TOP STEAMPUNK MOTION PICTURES

[dr490nw4rri0r]

I'm hopping in a bit late here, so I'm unsure if it's been menttioned, but what about the 1982 film adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune" done by David Lynch?
there were a great deal of steampunk elements in alot of the designs, and cyberpunk in the others. At some points it seemed to sort of intertwine the two concepts, while at other points there were stark differences.

The film also had something that the books and miniseries didn't: the weirding module. I love the concept behind it. It takes a sound generated in the throat and amplifies it into destructive force. It's supposed to be sort of a 'chuff' sort of sound, but the Fremen in this adaptation shout Muad'dib's name instead, as a battle cry, and it very well fits the line "My name is a killing strike."

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The stillsuits were fantastic in this, and I thought they were a bit better done than in the miniseries put out by the Sci Fi channel a couple years back.

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The training bot looked fantastically steampunk, as did pretty much everything in the palace on Caladan and in the imperial palace. The environment chamber for the navigator was well done as well.

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By contrast, some screens of the dingy, dark, cyberpunk dystopia of the Harkonnens here

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Plus the various little weapons and bits of technology, like the chrysknife, etc, and all the other little details looked amazing, though the personal sheild was pretty bad.

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[MinistryOfTruth]

You just managed to get there before me, I was about to mention Dune.  You're absolutely right on all points, especially on everything to do with House Atreides - their uniforms are almost exact replicas of late-19th century Russian military uniforms.  The book is also arguably almost Steampunk in a way, at least in its depiction of a far-future society that has rejected digital technology in favour of a combination of antiquated technologies and highly advanced technologies that still retain the overall "feel" of the past rather than the future.  I'm sure I've heard it described somewhere as a historical novel that just happens to be set in the future rather than a conventional "science fiction" novel.  Sorry, that's sort of off topic.  You'll have to excuse me, I have a near-infinite capacity for rambling and going off on tangents.

[dr490nw4rri0r]

By that right one could say much of the technology described in the "Foundation" books qualifies as steampunk, though I'd say most of it is more deiselpunk.

[Sir Vrilhelm Dreadnaught]

Bearing in mind Tsiolkovsky "The Father of Cosomonautics" was born in Tsarist Russia & his dreams sent Yuri Gargarin into space I would argue Soviet Utilitarianisim belongs to steampunk. [If only the Style Evil Steampunks choose]. Fair enough, the argument has about as much worth as a dog peeing on something to say thats mine, but thats what this threat, Motion Pic wise, is about. Ohhhh, the Right Stuff. Now I'm pushing my luck. But so did Chuck Yaeger. "Is that a man?" "Damn right it is boy!"

then by that rationale, ANY film is steampunk, if we just say it is. Which is not the point of the thread. Equilibrium is not steampunk, neither is The Right Stuff. Both good films in their own right, but not SP. The fact is there are actually damned few films that ARE SP, and a lot that are sort of "fringe SP". And even more, that ain't.

Doc

Oh you! As I said & concede, my argument has as much merit as a dog peeing on something to say its his. But! I'll stick to my gattlings. Russian rockets were powered by lox & kerosene [locked up carbon]. They were just big steam engines really. {Now I'm really pushing it!].

[Doc Rivets]

Oh you! As I said & concede, my argument has as much merit as a dog peeing on something to say its his. But! I'll stick to my gattlings. Russian rockets were powered by lox & kerosene [locked up carbon]. They were just big steam engines really. {Now I'm really pushing it!].

It's all right, Sir Vrill... we still love you.

Doc

[Doc Rivets]

I'd have to say that Dune (the film) does embody something of a steampunk ethos - at least as far as visual design goes - if you sort of think of it as a steampunk era for a NON earth based society. The look of the technology is VERY archaic and quite practical workaday mechanical, rather than chrome and LED slickness. What I love most about steampunk is the very tactile nature of the technology rather than smooth screens and soft lights/sounds. So I'd say, yes to DUNE as an alternate universe setting steampunk. I don't think I saw the miniseries but I have seen the movie, and rather liked it despite Herbert's rather turgid plot. I have tried to love Dune in all its incarnations over the years, for I love the complex interwoven and richly detailed world he created, but have always hated the rather ponderous pace and story telling.

