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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Daniel Jolley
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
I don't know where this so-called "Galaxy of Terror" is, but it's certainly not the galaxy where the storyline of this movie plays out. Mind-numbing boredom yes, but terror - I don't think so. Honestly, I can't see how this movie ever got "cult classic" status. Even by Roger Corman's low standards, Galaxy of Terror is bad. And you know what? I think the James Cameron-designed sets are bland and uninspired, as well. [I also find Cameron's technique of using electric shocks to make maggots move on command rather revolting and unethical.] Take away the film's infamous rape scene, and this would truly be a forgettable low-budget B-movie.
A spaceship from the some planet run by a "Game Master" with a glowing red ball of light for a head has crashed on the alien planet Morganthus. Over the objections of his "game controller" witch, the Master immediately dispatches a crew to journey to Morganthus and look for survivors. This hand-picked crew ends up being the most dysfunctional crew imaginable. The captain, sole survivor of an earlier tragedy, is borderline insane; the mission commander hasn't left the orbit of his own desk in years; the team leader is a dangerous control freak; the cook (Ray Walston) is no ordinary cook; one crewman looks and acts like they just thawed him out from an ancient ice pack; and the youngest crew member is the biggest girly man to ever put on a uniform. You also have an empath (Erin Moran) whose skills basically serve no purpose here, and a young Robert Englund playing the only character with half a brain among the whole lot.
After exploring the downed ship they were looking for, the team discovers a large and mysterious pyramid on this seemingly unpopulated world. From here on out, you can expect lots of bickering interrupted now and again by deaths of individual crewmen. I'm not going to comment on the manner of these deaths, but I will say I didn't find it all that original. This would seem to be the main source of my disagreement with the "cult classic" gang of fans, as I found nothing visionary or ambitious about the entire film.
Of course, Galaxy of Terror is most remembered for its interspecies rape scene featuring Taaffe O'Connell. Apparently, Roger Corman was contractually obliged to feature one nude scene in the movie. That scene is indeed rather provocative, but it supposedly pales in comparison to the original shots that led to this film initially being slapped with an X rating. Frankly, though, I doubt the film would secure anything more than a PG-13 rating if it were to be released today.
A spaceship from the some planet run by a "Game Master" with a glowing red ball of light for a head has crashed on the alien planet Morganthus. Over the objections of his "game controller" witch, the Master immediately dispatches a crew to journey to Morganthus and look for survivors. This hand-picked crew ends up being the most dysfunctional crew imaginable. The captain, sole survivor of an earlier tragedy, is borderline insane; the mission commander hasn't left the orbit of his own desk in years; the team leader is a dangerous control freak; the cook (Ray Walston) is no ordinary cook; one crewman looks and acts like they just thawed him out from an ancient ice pack; and the youngest crew member is the biggest girly man to ever put on a uniform. You also have an empath (Erin Moran) whose skills basically serve no purpose here, and a young Robert Englund playing the only character with half a brain among the whole lot.
After exploring the downed ship they were looking for, the team discovers a large and mysterious pyramid on this seemingly unpopulated world. From here on out, you can expect lots of bickering interrupted now and again by deaths of individual crewmen. I'm not going to comment on the manner of these deaths, but I will say I didn't find it all that original. This would seem to be the main source of my disagreement with the "cult classic" gang of fans, as I found nothing visionary or ambitious about the entire film.
Of course, Galaxy of Terror is most remembered for its interspecies rape scene featuring Taaffe O'Connell. Apparently, Roger Corman was contractually obliged to feature one nude scene in the movie. That scene is indeed rather provocative, but it supposedly pales in comparison to the original shots that led to this film initially being slapped with an X rating. Frankly, though, I doubt the film would secure anything more than a PG-13 rating if it were to be released today.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.6 out of 5 stars
54 reviews
42 of 47 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Better B Terror Films
May 18 2004
By C. A. Luster
- Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw this when first released at the theater. It was a great terror movie. The tension runs throughout the movie as a group tries to escape a planet that prays upon their fears. One scene with a giant caterpillar and a scantilly clad lady was rather erotic. A good movie for fans of movies like Hellraiser and Phantasm. Erin Moran and Robert Englund even do a decent job of acting. This is not something to take to serious, but to sit down and watch with a big bowl of popcorn some afternoon or evening. It certainly doesn't deserved to be put in the MST3K archive. Considering the time it was made and its budget I think it holds up pretty well. Look at how few SciFi movies that were made in the early 1980s have survived.
