World Premiere
The Sci-Fi Boys
| USA | 80 MINUTES | EnglishDocumentary
From Fritz Lang's Metropolis to Universal's B-horror films of the first half of the century to the digitally enhanced blockbusters of the last few decades, science-fiction and special-effects films have sparked the imaginations of countless moviegoers around the world. The Sci-Fi Boys is an entertaining and heartfelt homage to both the genre itself and the people who played a part in its development, from its humble beginnings in stop-motion animation to the multi-million dollar CGI projects. Special attention is paid to visual effects master Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts, First Men on the Moon) and the inimitable Forrest J. Ackerman (creator of the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland), both of whom inspired a whole generation of sci-fi fans to make their own amateur monster movies as a precursor to creating the art and technology for films like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and The Lord of the Rings. This documentary also features interviews with some of sci-fi's top producers, directors, writers, and special effects artists, including Peter Jackson, Ray Bradbury, Roger Corman, John Landis, Dennis Muren, Rick Baker, Leonard Maltin, and Steven Spielberg, as well as footage from several of their amateur films. The Sci-Fi Boys is a must-see for anyone who has screamed, gasped, or laughed at a movie monster.
Cast & Credits
Directed by
Paul Davids and Ishai Setton
Paul Davids first became a "Sci-Fi Boy" as production coordinator and writer of the TV series The Transformers. In 1994 he was executive producer and cowriter of Roswell, a Showtime movie that received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Motion Picture. In 1996, Davids directed the documentary Timothy Leary's Dead, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and sold out at the Toronto Film Festival. He then went on to produce and direct Starry Night and The Artist and the Shaman, which detailed his adventures as a painter in Sedona, Arizona. A native of Maryland, he holds an B.A. in Psychology from Princeton and an M.A. equivalent in Writing and Directing from the American Film Institute. He is a member of the Writer's Guild and the Producer's Guild of America.