The race for governor is on for real as we now know who the main contestants are. The problem is: we know who the contestants are.

Watching a political campaign can be like watching a motion picture and wondering how the actor playing the main character got the part. Replace Humphrey Bogart with Ronald Reagan and "Casablanca" turns into a "Bonzo goes to War."

Movies have become an integral part of our lives. Most first dates are dinner and a movie and almost everyone can quote a line from their favorite film, like "make my day" or "fill your hand you...."

There is often a comparison between the real world and the movies, and this gubernatorial election fits the bill.

For the Democrats we have Roy Barnes, who must be considered either a sequel or remake. The problem with sequels is that they are seldom as good as the original.

The problem with remakes is they are never as good as the original. This is especially galling if the original wasn’t very good to start with.

On the other side we have Nathan Deal, who could be the Real Deal, Good Deal or Bad Deal depending upon your point of view. As a movie, Deal is the matinee you go see for cheap because it’s raining and if it’s lousy you don't feel like you lost anything.

But what we really have is a contest right out of science fiction films.

If you just came out of a coma and saw Barnes running again you have to think it was "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

Since Deal is trying to leave Washington to run Georgia he could be considered "The Thing from Another World."

If you include the Libertarian candidate, John Monds, his story would be "X, The Unknown."

Some may fear that under Deal, Georgia could become "The Land that Time Forgot." Not to worry because most of Georgia is already there.

Barnes says he wants to move Georgia forward except he’s stuck with his first term in office as a guide, which makes him look like a character in "Atlantis, The Lost Continent." It should be noted Atlantis blew up and sank.

If the candidates have another banal debate it would fall under the heading of "When Worlds Collide" or "Zombies of the Stratosphere."

The political ads make you think you may be watching "The Night of the Living Dead."

After the election the losing side is going to feel like a character out of "The Day the World Ended."

And given the choices, voters may feel as if they are watching "Not of this Earth" or living through "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

Or maybe this election is just another "Plan 9 from Outer Space." This film is generally regarded as worse science fiction movie ever made. Like politics, the film is often hysterical but it doesn't mean to be.

Maybe we should just ignore all the political blather and go see "The Three Stooges in Orbit."

Come to think of it, we may already have.