now, those films work really well together as a whole, especially considering that Galaxy of Terror is much more serious and surreal than the advertising suggests. I wasn't a big fan of Fido, but the premiere slate in general was very strong and diverse (Puzzlehead is probably one of the more underrated films to take its bow at the event). And 12 Monkeys/Flash Gordon is probably one of the best bookend one two punches in Marathon history.
SF26 easily matches SF24 in terms of repertory films with the legendarily elusive Logan's Run, the gorgeous print of Time Travellers, Robocop, Wrath of Khan and Rollerball (one of my all-time favorites). It also features one of my favorite gonzo Marathon moments with (as I like to call it) The Ultimate Cat-Women of the Moon in 3-D Experience, featuring additional maniacal cackling by a dear friend in the audience. But Timecrimes aside, the premieres at this event weren't quite as solid and diverse as those featured at SF24; Alien Trespass is a passable spoof, Mutant Chronicles is acceptable SF Channel fodder and Tokyo Gore Police represents the worst excesses of that genre (and I love me excess, folks!) And as Mr. Zecchini so accurately stated, points off for showing The Thing From Another World on DVD!
And so, after this rather long-winded explication, I can confidently say that...I agree with most of you. All hail SF24, the current king of this era of Marathons! Ah-ah!!!
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