Planning to participate in the soon upcoming SCI-FI tournament? Get in here! (POLL)

Something that has been mentioned lately is the possibility of films present in the horror tournament spilling over to the science fiction tournament as well.

I posted my reasoning in the finals thread:

'when films like Alien, The Thing, The Fly were entered into the Horror tournament, they were judged on their strength as a horror film first. If they're nominated for this next tournament, they'll be judged as a sci-fi. If it's entered and performs poorly in the polls/gets eliminated early, we'll know it's lacking in that particular genre, in which case hypothetically superior films move on.'

I wanted to leave it up to everyone though. If you would like seeing films like those mentioned above, go ahead and vote for the first option. If you don't want them to show up, the second.

Leaving this poll open indefinitely.

voted yes, for the reasons given in the post above

Cool!

sidenote, jean; I cannot freaking wait to get this tournament underway. SF is my favorite anything. My horror knowledge is sadly lacking compared to the likes of you and Heather, but sci-fi is ... home <3

Looking forward to some of the discussions we'll be having!

bears, alas, don't feel adequate in this field... will have to sit out most of the time

: sad bear :

Thinking....

Yes and Event Horizon.

Interested to see where this goes. I voted, Yes

WHY WAS THIS QUESTION EVEN ASKED?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by needfulthings

WHY WAS THIS QUESTION EVEN ASKED?

---

You got me, I just work here.

JUST BRING IT ON!
http://imageshack.com/a/img840/9606/n066.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img841/9776/rvx7s.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by needfulthings

WHY WAS THIS QUESTION EVEN ASKED?

---

It seemed there was a bit of hesitation with letting films appear in both tournaments so I wanted give everyone a chance to voice their opinion. Want to make the tournaments as enjoyable as possible.

ps - I really hope your question wasn't rhetorical lol.

I don't have an issue with that so long as it ISN'T a horror film that happens to take place in space or something. It really needs to be sci-fi first like Alien is. If it doesn't even explore sci-fi themes outside of being in a sci-fi setting then I don't see why it would even be nominated. I'd much be seeing something like District 9 or Moon advance in a sci-fi tournament than an Event Horizon or Species, where as a movie like Splice is a sci-film with horror aspects.

Looking forwards to another great ride......

sk

There is so much overlap that I'd consider it necessary.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brice

There is so much overlap that I'd consider it necessary.

---

Unfortunately that is an IMPOSSIBLE task.
http://imageshack.com/a/img820/6232/es8l.jpg

True, but the two genres are practically married imo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brice

True, but the two genres are practically married imo.

---

They're siblings, but the movies they have together are not much more deformed than most of horror's other children.

UNFORTUNATELY WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS ONE WILL END.... IN A TIE.

Spoiler:

http://imageshack.com/a/img842/5313/3va38.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by needfulthings

JUST BRING IT ON!
http://imageshack.com/a/img840/9606/n066.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img841/9776/rvx7s.jpg

---

With all due respect, why would these be nominated as best sci-fi movies of all time?

Welp, looks like we're pretty much all on board!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pablo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by needfulthings

JUST BRING IT ON!
http://imageshack.com/a/img840/9606/n066.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img841/9776/rvx7s.jpg

---

With all due respect, why would these be nominated as best sci-fi movies of all time?

---

1.Do you see any NOMINATION connected with these examples of SCI-FI posters?
2.Have you seen either of the films depicted in the posters?
FYI NOT OF THIS EARTH is one of Roger Corman's best pictures & has been remade twice it must have something going for it.( I for one happen to LOVE this CHEAP gem. The BEST...NO. But high on my list of CULT CLASSICS.)
A quote from Bill Warren's EPIC TOME on the 50s SCI-FI Films KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES! (A MUST READ)McFarland ISBN 978-0-7864-4230-0
http://imageshack.com/a/img819/9057/mknj.jpg

The '50s had some great sci-fi classics but I don't know if I'd place Not of This Earth in the top ten. It's definitely a cult classic, but I'd place The Blob and Fiend Without a Face above it. The 1950s had great all-time classic though, like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet, which in my book would challenge for a spot in the Sci-Fi Final.

FYI everyone

We'll be begin nominations for this tournament immediately following the conclusion of the Horror final, using an identical format. Look out for that!

