Meredith Beg, Space Launch Delta 45 vice commander, operations, cited “Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope” (1977) as her favorite, based on “nostalgia and seeing Princess Leia carrying a blaster and taking care of business.” She didn’t have any specific films as her worst, but noted she is not a big fan of end-of-the-world sci-fi films. “But,” he added, “there was plenty else to hate about this film besides Jar-Jar.”Ĭol.
“The Jar-Jar Binks character was so obnoxious it ruined the story,” said Turnbull. Worst science fiction film? “Star Wars, Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” (1999). “Great film-noir cinematography and a plot that leads the viewer to question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’” Turnbull said. Rhet Turnbull, deputy director for the Space Systems Integration Office, said his favorite sci-fi film is “Blade Runner,” specifically, the Director’s Cut from 1992. Joy White, executive director of SSC, said her favorite sci-fi feature is “Lucy” (2014) because “Scarlett (Johansson) is awesome and tough!” White also mentioned “Wall-E” (2008), because even though she actually liked it, “it’s very sad to see the earth decay and people riding around in chairs.”Ĭol. “Plus, I love the opening music, ‘ Also sprach Zarathustra.’ The music was written in 1896, which if you rearrange the numbers, are the year the movie was released (1968.) The theater shook when the woofers kicked in….and Strauss had no idea someday his creation would go to the stars.”Įwart said her least favorite is “Alien” (1979). “It foretold the rise of concerns with AI, the HAL 9000 computer, and the discovery by man of extra-terrestrial entities older and greater than man, who put cautionary obelisks where we would find them as we evolved,” Ewart said. Roberta Ewart, chief scientist for SSC, called Stanley Kubrick’s “2001, A Space Odyssey” (1968) an enduring classic. They offered up their favorite flicks, ones to avoid, and other “can’t miss” choices. In response to a recent, decidedly non-scientific but oh so-science-fiction-focused query, SSC Guardians, Airmen, government civilians and contractors did not disappoint. And don’t even get them started on the 1963 Czechoslovakian version. The 1958 version, mind you, not the ridiculous 1993 remake.
SSC sci-fi fans know their astrophysics and orbital mechanics and will happily point out every scientific flaw in a cult favorite film – and just as happily wax rhapsodic about how much they still love it. You would expect people who work at Space Systems Command to have some strong opinions about science fiction movies.Īfter all, these are the folks who grew up dreaming of distant star systems and faster-than-light travel - the people who either are (or work with) actual rocket scientists.