Starship Troopers

It's a modern classic.

Every time I watch it, I'm amazed how well most of the effects have held up(damn shiny brain bug!). I wish Verhoeven would get the money to do one more sci-fi action flick, despite the mediocre Hollow Man.
The only thing that bugs(haha!) me is how abrupt the ending is, but then again some people seem to enjoy that aspect.

How can you not enjoy it when Zim gets the bug, man!? ZIM GOT THE BUG!!!

Yeah, other than the brain bug, I found myself dazzled by the film's visual FX when I saw it at a midnight showing a couple years ago. That, and Poledouris' score when they approach Klendathu... so ROUSING. Gets me all amped to kill bugs.

It's a satire on propaganda that also happens to absolutely work as propaganda!

The only good bug is a dead bug!
Would you like to know more?

I haven't watched Starship Troopers lately, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie the times I have seen it.

Definitely. I think that's the highest thing a satire can reach for. I watched Tanner '88 (an Altman mockumentary mini-series about a fake democratic candidate running for the presidential primaries) recently and was amazed at how I kept finding myself wishing that this fictional character actually won the primaries over Dukakis and Jesse Jackson.

Just keep repeating...It's only a movie...It's only a movie...It's only a movie...

One of my absolute favorite movies.

"To fight the bug, we must understand the bug."

The attitude here is gleefully over the top. It didn't work for me when I first saw it (growing up I was a big fan of the book...until I discovered what a libertarian lunatic Heinlein was), but it's a great cable movie.

I always enjoyed the Bug stomping propaganda scene. The little girl wearing silver Doc Martens -- a true relic of the 90s -- always brings a smile to my face.

I'm partial to the insane mother that's cackling with glee. I think I'm gonna pop the blu-ray in now.

That's delightful too.

I too was disappointed in the movie, seeing it in the theater as a teenager and being a big Heinlein fan. But it quickly grew into one of my favorites. I'm actually kind of amazed that there wasn't a more recent Starship Troopers thread. I feel like it's discussed a lot on the MB.

I'm just hoping that it's not too much longer for the film adaptation of Heinlein's Farnham's Freehold.

This would be a great candidate for a remake. I'd still love to see the Skinnies and the power armor going at it. Pretty good stuff...

I thought it was their school teacher!

Devin wrote about it at some point in a mainpage article (part of a series, I forget which). I bet a bunch of people probably got their discussion kicks in that thread in the Main Page forum.

A funny, entertaining action movie, for sure, with some sharp satire thrown in to boot, just like RoboCop.

Never read the book. But we're not supposed to take all that Nazi stuff seriously?

In addition to what Tyler mentioend, Kate actually started one a bit ago, but nobody bit. I guess it just got buried.
http://www.chud.com/forum/showthread...light=troopers

I know I definitely discussed this movie in depth at some point, but it wasn't in the thread I created for it I guess. I think it must have been some main page article like someone else mentioned.

Anyway, great movie, I think it's more than just an action movie with satire, it's a insane, brilliant satire with killer insect battles that somehow was funded by a major studio. It's a triumph on every level, and yes, I do believe Mr Verhoeven that his casting of blank dullards was fully intentional

(the recruits were all dulalrds, I mean. Obviously Brown, Ironside ETC were great. Among the kids, the exception to the rule was the sinister Dougie Howser MD. I remember posting in some other thread about this, but for the record I met him one time and congratulated him on his work in ST. It was very cool)

PS I've read the book. I think it's kind of fascist, and I don't really care for it. It's space fascism, without irony. Mech suit combat is cool, but you could make practically any sci fi movie and have it contain mechs. I don't need a remake of ST. Plus, many of the original films effects still hold up well today

Starship Troopers is...Awe-Inspiring and Awesome! Casper Van Dien and Michael Ironside are excellent as the raw recruit Johnny Rico, and his superior, Jean Rasczak. Denise Richards was beyond...Beautiful as Lt. Carmen Ibanez. I love the capital ships. Seeing a fleet of Cruisers, was like seeing a live action...Space Battleship Yamato/Star Blazers! a full scale war film against...EEEEEEEEEEEvil bugs that was properly over the top, and filled with action. I can watch this film several times and it never gets old.

