The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

Who'da thunk that this film would mark the end of an era...and the beginning of another.

Yep, while we wait for more news about this year's Sci-Fi Marathon, it's time for another hypothetical question/litmus test. In many ways, 2000 marked a breaking point from the first era of the Marathons (1987-1999) and ushered in the second era. After the closing of the Drexel North (R.I.P.), the Riffe Center years (1996-1998) kept the 'thon flame burning, but those years were also marked by a steady drop in attendance and some attrition amongst the first era veterans. 1999's Sony Continent Sci-Fi Marathon brought the event to a slightly smaller venue, but one that could still house a mid-size crowd.

But it was with 2000's voyage to the Grandview that the Sci-Fi Marathon first landed in a venue with slightly less than 300 seats, a prospect that I thought to be sacrilege during my early 'thongoing years (although also a prospect whose strengths I would soon come to realize with the Studio 35 Horror Marathons). The survival of the event was paramount, but the difference between 300 and 700 seats can't be overstated, and ever since 2000, the Marathons have existed in venues with mid-range seating numbers or below. The era of the sprawling houses of old was over.

All this is a preamble to the big question: if 2000-on has been the second era of the Marathons, then which Science Fiction Marathon of the last ten years has been your favorite? If your memory needs jogged, you can always consult our very own handy dandy Hall of Marathonia for assistance. I'll post my selection later, but in the meantime, what do you think?

I shall cheat a little bit by copying and pasting my thoughts from the "other" marathon's board. But, my favorite of the "new" era has to be SF20 in 2003.

TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE
GAMERA 2: LEGION ATTACKS!
ROBOT MONSTER
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
COWBOY BEBOP (Premiere)
BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR (Premiere)
SUPERMAN (Director’s Cut)
KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE
EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS
X-MEN
EQUILIBRIUM

I tend to not enjoy anything from Japan, especially Anime. GAMERA was early in the lineup and one of the better examples of it’s kind. COWBOY BEBOP was fantastic, by far the best Anime I have ever seen and a crowd favorite. One could argue it is the best "premiere" of this era (though I would personally give that honor to PRIMER).

This was my first ever viewing of the classic ROBOT MONSTER, which immediately jumped to the top of the list of my favorite “so bad it’s good” schlockfests. It also, of course, spawned the unbeatable costume contest winner.

INVASION is probably my favorite "serious" science fiction film of that era, and although the late Kevin McCarthy was kept from travelling, the remote interview was enough to not totally be disappointed by his absense.

BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR could not have been enjoyed in any other setting and was good, campy fun. And who can forget the climactic dismemberment?

For whatever reason, I had only seen SUPERMAN in it’s entirety once, though I wore out my eyes watching it’s sequel over and over again as a kid. It was a beautiful print and a nice shot in the arm to kickoff the second half.

And then there’s EQUILIBRIUM. What can I say? Perhaps the best marathon “ender” in the history of our storied event. I have never seen before or since what was left of the crowd so into the last movie. Perhaps FLASH (...AH-ah!) GORDON a couple years later was a close second.
TWILIGHT ZONE was split into sections, which meant that running long that year turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The boring Spielberg section was shelved from the middle of the night (that would have knocked all of us out). And as good as the Miller segment is, nobody would have cared after just witnessing ...

(SPOILER ALERT!!!)

Tae Diggs get his face sliced off!

(END SPOILER)

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2009. I liked the time travel theme. Time Crimes was a lot of fun to watch, and I don't believe seeing Star Trek II on the big screen could ever get old. Loved it!

This is a no Brainer, The 24th Sci-Fi marathon was the best Marathon since the Golden Age of marathons back at the Drexel North:

12:00 PM 12 Monkeys* 1995
2:30 PM King Dinosaur 1955
4:05 PM The Great Yokai War* (Ohio Premiere) 2005
6:30 PM Puzzlehead (Ohio Premiere) 2005
8:10 PM Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster 1965
9:55 PM Fido (Midwest Premiere) 2006
11:40 PM Automatons (Ohio Premiere) 2006
1:10 AM Chopping Mall 1986
2:45 AM Night of the Comet 1984
4:25 AM Mindwarp: an Infinity of Terror* 1981
7:45 AM Star Trek: the Motion Picture 1979
10:10 AM Flash Gordon

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I tend to agree with the 24th.

Flash Gordon was a great ender, Automotons tried to kill my soul but failed, and Mindwarp...wow.

SF18 and SF19 I can't comment on, as I wasn't back from California by then.

SF24 is an excellent choice. Opens great (12 Monkeys), and closes great (Flash Gordon) with a great balance of cheese and a few excellent premieres (The Great Yokai War and Fido.) Automatons pretty much left me without the will to live, so I just can't vote for it. Without doubt it has my second-place slot.

I'm tempted to vote for SF26, as Logan's Run is a long-time favorite, and I really enjoy Rollerball. Plus, Timecrimes was phenomenal. But as a whole it just doesn't quite click. Might have scored better with me if The Thing From Another World had played on 35mm. Ending on Star Trek II was a nice note.

No, for me it has to be SF15 (2005). That print of Mothra was absolutely GORGEOUS, and At the Earth's Core, and First Men in the Moon were great opportunities to see on 35mm. It had Primer, one of my absolute favorite premieres (Timecrimes was better, but Primer's still a good watch.) Throw in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which I think is really worthwhile big-screen cheese and you've got soup.

