• he/him

Australian shmuck, lover of films, art n’ games, and has high-functioning ‘tism

ask me about movies (specifically any cult classics or or campy 80s-90s flicks)


dizzy-h-slightly-voided
@dizzy-h-slightly-voided

Sorry! This post has been obliterated by its original author. What was in the post, you ask? I don't know, it's been deleted. Its soul has been devoured, its flesh has been consumed, and a nasty letter has been sent to its employer. No one shall see this post forevermore. This is an ex post. Wait is this even the right background color? I forget, it's been a hot minute since I've seen an actual deleted post.




here we go first movie rant post, and today ya boy talking about his absolute numba 1 favourite movie (whom he has seen 10 times at this point) and that film is
well, it’s the one above.
starship troopers, that one.

released in 1997, based on the 1959 novel of the same name, which I only learn recently. now, from first glance, a lot of you fine funny people on the internet who have never heard of this series (yes, series) or those who haven’t seen the new game that they’ve released all of a sudden may look upon this poster and think:
“Newert Boyson Samuel, why, this merely looks like a cheapo, dollar store, grandma-bought-you-this-instead-of-Star-Wars mockbuster! What secret merit does it hot for you to be so obsessed with such a film?”

Well.

on surface level, this is actually exactly what it looks like. it’s pretty cliche a setting on the surface
sci-fi war of humans against giant bugs, a lot of action, a spot of melodrama, all that sorta thing.

but there are two things which I find make it stand out as it’s own unique title (and why it ended up getting several shitty sequels.)

  1. The budget was 100 million USD.

Now, being a dum dum Aussie man, I do not know how that translates into AUD, but I still think it’s a pretty sum of cash, and it’s what gives the film the main appeal. They go all out for the CGI on the bugs, which is surprisingly high tech stuff (if you see the scenes where those bugs are travelling in hordes you’ll know what I mean), not to mention the space ships and the galactic fleet (them’s the humans.) Practical effects are also able to be peak in both quality AND quantity, seeing as there’s a lot of humans carking it when the bugs do their, y’know, attacking thing (did I mention the meteor?) Overall, the big budget allows the film to have high quality props, settings and whatnot that invites viewers to engage in this film more so that just a campy sci fi flick (least in my opinion.)

Now, onto number 2: BUT FIRST, I SHOULD MARK

FURTHER ON TO THIS POINT ARE SOME light SPOLIERS. IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE FILM FOR YOURSELF (which I recommend), DO NOT READ ON. Elsewise, click the “Details” link below. (I ain’t experienced with HTML, so sue me.)0

2. **The actual meat of the story is far more developed than you think.** (imma copy some of this rant from another discussion I had with a friend online since my fingers hurt)

When you watch this film, the actual war taking place against the bugs only forms a part of the story, and kinda serves to form the wordbuilding. the actual plot follows the career of a high school student of the galactic federation, following his career in the army and the big fights against the bugs. keep in mind he only joins to get with a girl who joins the pilots division to “see the world” - the film sets up the main government of the human planet, “the galactic federation” to be keenly military (idk the proper word for it). Anyway these newsreels showcase the mindset of the galactic federation (semi-right wing, very militaristic), with all the propaganda, how “you can be part of the effort” to the kids, a moment where a show trial is held for a public enemy (McCarthy, anyone?), and all those kinda stuff. Not to mention, a global disaster (I won’t spoil) instigates the declaration of war and the movement of troops to the bug planet. (Kinda sounds similar to the social-political environment from the late 50s-60s, hmm?) Basically, this newsfeed is an EXCELLENT worldbuilding and exposition device.
as the film progresses, the graduate and his fellow schoolmates, including the girl, the psychic class clown (there’s a lot of psychic talk in this film for one reason or another), and the rival lover for the girl, follow completely different paths - the main high school student progressing through the infantry whilst experiencing the trauma and horror that war against giant alien bugs can offer. this also means he makes new friends in the training camps, slowly crawls up among the ranks of his peers, falls in love again… with a different girl from his same class who ended up in the infantry with him. (I won’t beat around the bush, she don’t make it)

In the end, the MC, the love interest girl, the kooky friend, and the friends the MC made in the army, are now all completely different people. Being advertised in the war propaganda as ideal examples following a turning point in the war effort that the MC and his friends are involved it.

he joined the call to war
he makes friends, lovers
he loses them just as quickly
and becomes another cog in the machine
all because of a girl

…god motherfucking damn.

All in all, I give this film a love 9/10 and I encourage all readers of this rant (if there do be any) to see if you can find it for yourselves to watch.
it’s on Amazon prime, Apple ITV or whatever it’s called, Disney + and I’m fairly certain also SBS on demand (sucks to be you, Netflix watchers!)

Anyway, rant over.
You can bugger off now <3