The crew of the joint British and American space shuttle Churchill discover three naked humanoid bodies in suspended animation and begin the return trip to Earth—with dire consequences.
It would be easy to dismiss director Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce as a silly film, but in truth, it's completely outlandish, bizarre, and fascinating. Its comic book style is uniquely wacky, with enough horror shenanigans and adult themes to turn Lifeforce’s hokey premise into a serious space vampire story. Although the first two acts are slow-paced, the build-up to the third act is worth the wait, when London comes under siege.
The cast are great. Frank Finlay, as Dr. Hans Fallada, is memorable and reminiscent of Christopher Lee. Mathilda May is unforgettable and at times eerily intense as the Space Girl. Patrick Stewart shows up briefly.
Despite the involvement of Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Hooper and Alien (1979) writer Dan O’Bannon, don’t expect Lifeforce to be in the same vein. Based on Colin Wilson’s novel The Space Vampires, Don Jakoby and O’Bannon’s screenplay is intriguing, with sci-fi elements that fans of the genre will enjoy. There’s also a score by Henry Mancini. Pre-CGI, with optical and practical effects, the star of the show is the visuals—it features some incredible special effects from John Dykstra.
Overall, it’s fragmented—it’s five great films in one. It’s a pity it didn’t stick to a single theme, but that’s also what makes it so special and unique.
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