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?
SO WE WILL KNOW WHEN....

Spoiler:

http://imageshack.com/a/img840/6177/du1p.jpg

The poll closes on Wed the 25th, afternoon. We'll have the nominations thread up and running the 26th.

One tweak I'd propose is having multiple-choice for the first rounds. For example, if the top three move on, how about having everyone pick their three they'd like to see move on.

Does the multiple choice function allow you 3 votes maximum?

I concur with the multiple choice as I think not having really fudged up the horror tournament...think we would have seen a much different second round. You should be able to set the poll to number of votes allowed. Only being able to choose one not only kept smaller films from advancing it left us with some pretty lopsided polls. With multiple choice the races would be much tighter and much better.

Just to get a more clear meaning of what this tournament will involve, would movies like The Coneheads, Mars Attacks, or Spaceballs be eligible for this genre?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mattrick

I don't have an issue with that so long as it ISN'T a horror film that happens to take place in space or something. It really needs to be sci-fi first like Alien is. If it doesn't even explore sci-fi themes outside of being in a sci-fi setting then I don't see why it would even be nominated. I'd much be seeing something like District 9 or Moon advance in a sci-fi tournament than an Event Horizon or Species, where as a movie like Splice is a sci-film with horror aspects.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mattrick

I concur with the multiple choice as I think not having really fudged up the horror tournament...think we would have seen a much different second round. You should be able to set the poll to number of votes allowed. Only being able to choose one not only kept smaller films from advancing it left us with some pretty lopsided polls. With multiple choice the races would be much tighter and much better.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mystima

Just to get a more clear meaning of what this tournament will involve, would movies like The Coneheads, Mars Attacks, or Spaceballs be eligible for this genre?

---

These are all excellent points and why I mentioned in the "Horror" thread, a brief discussion to define the genre and focus the nominations a little. To avoid some of these questions. Seems prudent and we should get varying view points. FWIW I would tend to view the three movies, Mystima mentioned as "Spoofs" not true Sci-Fi, but hopefully you see my point. Alien is obviously a case in point as it has been defined (here at least) as a "Horror" film, but is also classic Sci-Fi so good to go IMHO.

Just some thoughts is all. I'm not trying to stall the nominations, but it would seem prudent to take a day or so and discuss and see if we can come up with some loose parameters is all I'm saying.

Oh, and I really like the three vote idea, if it can be done.

I don't think there's a way to limit multiple-choice polls to a certain number, unfortunately. So if there are eight choices, you could vote for all eight but we should ask people to be prudent and honest and select up to three. This can be checked by making the poll voters visible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pablo

I don't think there's a way to limit multiple-choice polls to a certain number, unfortunately. So if there are eight choices, you could vote for all eight but we should ask people to be prudent and honest and select up to three. This can be checked by making the poll voters visible.

---

when we were voting Top 100 novels, I made the multiple choice polls plus tiebreakers, and when those didn't result in anything conclusive, I also added single-choice tiebreakers. It's additional work, but totally worth it.

I hope you can take part in this tournament, Jean. Two all-time great sci-fi films happen to be Russian: Solaris and Stalker.

I don't think more than two or three people have watched those...

I am prepared to vote for Back to the Future! I hope it will survive long enough

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Merlin1958

it would seem prudent to take a day or so and discuss and see if we can come up with some loose parameters is all I'm saying.

---

I would agree with that as well. I think either the multiple-choice option should be implemented, or decrease the amount of films in each poll. There were too many in the earlier rounds (especially since we could only vote for one), in my opinion. If Psycho happened to be in the mix with four other smaller horror films, maintaining our one vote minimum, they'd be eliminated right off the bat.

EDIT: Just went back to the early polls and saw that as many as EIGHT films were in Round 1 brackets. Top three moved on, but still.

I'm fine with trying out the multiple vote option if Feev is up for it as well. I wonder if it will make a difference. Personally I'm not sure it would have with the horror competition as the ones to make it to the finals weren't all that surprising. They were probably the strongest contenders we had.

I wouldn't be surprised if the finalists were Psycho and either The Exorcist of The Shining.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jean

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pablo

I don't think there's a way to limit multiple-choice polls to a certain number, unfortunately. So if there are eight choices, you could vote for all eight but we should ask people to be prudent and honest and select up to three. This can be checked by making the poll voters visible.

