Comments on: KAMN Show #17: The Demolished Man

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 02:21:04 +0000

Here’s an obscure sci-fi movie from the 1970’s; Silent Running. This was an early environmental “message” movie where Bruce Dern is serving in a fleet of spaceships containing the last remaining flora from a completely deforrested Earth. The fleet receives news that their budget has been cut, so they are summarily ordered to blow up all the last remnants of Earth’s greenery. Dern’s character character kills all his shipmates and flees, only to slowly go completely insane. It also has music featuring Joan Baez.

By: Rita in Hood River

Rita in Hood River — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:25:36 +0000

SUGGESTIONS
2nd vote for Buckaroo Banzai – get a hold of the dvd, they actually went back and made extra features for it.

Zelazney’s Amber series might be nice . . .

By: J.G. White

J.G. White — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:39:38 +0000

Bester took the rehabilitation of criminality through phychological breaking from the old Doc Savage pulps. The Man of Bronze was running his finishing school for ex-criminals a good 15 years before this book was published.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 01:50:43 +0000

Although I could list other books and movies, I simply have to second (or third) Vanamonde and Granger’s suggestions for future shows.
I’ve been wondering when somebody would mention 2001: A Space Odyssey (the book, first and foremost, but a show that ignores the film would really be rather incomplete). The fact that 2001 is so firmly ensconced in the collective global sci-fi psyche might explain that one often overlooks it, but its influence is just way too important in so many different ways for KAMN to relegate it to some far future show.
Ringworld, THX1138…it would be so incredibly satisfying to get KAMN shows on any and all of those.

And thanks so much for the great great output. You’ve got a totally committed fan here.

By: PaulJ

PaulJ — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:41:24 +0000

I agree with the criticism that the ‘psychic assault’ sequence toward the end of the book seemed out of place, but my dissatisfaction with the ending concerns the whole idea of ‘Demolition.’

So they don’t imprison or execute a criminal like Reich because he’s obviously very smart and could be a useful member of society if rehabilitated. But the description of ‘demolition’ seemed to be a total erasure of personality, identity and memory. In which case his particular skills, talents and intelligence would likely be erased as well.

It’s an interesting philosophical point that Bester could have further explored, given the novel’s title.

By: ditto

ditto — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:49:47 +0000

Great job on the review guys!

Here’s a fun piece of information for you. If you search on Google with “Alfred BesterÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s The Demolished Man” you guys are the #3 hit. The #1 hit is SFF Audio which links to your cast.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:46:23 +0000

Summer I was surprised you didn’t mention that Bester is the author’s name and also the telepath on B5 coincidence I think not.:)

As for future topics how about looking at a sci-fi magazine between a couple of years and just talk theme, trends, notable authors or the like…

By: Granger

Granger — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 04:35:12 +0000

It is always a pleasure to listen to the ninjas! Thank you for your efforts to put together such entertaining and informative podcasts. I especially enjoy your analyses of story structure, strengths and weaknesses, and the influence of earlier works on later ones. I’ll nominate a few possible subjects for future shows…

Books:
Isaac Asimov’s original Foundation stories/trilogy;
Larry Niven’s Ringworld or his and Jerry Pournelle’s The Mote in God’s Eye;
Arthur C. Clarke’s first Rama book (Rendezvous with Rama) or his The Fountains of Paradise;
John Brunner’s dystopias e.g. The Jagged Orbit or Stand On Zanzibar;
Walter M. Miller, Jr’s A Canticle for Leibowitz

Movies:
Colossus: The Forbin Project is fun with its 1960s style, tech, and a surprisingly strong performance by Eric Braeden;
THX 1138 by George Lucas;
The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the Eighth Dimension!

TV:
The miniseries of Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles with Rock Hudson, Darren McGavin, et al.

As for V, I haven’t seen it since its premiere, but I do have a memory of a climactic moment where one female alien opens her mouth wider and wider for what I believe was a cat snack.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:03:37 +0000

I think that I made this suggestion before, but I still vote for, the incredible, indomitable, inimitable..

MEGAFORCE!!!

See! Barry Bostwick…in action tights!
See! Flying attack motorcycles!
See! That blond actor from The Warriors and Xanadu!
See! Dunebuggies of flaming death!

All and more in the greatest movie ever…Megaforce!

By: Summer

Summer — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:09:21 +0000

Actually, I’m about to compile a list of potential new topics for future shows. After we talk about “V”, we’re going to need some new books/movies/shows to chat about.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:37:59 +0000

Of course, you could be talking about the book, I suppose.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:37:10 +0000

Those are good suggestions, Vanamonde, but I don’t think I could take watching 2001 again. I’m not that into pain.

By: Vanamonde

Vanamonde — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 19:49:15 +0000

In regards to the Voicemail and Hitchikers TV series, there is a wiki entry at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker’s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_(TV_series)

It also seems available to buy in the US from Amazon.com (and also in the UK). I prefer the TV series to the movie, for the simple reason that the book sections work so much better (even though they used tradional cell animation)and most of the `jokes’ don’t have their punchlines cut as they do in the movie. Oh and if do an episode for HH, don’t forget the original radio series or you will probably have a mob of hardcore HH fans after you.

Great show as usual, and hopefully you will do an episode covering The Stars My Destination (I don’t think Bester ever surpassed his first two novels..the later ones were not as good) one of these days.

Some suggestions for future shows:

The Forever War – Joe Haldeman
2001 a Space Odyssey – Arthur C Clarke
The Mountains of Madness – HP Lovecraft
The Stainless Steel Rat series – Harry Harrison
Any Gerry Anderson TV series (UFO, Thunderbirds, etc)