The Astounding Harry Bates (2008)
*** (out of 4)
This 11-minute documentary is a good introduction to author Harry Bates. Don't know who Harry Bates is? Well, this documentary will remind you that it was his story that would eventually be turned into THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, which is considered one of the greatest science-fiction movies ever made. Various genre historians discuss exactly who Bates was, how he got his start in writing and why he claimed that he hated writing science-fiction even though he was so good at it. If you're like me and didn't know too much about Bates then you're really going to enjoy this small featurette because it gives you some pretty good details about his career. If you're already overly familiar with his work then it's doubtful you're going to learn anything new here but there's no question that all of the interviews are good and makes for some nice entertainment.