It's weighed down really heavily by Helix ... Loaded!, and I just didn't hook to The Apple all that well (though I'm glad it played), but in spite of that I still have to give it the top slot.

[EDIT: You guys have me leaning toward SF24 more and more, because I do loves me some Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Flash Gordon is an ALL-TIME classic in my book. Let me say this, if Mind Warp had played at 1:10 AM rather than at 4:25 AM when I was barely holding my eyes open ... yes, this would have been the best Marathon of the past 10 years.]

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As this will be my tenth year of going to the Science Fiction Marathon here is some thoughts of the past ten years. Wow it have been ten years already?


SF27:

The thing I like most about last year's marathon is the Sapceboy remake. It was more creepy and funnier than the original. The alcohol helped alot.
I quite enjoy Ink and The Lost Skeleton Returns Again. Stingray Sam was the best thing I've ever seen in my life. Including one marathonoid blurt out Joe and Bruce have a son named Juice. The impromptu read along during Long-Haired Giant Monster: Geharha Who neds a working fancy sound system?

SF26:

Logan's Run was great. With all of the naysayers out there saying that the movie will never screened at it did. The Time Tunnel was a mess but a funny mess. The Forrest J. Ackerman was good but wasn't marathon worthy. Same goes with that terrible Mutant Chronicles. The low point was Cat Women of the Moon wasn't worth the time.

SF25:

The print of Battlestar Galactica and The Andromeda Strain was great. Lady Terminator continues the sorrid marathon tradition featuring male mutilation between the legs.

SF24:

The Year of the cheese with movies like King Dinosuar, Chopping Mall, Night of the Comet, Flash Gordon, and Mindwarp. The infamous Automatons screened this year.

SF23:

This was the first and possiblity the only time I was first in line. Godzilla Final Wars. Seeing Godzilla kicking GINO ass on the widescreen was great. I do hope TOHO will return making a real Godzilla movies soon. Since there is going to be another GINO movie in the works. CGI Godzilla is not the same. Max Headroom Pilot was a quite surprise. The horrible out of date Batman serial was funny. When the narrator was using the out of date term for a Japaneese person I saw Bruce's head dropped.

SF15:

The infamous Apple Screened. I do enjoy sci fi movies with a fixed date. Since The Apple takes plae in the distance future of 1994. The low point Helix nuff said. This was the year of the snow storm.

SF21:

My third year attending the Science Fiction Marathon. The only thing I can remember that Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack! was my fave.

SF20:

This was the second year I got off working 3RD shift and got there around 11AM. The first year I bought my ticket in advance. This was the year of Robot Monster. When I was leaving my seat I did catch the the rat vs male member. I thought to myself cockfight.


SF19

I was getting off work 3RD shift hop on a bus got there around 10:30am and paid full price for the ticket. This was the year I first saw the wonderful mess known as Spaceboy. Funniest short film I've ever saw. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra was the standout film for me.

I will always have a place in my heart for the Drexel north but in terms of lineups my favorite year was 10. I think it was the first year at the Riffe center.
Starting with Alien was great way to start.
I LOVED City of Lost Children on the big screen. At the time I thought this is freaking strange and then a few hours later Cemetery Man blew away my idea of what constitutes a strange movie.
What a strong ending with Brazil, War of the Worlds and sending us home with Aliens adrenaline.


Alien
City of Lost Children* (Columbus Premiere)
Queen of Outer Space
Tremors II: Aftershocks (Sneak Preview)
Forbidden Planet
Cemetery Man* (U.S. Premiere)
Blade Runner
Strange Invaders
Brazil
War of the Worlds
Aliens

I have only attended 2004, 05, 07, 08, 09, & 10. Of those, my choice would be 2007 because of 12 Monkeys, Fido, Chopping Mall and Night of the Comet, all of which I bought on DVD because of enjoying them at he Marathon. I also liked ST the Motion Picture much more than I expected based on memory. Unfortunately, I had to leave before Flash Gordon. In spite of that and suffering through Automatons, 2007 is my choice.

"Yeah, we sure have done it: brought civilization to Planet Nova."

That line, with the mushroom cloud in the background, more than makes up for Automatons. My vote goes for 24.

You guys are bumming me out. 24 is the only one i've had to miss since 3.

That is an excellent choice, Mr. Stinky Feet. However, you are not playing by the "rules." I like your answer very much, but the purpose of this particular thread was to discuss your favorite moments since 2000 to the present. Any thoughts on that?

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Having been to EVERY marathon since 1987 I guess I would have to agree with the 24th. A good combo of 50s-80s films not concentrating on new Hollywood dreck. Although the Drexel NOrth marathons were primo in every way and should always be considered the height of culture in the marathon history.

Definitely 24. 12 Monkeys had been a longtime request of mine. Ending with Flash Gordon was genius. The trifecta of Chopping Mall, Night of the Comet, and Mindwarp was amazing. I took a nap during the awful Star Trek enterprise fetish movie that played. Seriously, wasn't it like 45 minutes of loving shots of the Enterprise? As awful as Automations was, I can honestly say that it was some of the most fun I've ever had hating a film.

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Hmm, lots of votes for 24. I'm not 100% sure I want to vote that way yet, but I'll agree that it was a great lineup, and Flash Gordon was a brilliant ender.

I will say that its shocking that so many people are going with 24, DESPITE the fact that it pretty much has what's regarded as the worst single movie of the past 10 marathons.