Corridors in space? There is no topic that can't find an audience on the Web

While it is obvious that the Internet connects people with diverse and often niche interests, sometimes you have to stumble upon an article and the subsequent discussion of its content to truly see that there is a group of people out there that will be interested in almost any topic imaginable -- or unfathomable. A recent find illustrates this point: An in-depth analysis of the role and specific instances of corridors in science fiction movies.

Corridor Lust

Over at one of the most truly geeky sites imaginable, and aptly named, called Den of the Geek, there was a recent article titled "In praise of the sci-fi corridor." In the article you will find screenshots and discussions of famous and not so famous corridors in movies like Aliens, Moonraker (the cheesiest of many cheesy old James Bond movies), and the slow and cerebral 2001: A Space Odyssey. And lest you think the author simply posted his well-researched and opinionated piece in a vacuum, feel free to peruse the comments of more than 30 readers (that's more than you will find at the end of many articles at popular, mainstream news sites).

There's more than just corridors out there

But don't worry, if you either found the dissection of movie corridors too brief or too esoteric for your taste, check out other articles, such as the post about the 75 best spaceships in movies and television. There is certainly heated debate in the discussion following the main content (and yes, each of the 75 ships are described), which only makes sense when the drop ship in Aliens beat out Star Trek's Enterprise for top ship (but for those of us that are old enough to remember, who can argue with the choice of Space: 1999's Eagle Transporter being No. 2?).

And now, a completely weak segue to talk about some good sci-fi ...

Since this post is about science-fiction, it's a good place to blatantly plug some of my favorite sci-fi books, movies, and TV shows. Obviously, YMMV (your mileage may vary), but perhaps you will find something you missed.

Some interesting books:

• The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Robert Heinlein). One of the best, though you have to enjoy Heinlein's long political and philosophical discussions. To be amazed, just look at the date it was written and realize how current it still seems.
• Starship Troopers (Heinlein). The name may sound goofy, but it is so good that most of the US military service academies have it on their required reading list. The first chapter sets the tone, though there are plenty of slow parts. Just remember, the movie is nothing like the book!
• Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card). OK, Card may be an out-there political commentator now, and the book is sort of a gimmick in terms of the ending, but it is a fun read.
• Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson). An amazingly creative book with a main character named Hiro Protagonist, a world where roads are owned by corporations and all sorts of crazy and imaginative technology and behavior is common.
• The Diamond Age (Stephenson). Who doesn't like the idea of the hidden skull gun, the matter machines, and the retro-Victorian society? It's a bit weird in the end, but original. Stephenson's later books are very interesting though they can be hard to plow through.
• Startide Rising (David Brin). Don't overlook dolphins, as they may be your superior one day. Sometimes it's a slog to get through the long-winded descriptions, but it is a fun and creative read that will probably make you read the others in the Uplift series.
• For more choices, check out this list here.

Some good movies:

• Blade Runner. How many versions of one movie can there be? Go with the director's cut for the one that fans most often think is best (the one without the Harrison Ford narration).
• The Matrix. Only the first one, please. The others just make the first one seem less amazing, particularly its conclusion that seemed so definitive. And yes, this movie did all those effects first (remember, it came out in 1999!).
• Alien. While Aliens is a lot of fun (and almost as fun to quote as Platoon back in 1986-87), the first is just plain scary. And while the action and effect may seem common and low-tech now, the alien-bursting-out-the-stomach bit was disgusting and shocking in its day.
• The reality is that there are a ton of other really campy but fun "cotton candy" movies, such as Armageddon, Independence Day, Stargate, Total Recall (seriously, was it a dream?), and Predator. For a list of more good and bad selections, click here.

TV shows/video:

• Battlestar Galactica (the new series that just ended). Very dark and depressing most of the time, the show had amazing effects, no lasers, and enough questionable behavior by the good and bad guys to create online bar fights between conservative- and liberal-leaning fans.
• Star Blazers. The cartoon may look awful now, or so kids today say, but if you grew up with it, you made sure you came home from school in time to see if the Star Force could save Earth in that year. Just hearing the days left at the end of each episode was enough to bring you back the next day.
• Robot Chicken (the two Star Wars specials). You have to be a super Star Wars geek to get most of the jokes, but if you know your stuff, there is plenty to laugh at. It's also great that the shows make fun of the desecration of the series that creator George Lucas foisted upon fans after the third movie (including the awful prequels).
• There are a bunch of other shows that are cheesy but fun, such as the short-lived Space: Above and Beyond, the mini-series V, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. And no, Firefly, Babylon 5, and Stargate SG-1 just don't work for me. Here's a longer list with some good and many, many bad shows.