Monday, August 11, 2014

August 11 - District 9

Today’s movie is a science fiction film with a scene that happens on August 11. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

DISTRICT 9               

In 1982 an alien spacecraft with 1.8 million “Prawns”, as they are called arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa. The aliens are segregated in District 9. Now after 20 years the government wants to move them to a remote area.  Wikus van de Merwe is put in charge of this effort. While serving eviction notices, Merwe destroys an alien nest and a container containing a fluid that he accidentally sprays on himself. He starts mutating into a prawn and is used to test alien weapons that only work with their DNA present. Plans are made to dissect him but on August 11, 2010 [37:59 to 49:52] Merwe escapes from the hospital. Merwe goes to District 9 and meets the alien, Christopher Johnson who had extracted the fluid. He says that if he had it, they could go to the mothership and reverse Merwe’s condition. To get the fluid Merwe and Johnson attack the lab and retrieve the fluid. Johnson says he must return to his home planet, which will take three years. Merwe attacks him and takes off in the shuttle, which is shot down. Merwe and Johnson are captured by the army, but rescued by Nigerian arms dealers. Their leader thinks that eating Merwe’s alien arm will let him use the alien weapons.   Merwe uses an alien battle suit to enable Johnson to escape to the mothership., which leaves Earth. Merwe disappears, but he may have transformed into a Prawn, awaiting Johnson’s return with the other aliens in the new District 10.  

This is a very strange sc-fi film. In part social satire, in part comedy, it’s very hard to classify. The actors may be unknowns, but they all turn in compelling performances. 

When Merwe escapes from the hospital the security camera footage at 44:41 shows this date

Awards –  The movie was nominated for the Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars at the 82nd Academy Awards

Producers - Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham

Screenplay - Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell

Director - Neill Blomkamp                

Runtime – 1 hour 52 minutes                                 

Released – August 13, 2009                                   

Starring –

Sharlto Copley as Wikus van de Merwe
Jason Cope as Christopher Johnson
David James as Colonel Kobus Venter
Eugene Khumbanyiwa as Obesandjo
Louis Minnaar as Piet Smit
Mandla Gaduka as Fundiswa Mhlanga
Robert Hobbs as Ross Pienaar.
Kenneth Nkosi as Thomas.
Nathalie Boltt as Sarah Livingstone
Sylvaine Strike as Katrina McKenzie
John Sumner  as Les Feldman
Nick Blake as Francois Moraneu
Jed Brophy as James Hope

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.





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