We’ve been entertained by the idea of the world in alternate circumstances by such authors as H.G.Wells, Jules Verne, and even bards from long ago. They told tales of the unreal or the extraordinary. But what makes a story of unbelievable proportion believable and worth the time?

C.S. Lewis explained, “the art of bringing something close to us, making it palpable and vivid, by sharply observed or sharply imagined detail” makes a work of fantasy successful. The more statistics we’re given, (how tall is this robot, is the air breathable on that planet) the less we feel we have to suspend our disbelief and dare I say, the more we can relate. When we see the mortally wounded King Kong holding on to the Empire State Building, we are able to relate to the eighth wonder of the world when he places his prized Fay Wray out of harm’s way. Even though you and I have never been lost in space, we can surely identify with the longing of wanting to find a way home … though perhaps more is at stake with Will Robinson and family.

These alternate circumstances placed in realistic light create imaginative stories of excitement where, in the end, anything is capable of taking place.

2001: A Space Odyssey

(1968, PG)

Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clark present an enigmatic vision of space exploration and mankind. In an anthology style (set to pieces of classical music), the movie looks at three different time frames all related by the appearance of a mysterious monolith. The film opens with “the dawn of man” as primates scurry across the barren landscape and make revolutionary discoveries. Jumping ahead however, we arrive at the main setting of the movie where we meet two astronauts in their large spacecraft being guided by an onboard super computer named HAL 9000.

The movie itself travels at a slow pace, which some could find to be either serene or boring. As mentioned, it can also be quite perplexing. Images are shown without a clear understanding of what they all amount to. In fact, it’s been said that the film was purposefully left open ended allowing viewers to insert their own speculation. To give you a small prompting, this viewer suggests that it’s a tale partly concerning man losing his control of technology.

Drift to the outer realms of space and join TCM, on June 3 at 8 p.m.

Clash of the Titans

(1980, PG-13)

This movie, based on Greek mythology, was the last of its kind, for it was clay-mation master Ray Harryhausen’s last production. Harryhausen had made a career and an art form out of a special effect known as stop-motion animation (Mighty Joe Young, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Jason and the Argonauts). By adjusting the position of detailed models with every frame of film, life is brought to fantastical creatures. In this case, the winged horse Pegasus, the hideous gorgon Medusa, and the giant sea monster known as the Kraken all burst forth with vitality.

We follow the tale of Perseus, son of Zeus, whose bride Andromeda is to be sacrificed to the unstoppable Kraken or else the entire city will be destroyed by the monster’s wrath. Naturally, our hero sets out across the land (and the river Styx) to find a way to slay the Kraken. It’s full of adventure, excitement and famous faces: Burgess Meredith plays the hero’s mentor, Maggie Smith is Thetis, and Laurence Olivier is Zeus.

“Find and fulfill your destiny” June 4, at 10 p.m. on TCM.

The Day the

Earth Stood Still

(1951, G)

“Klaatu barada nikto.” This 1950s classic begins when a flying saucer lands in Washington D.C. It is revealed that the space craft contains two passengers, a human-like alien named Klaatu and a giant robot of unfathomable power called Gort. Klaatu insists that he comes in peace and brings a message that could impact the fate of the planet earth. However, after a misunderstanding and a brief demonstration of Gort’s laser ability, Klaatu is taken under guard and considered a threat. However, Klaatu is soon able to escape and hides in plain sight, where he befriends and enlists the help of a widow and her young son.

At the time this movie was made, most science fiction works were capitalizing on the impending threat of atomic war (The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Time Machine, and Them!).

The Day the Earth Stood Still, however, interjects a poignant message on the matter while also thrilling audiences with special effects. This has separated it from typical B films, of the time, that often featured giant nuclear charged monsters and little else.

Turn it on Netflix and discover what has brought the alien visitors.