P.S. This is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Not sure it's Blu-ray worthy but I did get the DVD version. Since this is a B movie I recommend you get it if you like it as it may go out of print.
P.S. This is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Not sure it's Blu-ray worthy but I did get the DVD version. Since this is a B movie I recommend you get it if you like it as it may go out of print.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
For sentimental reasons.....
Mar 17 2009
By R. Legendre
- Published on Amazon.com
.....I am going to rate this movie 4 stars. I was just a young lad of about 10 when I saw this film at the local movie house. I was a voracious fan of science fiction and was eager to see this one.
Despite being only 10, I recognized this movie for what it was; a B-movie version that SORT-OF resembled Ridley Scott's "Alien", but with a totally different plot. Maybe this could be considered a cross between "Alien" and "Poltergeist".
Regardless of the film's inspiration, it does display above-average production values for being a low-budget film. The special effects are actually quite decent (for the early '80s) and the set design is very good. The acting is definitely not top-notch, but there are some memorable scenes that pull you in. Besides the actors listed in the product description, look for some decent performances from Bernard Beherens (the Star Wars NPR radio dramas as "Obi-Wan Kenobi") and Grace Zabriskie (The Big Easy, Twin Peaks).
The story itself is quite original (I can't help but feel that "Poltergeist" borrowed from this one - it KNOWS what scares you) and you can easily get caught up in the film's eerie ambience. But, perhaps what is most intriguing is that this is a film brought to us by the legendary Roger Corman; king of the B-movies. Corman had also released "Battle Beyond the Stars" earlier that same year, but this film is far superior to it. BBTS was a meat and potatoes sci-fi film (think "Star Wars" crossed with "The Magnificent Seven") whereas "Galaxy of Terror" had deep psychological undertones and a much more sophisticated plot.
Anywho, at the time this review was written, there is a used DVD copy going for $2400.00. Give me a feakin' break! Who in their right mind is gonna pay that much money for a MOVIE?!?!?!? I realize that copies of this film on DVD are rare to non-existant, but with today's economy, you would have to be a fool or an oscenely wealthy person (maybe you're an AIG executive!) to spend that kind of money on a DVD. One day soon, someone will approve this movie for a mass-release and the going rate will be about $15.00. Get real. Shame on you for asking that kind of money for a MOVIE!
To sum up, this movie is worth a look if you're able to handle B-movies; and this one is pretty darn enjoyable! Just have the patience to wait until it is given a proper release (and don't spend $2400.00 for it!) Me, if it's ever properly released, I'll definitely buy it - even if just for sentimental reasons.
********** UPDATE !!! **********
This movie is finally getting a proper DVD treatement with lots of extras including cast and crew commentaries and behind-the-scenes shorts! The release date is July 20th. This film will definitely bring back memories!!!!
Despite being only 10, I recognized this movie for what it was; a B-movie version that SORT-OF resembled Ridley Scott's "Alien", but with a totally different plot. Maybe this could be considered a cross between "Alien" and "Poltergeist".
Regardless of the film's inspiration, it does display above-average production values for being a low-budget film. The special effects are actually quite decent (for the early '80s) and the set design is very good. The acting is definitely not top-notch, but there are some memorable scenes that pull you in. Besides the actors listed in the product description, look for some decent performances from Bernard Beherens (the Star Wars NPR radio dramas as "Obi-Wan Kenobi") and Grace Zabriskie (The Big Easy, Twin Peaks).
The story itself is quite original (I can't help but feel that "Poltergeist" borrowed from this one - it KNOWS what scares you) and you can easily get caught up in the film's eerie ambience. But, perhaps what is most intriguing is that this is a film brought to us by the legendary Roger Corman; king of the B-movies. Corman had also released "Battle Beyond the Stars" earlier that same year, but this film is far superior to it. BBTS was a meat and potatoes sci-fi film (think "Star Wars" crossed with "The Magnificent Seven") whereas "Galaxy of Terror" had deep psychological undertones and a much more sophisticated plot.