Doc

[Matt_Splicer]

KhaiJBach welldone good man.

Amazing screw on head in awesome!!

(And written by the same guy as hellboy!)

[The Kilted Commodore]

You know, I don't think this quite qualifies as steampunk, maybe diesel or some-such, or maybe its just a good film, but The Man Who Would Be King with Sean Connery and Michael Caine always seemed like it had the right sort of attitude for steampunk... Imperialism and all that.

[elShoggotho]

Mutant Chronicles definitely embraces some aspects of steampunk. Five hundred years after the Apocalypse, flying with steam-powered skyships due to dwindling planetary resources? A mutation engine looking like THAT?

[Miss Kins]

Its probably been mentioned before but how about the 1996 Doctor Who TV film?  Inaccuracies to the show's canon etc etc aside, the Doctor's outfit and the vast glory of the TARDIS interior was simply GORGEOUS. 

*Sigh.*  Why can't we all have time machines with their own drawing room?

[neon_suntan]

I may have to post this on the IMDB "Need to Know" Message board... BUT

Anyone remember the film where someone has huge steam powered mechanical dragon head in the desert to terrify travellers?

It was big enough for the operator to sit in the head...

This may have been set in a semi-fictional India or Middle East.

Any ideas?

[Esmerelda]

You know, I don't think this quite qualifies as steampunk, maybe diesel or some-such, or maybe its just a good film, but The Man Who Would Be King with Sean Connery and Michael Caine always seemed like it had the right sort of attitude for steampunk... Imperialism and all that.

I keep thinking the same thing, but I don't see how. Maybe I just think that because there are trains in it.

I want someone to make a steampunk version of the Ned Kelly story. C'mon, it's just begging for it, with that suit of armour and all!!!

[The Kilted Commodore]

Or maybe its just awesome, and we're biased.

[Marrock]

I keep thinking the same thing, but I don't see how. Maybe I just think that because there are trains in it.

I want someone to make a steampunk version of the Ned Kelly story. C'mon, it's just begging for it, with that suit of armour and all!!!

How about a couple somethings starring one Yahoo Serious... Reckless Kelly and Young Einstein?

[Esmerelda]

Oh, I haven't seen Reckless Kelly. Does the star of those movies remind anyone else of Carrot top or is it just me?
My husband is almost as embarrassed by those movies as the Croc Dundee movies.

[Marrock]

Embarassed?

Is he insane?

They're brilliant.

[Sir Vrilhelm Dreadnaught]

Hows about 'DJANGO' - it features the Victorian ultimate technology [gatling gun] versus the Protestant Inquisition (Ku Klux Klan in red robes) - or the likes - for finally, its all just Italian Wild West Bonkers.

[neon_suntan]

Hows about 'DJANGO' - it features the Victorian ultimate technology [gatling gun] versus the Protestant Inquisition (Ku Klux Klan in red robes) - or the likes - for finally, its all just Italian Wild West Bonkers.

Which Django film is that??

I've only seen the first one but they made about 5 or 6 more...

[Robur]

Some very nice fillms have ben quoted, but this topic would rather deserve the the title 'Good movies with steampunk bits int it'. It shows that we do not define steampunk the same way.
No offense meant, moreover this thread is always the occasion to spot a good movie with some mechanics or imperial atmosphere in it.

[Magnusmagic]

Some very nice films have been quoted, but this topic would rather deserve the the title 'Good movies with steampunk bits int it'. It shows that we do not define steampunk the same way.
No offense meant, moreover this thread is always the occasion to spot a good movie with some mechanics or imperial atmosphere in it.

I have to agree with Robur. A lot of great films are mentioned that are merely set during the age of steam in which many contraptions and devices that are referred to as steampunk were a bit common or even if they were uncommon...they were still appropriate to the period. 

Then there are the films mentioned that are "steampunk-ish" in their production design, art direction, or costume design but that are set in more times or in a fantasy world.