Come on, you apes! Do you want to live forever?

Rico's delivery of that call to action really paled in comparison to MICHAEL IRONSIDE's.

But then... would it really be any other way? But still, I wish Van Dien had made that line sound more gruff than he did. It would've made a rousing ending even better.

What about his, "I'm from Buenos Aires and I say, KILL 'EM ALL!"?

So bloodthirsty!

WHOOOOOO!!!!

But if Michael Ironside had beaten him to that line...

This is a movie I've watched countless times and will continue to do so. And I don't care if I get called a heretic but it is without a doubt the best thing Verhoeven ever made. In no small part thanks to the absolutely spot on rousing score. The Federation March is the best thing ever.

This should be required viewing and exam material for everyone currently trying to make a 'satiric' movie.

Awesome movie. Love how Verhoeven turns casting a bunch of pretty, talentless young stars into something of a joke.

I'm wondering though, did you get the whole 'the bugs aren't actually evil and the humans are fascist aggressors' subtext?

Frankypanky, I do not care about that...Interpretation. I do not see...Starship Troopers as a...Satire. I see...Starship Troopers as the Patriotic, Space Force of Earth, led by their gung ho...Marines, as they attempt to destroy the...EEEEEEEEEvil Bugs, which caused...Massive damage, in a diabolical sneak attack killing millions of people. I do not see the Troopers as facsist, I see them as aggressively sending the message, throughout the stars if you mess with Earth...Captain Carmen Ibanez, and young men and women, of the...Earth Federation, will keep on...Kicking Alien Ass, with the hundreds of space marines, fighter pilots, in their beautiful toys, lauched from massive Capital Ships.

I have very fond memories of seeing this the day after New Year's, 1998, and the guy in front of me finding the gore so shocking that he had to dash off to the toilets about two-thirds of the way through to vomit.

Although I have to admit, given that it got a 15 rating over here, the level of violence was pretty amazing.

Ah 1997, the year of the bug. Alien: Resurrection, Mimic, and Starship Troopers came out back to back, to the point that I still have an epic issue of Cinescape that covers them all. Unfortunately they all failed at the box office! That was a vivid year for me in terms of film geekdom, as I was new to the Internet and looked for everything related to these slimy movies.

Love this movie, incredibly quotable, and goes a long way towards world building. The news casts, the trial and execution of a prisoner in the same day, the difference between a civilian and citizen, needing a license to have kids. All fascinating stuff. Plus boobs and scenes in which football skills help Casper Van Dien destroy giant bugs.

Bartleby_Scriven, Not to mention that Hot QB, Flores, who left opponents...Dizzy, with her, Dazzling Pass, to the man of her dreams, Johnny Rico for the touchdown that won the...Game!

In the film, no. Verhoeven did a wonderful satire on the jingoistic propaganda machine that a generally free society morphs into when a crisis strikes.

In the book, well, I wouldn't call Heinlein a "Nazi" but he CLEARLY believes that with the privileges granted by freedom, all citizens should feel a duty to defend it. And he is as serious as a heart attack about it.

It's a pretty good book, and an interesting experiment is to read the book, watch the movie, and see how the same story with the same events and dialogue can lead you to two different conclusions.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

My love for this film knows no bounds, Nazi Doogie Howser yes!!!

I just wish the squeals did not suck as bad. Then again, I felt this film did not need a sequel.

Who ever designed the cover for the Starship Troopers blue-ray cover has a special spot in design hell waiting for them.

MoonBaseNick, What...Starship Troopers needed was a...Big Budget Sequel, with...Denise Richards as Captain Ibanez, hunting down...The Bugs allies, (I think they are the...Skinnies or something similar) in her own Flagship, and maybe going more...Top Gunesque, and use the fighter wings of the capital ships instead of the marines.

I've loved this movie since I first saw back in middle school (too young? Probably messed me up), and I never understood why all my friends thought it was stupid. Turns out few kids that age are able to appreciate satire, or the concept of propaganda.

