WATCH THE SKIES! (2005) B/W & C widescreen 60m dir: Richard Schickel

From the Turner Classic Movies website, www.turnerclassicmovies.com: "From George Melies' 1903 fantasy A Trip to the Moon to this summer's double-whammy of Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and George Lucas' Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, science fiction has been an important fixture of the cinematic medium. On July 6, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is giving viewers a crash course in the history of this vital genre with WATCH THE SKIES!, a new special written, directed and produced by noted film critic, author and documentarian Richard Schickel (AFI's 100 Years'100 Movies, Eastwood on Eastwood) and featuring interviews with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

"WATCH THE SKIES! looks at the history of science fiction movies from the silent era all the way up to the present. The one-hour documentary will look at six different areas within the genre:

"Schickel, perhaps best known as a film critic for Time magazine for more than two decades, is also the author of more than 20 books, mostly about the movies. The latest of them, Matinee Idylls: Reflections on the Movies, was named a New York Times notable book. He has also written, directed and produced a wide variety of television programs, including Shooting War, AFI's 100 Years' 100 Movies, Eastwood on Eastwood, The Harryhausen Chronicles, The Moviemakers and Elia Kazan: A Director's Journey. He also created 'The Men Who Made the Movies' series, as well as profiles of such stars as James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Myrna Loy and Barbara Stanwyck. In addition to Matinee Idylls, Schickel's other books include The Disney Version, Intimate Strangers, Schickel on Film, Marlon Brando: A Life, Double Indemnity and Clint Eastwood: A Biography."