Anywho, at the time this review was written, there is a used DVD copy going for $2400.00. Give me a feakin' break! Who in their right mind is gonna pay that much money for a MOVIE?!?!?!? I realize that copies of this film on DVD are rare to non-existant, but with today's economy, you would have to be a fool or an oscenely wealthy person (maybe you're an AIG executive!) to spend that kind of money on a DVD. One day soon, someone will approve this movie for a mass-release and the going rate will be about $15.00. Get real. Shame on you for asking that kind of money for a MOVIE!
To sum up, this movie is worth a look if you're able to handle B-movies; and this one is pretty darn enjoyable! Just have the patience to wait until it is given a proper release (and don't spend $2400.00 for it!) Me, if it's ever properly released, I'll definitely buy it - even if just for sentimental reasons.
********** UPDATE !!! **********
This movie is finally getting a proper DVD treatement with lots of extras including cast and crew commentaries and behind-the-scenes shorts! The release date is July 20th. This film will definitely bring back memories!!!!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
4 star movie -- plus a GREAT "making of" documentary
Feb 24 2011
By Thomas M. Sipos
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw GALAXY OF TERROR when it was first released in the 1980s. It was my favorite of the "top three" ALIEN ripoffs (the other two being FORBIDDEN WORLD and HORROR PLANET, aka INSEMINOID).
GALAXY OF TERROR is a weird film. Its sci-fi mysticism is more STAR WARS than ALIEN, but the sets are certainly "inspired" by ALIEN's H.R. Giger, albeit a poor man's Giger. (This IS a Roger Corman film.)
Others have explained the plot. Astronauts go on a rescue mission to a hostile planet, whereupon they meet strange deaths. Actress Taaffe O'Connell's nude rape scene by a giant, slimy maggot has become something of a cult event.
But what really sets this film apart from many DVD releases is its excellent "making of" documentary. Normally, I hate these things. They're usually just extended commercials (sometimes infomercials) shot when the film was made, to play on cable TV. Everyone just rehashes the plot, and offers obligatory praise (so you don't really know what they're thinking).
But GALAXY OF TERROR's "making of" documentary was shot in 2010 -- 29 years after the film was released. Many of these people are semi-retired, they have nothing to lose, so they can be trusted to tell the truth. Rather then prattling obligatory praise, they sound sincere, and offer interesting stories.
Roger Corman is interviewed, as are MANY of the actors (including Taaffe O'Connell), crew, and New World studio personnel. James Cameron (TITANIC, AVATAR) worked on GALAXY OF TERROR. He's not interviewed, but others discuss his work on the film.
This documentary (63 minutes long, according to the Internet Movie Database) is as interesting as the film itself, and that's rare.
The only fault with this DVD: when I hit the Display button on my DVD player, it won't reveal how long the film or documentary are, or how much time has elapsed. That's why I had to go to the Internet Movie Database to check the documentary's time.
GALAXY OF TERROR is a weird film. Its sci-fi mysticism is more STAR WARS than ALIEN, but the sets are certainly "inspired" by ALIEN's H.R. Giger, albeit a poor man's Giger. (This IS a Roger Corman film.)
Others have explained the plot. Astronauts go on a rescue mission to a hostile planet, whereupon they meet strange deaths. Actress Taaffe O'Connell's nude rape scene by a giant, slimy maggot has become something of a cult event.
But what really sets this film apart from many DVD releases is its excellent "making of" documentary. Normally, I hate these things. They're usually just extended commercials (sometimes infomercials) shot when the film was made, to play on cable TV. Everyone just rehashes the plot, and offers obligatory praise (so you don't really know what they're thinking).
But GALAXY OF TERROR's "making of" documentary was shot in 2010 -- 29 years after the film was released. Many of these people are semi-retired, they have nothing to lose, so they can be trusted to tell the truth. Rather then prattling obligatory praise, they sound sincere, and offer interesting stories.
Roger Corman is interviewed, as are MANY of the actors (including Taaffe O'Connell), crew, and New World studio personnel. James Cameron (TITANIC, AVATAR) worked on GALAXY OF TERROR. He's not interviewed, but others discuss his work on the film.
This documentary (63 minutes long, according to the Internet Movie Database) is as interesting as the film itself, and that's rare.
The only fault with this DVD: when I hit the Display button on my DVD player, it won't reveal how long the film or documentary are, or how much time has elapsed. That's why I had to go to the Internet Movie Database to check the documentary's time.
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3.6 out of 5 stars
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