---

when we were voting Top 100 novels, I made the multiple choice polls plus tiebreakers, and when those didn't result in anything conclusive, I also added single-choice tiebreakers. It's additional work, but totally worth it.

---

Cool, that sounds like it could work. If I we get to a situation where a tie breaker is needed and I have any questions I'll link up with you, Jean.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pablo

I hope you can take part in this tournament, Jean. Two all-time great sci-fi films happen to be Russian: Solaris and Stalker.

---

Scolaris and Stalker are GOAT sci fi. Incredible films. Unfortunately I don't think Jean is much of a Tarkovsky fan. I know because it broke my heart when he told me that :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jean

I am prepared to vote for Back to the Future! I hope it will survive long enough

---

Hopefully!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Heather19

I'm fine with trying out the multiple vote option if Feev is up for it as well. I wonder if it will make a difference. Personally I'm not sure it would have with the horror competition as the ones to make it to the finals weren't all that surprising. They were probably the strongest contenders we had.

---

Yeap, I agree. The cream will always rise to the top. I think the final 4 we had were always destined to make it to this stage.

And besides, I've always found a brutal charm in having people only vote for one film. With multiple choices you're more likely to an encounter a "ehhh, fuck it, why not" vote; where as in a system where people can only vote for one, they're going to vote for the film they feel REALLY deserves it. Fully on board with multi choice system though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fernandito

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jean

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pablo

I don't think there's a way to limit multiple-choice polls to a certain number, unfortunately. So if there are eight choices, you could vote for all eight but we should ask people to be prudent and honest and select up to three. This can be checked by making the poll voters visible.

---

when we were voting Top 100 novels, I made the multiple choice polls plus tiebreakers, and when those didn't result in anything conclusive, I also added single-choice tiebreakers. It's additional work, but totally worth it.

---

Cool, that sounds like it could work. If I we get to a situation where a tie breaker is needed and I have any questions I'll link up with you, Jean.

---

do! http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2.../0134-bear.gif although I have to warn you: after every fucking one of the Top 100 polls I spent hours, in especially complicated cases days, tearing my hair out and screaming "what am I supposed to do with this NOW???!!!!!"

Quote:

---

Scolaris and Stalker are GOAT sci fi. Incredible films. Unfortunately I don't think Jean is much of a Tarkovsky fan. I know because it broke my heart when he told me that :(

---

Oh, I was just trying to show off my unorthodox tastes at that time! Though I really don't love Tarkovsky as much as some other directors you know, he is still an extremely talented director, and I will certainly watch any of his films against (probably; we don't know the selection yet) any other that might appear in this category. At least his are real films. If you know what I mean. Which you do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fernandito

And besides, I've always found a brutal charm in having people only vote for one film. With multiple choices you're more likely to an encounter a "ehhh, fuck it, why not" vote; where as in a system where people can only vote for one, they're going to vote for the film they feel REALLY deserves it. Fully on board with multi choice system though.

---

What constitutes a film that really deserves it? Its legacy? Its 'classic' status? Its quality? Its scares? Its story? Its role in the history of the genre and the films it influenced? What it means to us as individuals? What about foreign horror films that haven't reached the audience that The Shining has, does that make it less deserving? I'm sure everyone has their own reasons for voting a certain way and without multiple choices there is no subjection. Take this poll in the first round for instance: http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...und-1-Group-15, it finished up:

Silence of the Lambs - 11
Cloverfield - 1
[REC] - 1
Evil Dead - 3
Dracula - 4
Loa Condenados - 0
We's Craven's New Nightmare - 2
Escalofrio - 1

11 people voted for silence of the lambs while 13 voted for the other 7 films altogether, is this an accurate depiction? If everyone could vote three times, where would those extra 48 votes go? Who knows but half the votes wouldn't be practically wasted on a classic and half of the remaining votes wouldn't be practically wasted on the films that only got one vote which just makes it that much harder for any of the other 7 films to advance. While it's possible the same three films would have gotten the three most votes I doubt it in this particular group that would have happened. With another 48 votes as we'd see a more accurate consensus.