Science fiction films

Film critic Stephen Schiff says Innerspace hits all the right notes with its mix of adventure, conflict, and romance. He also says it's a great vehicle for Martin Short, whose performance proves he's a real actor.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says that director Paul Verhoeven's first American film, about a murdered police officer who is turned into a cybernetic law enforcement officer, might be the best action flick since The Terminator.

The conceptual artist developed the sets and visual style for science fiction movies like Blade Runner, Short Circuit, and Tron. NASA has also called on him to design Skylab. He joins Fresh Air to talk about how individuals and corporations conceive of the world to come.

Carpenter has made films in a variety of genres, but he has a special affection for horror and sci-fi. His first movie, Halloween, spawned several sequels. His latest, They Live, is a political satire about aliens colonizing Earth.

Ken Tucker reviews the home video release of the highest grossing film of all time. He says the movie doesn't transfer well to the smaller dimensions of a TV screen, but its heart is still there. Conversely, Cinderella is perfect for home viewing, but it still suffers from Disney's sentimental revisions of the original tale. The Three Caballeros, another recent Disney release, is also worth watching.

Walas created the often bloody special effects for movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Scanners, and Gremlins. He recently directed The Fly 2 -- fulfilling his lifelong goal to make his own film. He joins Fresh Air to talk about some of his most memorable, macabre work.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says the newest movie, based on the 1960s sci-fi TV show, proves the franchise has run its course. The aging actors don't deliver the best performances, and the screenplay lacks the humor of the film's predecessor.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews a few of the current crop of summer movies - "Great Balls of Fire," "Lethal Weapon II," and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."

Horror film director John Carpenter. He's best known for the film "Halloween," one of the most successful independent films ever ($300,000 budget, over $30 million in receipts). His other credits include "The Thing," "the Fog," "Escape From New York, "Christine" and "Starman." His most recent film, "They Live," is about aliens who disguise themselves as humans and take over the planet. It stars former professional wrestler Rowdy Piper and has just been released for home video. (Rebroadcast.

Special effects master and director Chris Walas. He directed "Fly II," the sequel to the popular remake of "The Fly," about a scientist whose genetic experiments run amok. Walas was responsible for the special effects in "The Fly." He got his start in film making working for the special effects team for several Roger Corman films, including "Piranha." His work was first noticed in the film "Scanners;" it was Walas who created and choreographed the famous exploding head scene.