Possibly the only thing really suspect about the film is the casting of Denise Richards as a starship captain (hard to say if that's more or less believable than nuclear weapons expert), but then again that fits with the propaganda nature of the piece (stupidly pretty people excelling glamorously at largely unglamorous tasks).

One of the best little WTF moments is when that unhinged general/commander/whatever at the fort gets decimated by one of the bugs, the film cuts to Van Dien and Busey's reaction shot.

Jake Busey is totally smiling about it. Van Dien is horrified, but Jake is having the time of his life. He looks unquestionably happy.

Billy Youngblood, I wouldn't say, that being...Captain, of a Flagship is, Unglamorous. It is a prestige position, with an easy segue, to a political career as well.

I wonder if he thinks its cool or not that of all his screen work over the years, some people come up to him and specify that they are fans of his Space Nazi character. If you'll recall, Rob Cordry told Neil Patrick Harris he was a fan of Starship Troopers in the second HAROLD AND KUMAR film, and he seemed unimpressed. I think it's a really quite brilliant performance, and it sticks with you for more than simply the incongruous casting. He goes from a sweet believable rascal to a person who is genuinely kind of cold and chilling, and it's probably one of the more interesting character arcs in the film even though Karl is a relatively minor character in the script.

PS My favorite cover art for any ST dvd/blu ray release? This one: I own it, I also bought the original double sided DVD way back when.




Mr Fleed, just out of curiosity, have you listened to the Verhoeven/Neumeyer commentary tracks? And if so, do the director and writers stated intentions for making the movie factor into your interpretation or do you enjoy the film on your level anyway? (just a friendly question by the way, I'm curious)

A few years ago a non film fan friend asked me to name a song that was "epic" for them to listen to. I am not a music person, so I thought for a second and then said to look up the ST theme music. They were impressed even though they had not seen the film. I think it's definitely one of the best scores of the past 20 years. I was going to just say "the 90s" but it's better than much of what we got from The Aughts too


Well, for me the line works because Rico's arc in the film has finished and the drama of the moment, going off to fight the war with the next generation of marines, (along with the pounding score) really sells it. Van Dien is no Ironside, but he didn't need to be for that moment to work for me

Didn't she only get to be captain at the very end in the propagand reel?

She was a pilot for most of the action.

Seems to me that they already made an excellent videogame(s) about the power suits- its called Halo. The book is verbose, and the movie really distilled the best parts of it, discarding all the essay-type soapboxing. Best things: merging characters (ie: Rico's teacher with Rasjak and: (hopefully needless spoiler warning) Carl dies early in the book but gets promoted to Himmler in the movie. Also the male pilot gets brain-sucked!

This is exactly what I love so much about the movie. It took some balls for Verhoeven to adapt the book by presenting Heinlein's seriously-offered philosophies as satires on themselves. There are parts where it plays almost like a parody of the book.

I'm really not a fan of the book. It isn't well-written. The classroom scene in particular is such a heavy-handed and thinly-veiled lecture on how awful Heinlein thought that child-rearing practices were at the time. It's embarrassing to read.

Shit, I know what I'm watching tonight.

Weird, same music as the Alien: Resurrection teaser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brA2HO8gVWM

At the time, I remember being a little disappointed that Song 2 wasn't used in the actual movie as it was in the TV spots. Hahahah.

EDIT: Have the movie playing in front of me now. Is it weird that I'm honestly moved when Dina Meyer gives the glass on Rico's recuperation tank a big kiss? KILLED IN ACTION, LOL!

EDIT2: They'll fight! AND THEY'LL WIN! (cue Poledouris) Ugh... love this movie.

Not weird. That's a wonderfully honest little moment on Dizzy's part.

I'm watching the blu-ray in FedNet mode. Lots of picture-in-picture interviews with the cast and crew. What I find hilarious is that Jake Busey sounds like a totally normal guy while Casper Van Dien seems hyper as all hell. The guy just can't calm down! I love it.

Go ahead but you should know about this. Not a big deal for some but blu ray is supposed to be perfect.....and some people are having these problems to this day.

http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-mov...s-problem.html

I bought the UK version just to avoid the hassle, it's region free.