Jules Verne – the father of science fiction and just about the steampunkiest guy around – died on this day in 1905. His novels not only laid the groundwork for modern speculative fiction, but they have also been the basis of dozens of film adaptations. The submarine adventure “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” has been the subject of two particularly fun versions. The 1916 adaptation is wonderful to look at, keeping the Victorian look and feel of the book even as it jettisons most of the original story. Disney’s 1954 adaptation, starring Kirk 
Douglas, James Mason and Peter Lorre, is slightly more true to the story while being thoroughly Disney-fied but still entertaining. Look for a Disney revival of the story sometime in the next couple years, possibly with David Fincher directing.
Movie-A-Day #82: Deep Impact (1998).
On this day in 1989, a 300-meter wide asteroid came within 400,000 miles – a hair’s breadth, in astronomical terms – of hitting the Earth and seriously ruining everybody’s day. Ever since then apocalypse-minded nerds have recognized March 23 as Near Miss Day, celebrating our close call with mass extinction. Of the two dueling killer asteroid movies that came out in 1998, “Deep Impact” was the more heartfelt and the more realistic, giving a glimpse of what might have been on that day 22 years ago.
Movie-A-Day #81: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).
Wow. Today is the 80th(!) birthday of the inimitable William Shatner. He’s played a lot of memorable roles over the years, but he’s always be Captain James T. Kirk. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” took the franchise to the big screen, eventually spurring a string of sequels and four spinoff television series. I think Shatner’s place in pop culture history is more than secure.
Movie-A-Day #80: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970).
The legendarily tit-obsessed exploitation master Russ Meyer was born on this day. While “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” isn’t his typical movie – it was the only one with major studio backing – it’s still a good introduction to his themes of sex, violence and beautiful, busty women. If you haven’t discovered the glory of Russ Meyer yet, now’s your chance.
Movie-A-Day #79: Equinox (1970).
Happy vernal equinox! Let’s hope that your plans to celebrate don’t include venturing off into the wilderness and finding an arcane book of occult magic like the kids in “Equinox” did, because that could get you into all sorts of trouble.
Desuko Movie Spot. 