Please name this movie

[Julie Smith]

Today I was at a small out of town gas station and saw a DVD for sale. I think the title had the word, “children” in it. I read the back of the DVD and I thought it sounded interesting. But now I forget the name of the movie. 

In the movie aliens have invaded earth and have seemingly solved all our problems. No more war of famine. But then something happens and the aliens either reveal themselves, or reveal their real purpose. 

 

Does it ring any bells for anyone? 

[mellifera33]

It sounds like Arthur C. Clarke’s novel Childhood’s End. Maybe there’s also a movie? 

[Bluegoat]

Gosh, I didn't know there was a movie of that book.  I really liked the book, is the miniseries any good.

[Hen]

the mini-series was well done, but I thought it ended badly, really depressing.  I wouldn't have watched it if I had thought that was how it would end. 

[Tanaqui]

Ugh, I hate that book so much.

[Tanaqui]

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I was about to ask if this was a movie for children or adults or if you saw the rating or anything. It sounds like you got an answer, though. I don't personally know anything about this.

 

It's "a classic". Specifically, it is THE classic novel that makes me skeptical of the inherent value of classic books*. There is actually no book in the world that gets this much loathing from me. I cannot stand it. I can't even tell you why! I just hate it so much. I think it's because of this one scene with a dog. I'm so over books where dogs die or get abandoned or are just sad. I'd rather read Snuggle Puppy. I'd rather snuggle my own puppies**, for that matter.

(I also think that the premise of the book is off-putting and not fully explored in a satisfying way.)

* I completely believe there is cultural value in being familiar with the classic works everybody else is familiar with. I also believe that some books are better-written or more thought-provoking than others. Neither of those beliefs means that I must accept that every book labeled "a classic" by our society is worth my time and brainspace, nor do I feel they all need to be inflicted on students.

** Full-grown doggies, rather.

[Tanaqui]

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I didn't even know it was a classic. That's how little it rings a bell. Maybe because it's a sci-fi book? Most classics I have heard of just don't fall in that category.

 

You need to run in different circles, then. Without blinking, I can think of several classic novels which are speculative fiction - LotR, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World (collectively, I feel I must now state that I am fed up to here with the male gaze in my dystopias), Childhood's freaking End, Stranger in a Strange Land (I'm done with Heinlein too, but if you don't include him the fanboys pout), The Dispossessed, Dune, the original Foundation trilogy (aka Asimov falls in love with sociology), Left Hand of Darkness, The Women Men Don't See (short stories ftw), Parable of the Sower (a bit modern to be a classic, but this is my list), Flowers for Algernon, Frankenstein, Canticle for Leibowitz, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, probably something by Ayn Rand.

But yeah, this is another big reason I'm skeptical of our privileging of "classics". We all have different canons. I don't like Childhood's End, but I legit think it's hard to be well-read if you're not passing familiar with it. (Other people may think it's hard to be well-read if you haven't devoured all of Dickens and Twain, or read Don Quixote in the original Spanish.) Likewise, the only things I agree with Ayn Rand on is atheism and the fact that cats are objectively valuable, but I can catch as many Fountainhead references as Moby Dick ones. MD might be more readable.

(That's a very male, white list of authors, btw. Yet another reason to shake things up....)

[Tanaqui]

Now we're drifting even further off-topic, but yes, there is a shorter (not abridged, per se, just shorter) version of Flowers for Algernon. Actually... I think Flowers for Algernon might be the shorter one and the expanded one is called something else.

[Bluegoat]

I'd not have called it as classic, other than in the sense that Arthur C Clarke is foundational as a sci-fi author.  But in terms of saying, this is a book you need to read for i's cultural relevance, it would not have occurred to me to include it.

[mellifera33]

5 hours ago, Bluegoat said:

I'd not have called it as classic, other than in the sense that Arthur C Clarke is foundational as a sci-fi author.  But in terms of saying, this is a book you need to read for i's cultural relevance, it would not have occurred to me to include it.

 

Interesting. I wonder if maybe it depends on what circles you run in--I think that Childhood's End comes up a lot. Not as often as the Bible or Don Quixote or random Greek myths, but it pops up a lot in pop culture. 

[poppy]

23 hours ago, Hen said:

the mini-series was well done, but I thought it ended badly, really depressing.  I wouldn't have watched it if I had thought that was how it would end. 

 

Why would you spoil it? I think that's unkind.  Most of us watch fiction wanting to see the story unfold, without demanding a happy ending.

 

I have heard of this book and of course Arthur C. Clark but I do not think it is in the pantheon of classics like Farenheit 451 and Stranger in a Strange Land.

[poppy]

Just now, heartlikealion said:

They didn't give specifics and I took it as, "I wish someone told me so I'm telling you." Maybe a spoiler tag would have been more appropriate.

There are some things I have watched where I felt like I really wasted my time because the show got canceled mid season or ended abruptly/awkwardly/or with more questions than answers. That's truly annoying.

 Spoiler tags would have been good.

[Hen]

um, I just send it ended badly and I didn't like the ending, how is that spoiling it?  I didn't get into specifics.  And it was really depressing, I wish I hadn't spent several days watching it, I thought someone might want to know it is depressing. Wow.