Search results
Well before “Battlefield Earth” was ever released, critics were lining up to cast negative aspersions on the film, using the ubiquitous medium of the Internet to write their hateful and largely anonymous reviews, based almost entirely on the unauthorized release of an early version of the script.
However, Battlefield Earth is more than that, much more, and here’s why. It’s an epic story of humanity’s struggles against brutal aliens who a millennium past conquered and annihilated Earth which is now a post-apocalyptic wasteland where the few humans remaining are hunted for sport.
- The head of Scientology allegedly oversaw the film’s direction. Despite the Church of Scientology declaring multiple times that Battlefield Earth had nothing to do with their faith, former members of the church have reported that many higher-ups in the organization played a vital role in the development of the film.
- The film was originally going to be made back in the ‘80s. The 1980s is a decade known for turning out a number of outlandish sci-fi and action films, including such cult classics as Escape from New York and Repo Man.
- Even Tom Cruise allegedly thought the film was a bad idea. If you had to guess one celebrity that would have been fully onboard with this film other than John Travolta, it would probably have been Tom Cruise.
- It bankrupted the production company. After it was discovered that Franchise Pictures falsely reported that its production costs were $31 million more than they actually were, the company was sued by Intertainment AG and forced to pay over $120 million in damages.
Battlefield Earth received polarized mixed reviews, with some critics, and readers, considering the book Hubbard's most enjoyable sci-fi work and a classic of the genre, while others consider it to be genuinely terrible.
- It features some of the stupidest aliens in cinema. A thousand years in the future, the planet will be dominated by a race of giant aliens called Psychlos.
- Acting. The Psychlos aren’t just stupid, selfish and ungainly – they also behave like a group of unemployed Shakespearian actors after two bottles of sherry.
- John Travolta. John Travolta clearly enjoys playing the most villainous of the Psychlos, Terl. He’s despicable. He wears a huge cod-piece, and he’s fond of making grandiose statements while drunk in a bar.
- Its production design is mystifying. Before directing Battlefield Earth, Roger Christian was a rightly-acclaimed production designer. He won an Oscar for his work on Star Wars, and was nominated for another in 1979 for Alien.
Oct 17, 2016 · Final Thoughts: Some science fiction fans consider Battlefield Earth to be a 'classic' or a "cult favorite," while non-fans of the genre consider it to be rubbish. Before I started listening to the audiobook, I made sure to keep an open mind and shoved all my old thoughts about the 2000 movie aside.
People also ask
Is Battlefield Earth a cult classic?
Is Battlefield Earth a classic sci-fi book?
When was 'Battlefield Earth' released?
Was 'Battlefield Earth' critically mauled?
Feb 2, 2021 · Christian says that Tarantino (who had declined Travolta’s offer to direct the film) assured him it would be a cult classic in 20 years.
