If we look at our current situation in terms of fantasy or sci-fi

movies or books, which franchise serves as the best model (Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc.)? Why? Given your choice, who are we, who are they, and what hope can we draw from these parallels?

The heros are being pursued by mindless entities that follow the Great Leader who acts like a god. The mindless entities are trying to take over the world, but our heros hit and run trying to stop them. As the mindless entities go from planet to planet they bring destruction everywhere.

...the cylons aren't mindless. Ruthless, lacking 'humanity', groupthink, but not mindless. Are you referring to the original series? Or BG2003?

with the pretty pointed head. Yes to your description.

Particularly for the Osama-like global ogre, the global warming, and the surveillance society. Out of print, very highly recommended.

Amazon link
As in Warday (Holt, 1984), Strieber and Kunetka combine scientific facts with projections of scientific probability in their speculative fiction of the near future. It is 2025 and the planet is rapidly approaching environmental death. Dr. Gupta Singh, a Hindu guru with a Jim Jones-like following, has proposed the suicide, by lottery, of one-third of the world's population. His followers have elected a Depopulationist majority in Congress. Led by journalist John Sinclair, a small group hopes to prove that Singh is a fraud. Singh is a formidable enemy: he cancels the medical-cosmetological treatment that the 72-year-old Sinclair (who looks 46 due to the treatment) receives, causing Sinclair to age rapidly. Singh sets the feared tax police after Sinclair, alters his records, and wipes out his wealth. Tension mounts as Sinclair stalks Singh and gains access to his "conviction" -- an electronic document into Singh's true identity and character. While this is less straightforward and slower to start than Warday, it is just as sobering in its tragic possibilities.

The goauld (I just murdered that) are looked upon as gods and not questioned. Their followers must be awakened and saved one at a time. New worlds must be protected from their imperialistic goals.

And there is a small band who are just like them, but fighting for good (Republicans for Kerry!)

is an absolutely perfect fit. People jailed for teaching the Constitution, mass media controlling everyone's opinion and serving up red meat for all.

My husband love this show call Babylon 5.

You have in it the Government taking over the media at one point. A war started by (advance beingings) and it ended up being for their needs. You know--kinds of reminds me of the WMD story when it was really all about oil and money.


An underground movement to get various truths out.


Lately I've heard of the military men coming back very sick for some reason. To me I am thinking of experiments done by our "Government" things that sort of happen in Babylon 5

I KNOW I should pay more attention to that show to compare it but really I'm having a hard time thinking of a good series that I can think of...

Can Wicked be considered? The Wizard is Bush. The term oil of OZ and the basic destruction of the ANIMAL class.

The Depleted Uranium munitions that are being used in Iraq are absolutely lethal to anyone unlucky enough to be there.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s580857.htm

Sad but true. :(

Like the humans in that movie, progressives are being overrun by the pod people/fundies/freepers.

all of the aliens were rich and upper middle class, and they threw bones to their human collaborators.

Just like Republicans and the media and the RW talk show hosts.

got to do a remake on that soon, come on Hollywood . . .

for kicks, here's the theme song-->
http://www.planetscifi.net/downloads/mp3/they_live.mp3

kinda spooky tune

Sleep, consume...This is your god.

where Rowdy Roddy and Keith David beat the everlovin' shit out of each other. For some reason, that stands out as much as the "view through the sunglasses".

In "Cripple Fight," Timmy and Jimmy fight it out blow-by-blow and line-by-line with "They Live's" fight scene. Funny as hell, especially the five knees to the groin (in both).

cm kornbluth

we're not the morons.

Feyd Rautha is a puppet of Baron Harkonnen, and the Baron is the one who figures out what spice is, and guides Feyd into getting control of it.

Interesting topic. I don't know who "we" might be. I'll give that some thought; but "they" (the Repubs) remind me of the Borg in Star Trek, Next Generation: one mind-set and all talk with same voice, same rhetoric, like all thoughts come from the Queen -- aka the Party. Also, of course, their cocky arrogance, "Resistance is futile! You WILL be assimilated!" But just separate one from the hive, and they're totally at a loss.
Gosh, I miss that show!

I miss Next Gen AND Deep Space Nine also. And I'm still pissed that Janeway and Chakotay didn't get together in the end.

begin their scouting closely followed by laser-cutting the ship apart piece by piece -- and they don't let the "resistance" interrupt their single-minded purpose. Kind of like the Borg, I mean the Republicans are doing to the Constitution.

Americans awoke one morning in a Homeland called "the Village."



"Are you going to run?"
"Like the blazes. The first chance I get."
"No. I mean run for office."

n/t

Spice being oil in this case. I thought the Fedaykin reminded me of the insurgents in the Middle East. Always outnumbered, always outgunned, never giving up.

Only the goblins have elected one of their own, or it could be something mundane like "The Network" of "Mr. Murder"

Could be worse, it could be "A Canticle for Leibowitz".

Both are about "20 minutes into the future."

...with a little bit of "Neuromancer" thrown in.

it's about an alternative universe where the Nazis and Japan won WWII, and the visionary novelist who is hunted down for writing a scifi novel about an alternative universe where the US won WWII...

The first three episodes are about the Old Republic being overthrown by a senator who would be emperor who uses fear and national emergencies in order to get the Senate to give him more power. He uses it to mobilize the armies and start wars, and he uses it to make himself emperor and replace the once proud Republic with a dictatorship.

I mean, how can you not see the parallels?

There's a reason behind my avatar.

Read H.P. Lovecraft, read Kafka, read 1984, read Naked Lunch. In fact read anything but the NYT and the WP.

But, if you MUST watch something: Welles made a pretty good version of Kafka's 'Trial, and both the original and the remake of Invasion of the Body-Snatchers remain relevant.

We are the crew of Moya. They are the Peacekeepers, (or Scarrens depending on your view of republicans). Truth is our wormhole weapon. :evilgrin:

Imagine the scene from the movie, when in the meeting of the Council at Rivendell, the members are arguing, fighting with each other and basically imploding -- so little Frodo is the only one who will stand up and say, "I will take it. I will carry the ring to Mordor."

DU, Moveon, dKos, etc. now "Frodo" are the ones taking the message to the base and even the masses. They are defending the Core principles of the left when the Democratic leadership are too occupied with arguing amongst themselves (for years even) so they were caught unawares of the build-up of the army of Orcs and the power of Sauron. And even when the crisis is a clear and present danger - they are still unprepared to face the enemy head-on, and do so only as a diversion. The only hope lies with Frodo.

But who would be Gandalf and Strider?

But the spice in this case is the VOTE! The mentat class perhaps the PNAC, the Bene Geserit the evangelicals, and we must become the Fedaykin.

At first I wanted to say Empire Strikes Back but I don't think it's gotten nearly to that point. There's no doubt in my mind that Episodes I and II are a deliberate comparison of current events on the part of Lucas and Co.



But I learned a long time ago that you shouldn't think of your life as any movie, even if the comparison seems eerily appropriate. Events in real life are far less predictable, decisions are permanent, you probably won't be rescued, things may not work out for you in the end, and evil often triumphs and prospers.

"The public and the Senate willingly gave up their rights and freedoms in the name of security. Under Palpatine's guidance, the war would be won, and the Republic would be safe."

Sound familiar? Lucas' comparison is none to subtle.