I think I would qualify a film as steampunk if it is set perhaps mostly between 1805 and 1914 and it should have a science fiction or fantastic element to its basic plot along with some anachronistic invention or technology.
 
Using the above criteria a short list for me might include (not accounting for quality):

First Men in the Moon (1964)
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
Steamboy (2004)
The Time Machine (1960 & 2002)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Frankenstein (1931)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Prestige (2006)
Master of the World (1961)
Time after Time (1979)
Metropolis (1927)
Wild, Wild West (1999)
War of the Worlds (2005) (d. Timothy Hines)
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

I'm sure a few others will come to mind...
 

[Sir Vrilhelm Dreadnaught]

Hows about 'DJANGO' - it features the Victorian ultimate technology [gatling gun] versus the Protestant Inquisition (Ku Klux Klan in red robes) - or the likes - for finally, its all just Italian Wild West Bonkers.

Which Django film is that??

I've only seen the first one but they made about 5 or 6 more...

The First! He drags the coffin and confronts the Confederate Red Robed Klan and blasts away. thats really the whole plot to be honest, but its worth it. Ratttatatatatttttatatatatatatatatatatatatat. Tat. Ta. tat. Oh theres another one: Ratattatatatatatattatattttttatatatt. And I always think of THE scene out of 'Carry on up the Khyber.' concerning Gatling guns. You know the one I mean.

[neon_suntan]

Hows about 'DJANGO' - it features the Victorian ultimate technology [gatling gun] versus the Protestant Inquisition (Ku Klux Klan in red robes) - or the likes - for finally, its all just Italian Wild West Bonkers.

Which Django film is that??

I've only seen the first one but they made about 5 or 6 more...

The First! He drags the coffin and confronts the Confederate Red Robed Klan and blasts away. thats really the whole plot to be honest, but its worth it. Ratttatatatatttttatatatatatatatatatatatatat. Tat. Ta. tat. Oh theres another one: Ratattatatatatatattatattttttatatatt. And I always think of THE scene out of 'Carry on up the Khyber.' concerning Gatling guns. You know the one I mean.

Hmm I remember lots of people being mowed down by the coffin stored gatling, but red robed KKK seems to have been wiped from my memory banks... [probably by watchin Jodorowskys "El Topo"] i'll dig out the VHS copy for viewing tonight. Should go nicely before Robocop!

And another suggestion if it ain't there already is American Astronaut.

[Danbury Shakes]

 
Using the above criteria a short list for me might include (not accounting for quality):
 

Apart from these

Steamboy (2004)
The Prestige (2006)
Master of the World (1961)
Time after Time (1979)

I've seen tho others some of which are amongst my favorite films list
Have to therefore see these

[Sir Vrilhelm Dreadnaught]

Hows about 'DJANGO' - it features the Victorian ultimate technology [gatling gun] versus the Protestant Inquisition (Ku Klux Klan in red robes) - or the likes - for finally, its all just Italian Wild West Bonkers.

Which Django film is that??

I've only seen the first one but they made about 5 or 6 more...

The First! He drags the coffin and confronts the Confederate Red Robed Klan and blasts away. thats really the whole plot to be honest, but its worth it. Ratttatatatatttttatatatatatatatatatatatatat. Tat. Ta. tat. Oh theres another one: Ratattatatatatatattatattttttatatatt. And I always think of THE scene out of 'Carry on up the Khyber.' concerning Gatling guns. You know the one I mean.

Hmm I remember lots of people being mowed down by the coffin stored gatling, but red robed KKK seems to have been wiped from my memory banks... [probably by watchin Jodorowskys "El Topo"] i'll dig out the VHS copy for viewing tonight. Should go nicely before Robocop!

And another suggestion if it ain't there already is American Astronaut.

Hows about "Dollar for the Dead"? as a Django effort post modern remake? No, you're right. Too much of the fragments. But then again arn't Steampunks post modern reinactors using such frags as ref points?

[Dr. Maximillion Plank]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it already but I've always thought that the Japanese film 'Casshern' would be classed as steampunk. Yes there is the element of pure manga in there, especially with the main hero, but other elements I would categorise as steampunk. If I'm wrong I would like to point out that I'm new to this so please be kind