The Green Slime (1968)

A giant asteroid is heading toward Earth so some astronauts disembark from a nearby space station to blow it up. The mission is successful, and they return to the station unknowingly ... See full summary »

Director:

Kinji Fukasaku

Writers:

Bill Finger (screenplay), Ivan Reiner (story),

Stars:

Robert Horton, Luciana Paluzzi, Richard Jaeckel

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Horton	...	Commander Jack Rankin
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Dr. Lisa Benson
Richard Jaeckel	...	Commander Vince Elliott
Bud Widom	...	General Jonathan B. Thompson
Ted Gunther	...	Dr. Hans Halvorsen
David Yorston	...	Lt. Curtis
Robert Dunham	...	Capt. Martin
Gary Randolf	...	Cordier
Jack Morris	...	Lt. Morris, Rocket Pilot
Eugene Vince	...	Technician
Don Plante	...	Technician
Linda Hardisty	...	Nurse
Richard Hylland	...	Michaels
Kathy Horan	...	Nurse
Ann Ault	...	Nurse

Storyline

A giant asteroid is heading toward Earth so some astronauts disembark from a nearby space station to blow it up. The mission is successful, and they return to the station unknowingly bringing back a gooey green substance that mutates into one-eyed tentacled monsters that feed off electricity. Soon the station is crawling with them, and people are being zapped left and right!

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Plot Keywords:

space station | asteroid | decontamination | punched in the face | scream | 

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Taglines:

The Green Slime are coming!!

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA Japan Australia

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

21 May 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

After the Destruction of Space Station Gamma: Big Military Operation

Filming Locations:

Toei Tokyo Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lun Film, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Ram Films Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 77 min (laserdisc)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Production manager William Ross would often serve as translator between the Japanese film crew and the American actors.

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Goofs

When the team is on the asteroid, the overhead studio lights are clearly reflected on the helmets.

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Quotes

Dr. Hans Halvorsen: But it proves out: this creature lives on energy, and discharges energy! That would explain its ability to electrocute Michaels! One cell, one microscopic speck left on a space suit, and it would absorb all the energy it could find.
Commander Jack Rankin: Wait a minute -- are you telling me that this thing "reproduced" itself inside the decontamination chamber? And, as we stepped up the current, it just... it just GREW?
Dr. Hans Halvorsen: Precisely! And they could be reproducing on any part of this station, where even a drop of this ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Distribution of Low Budget Films or The Gardener's Seeds of Evil Killed My Million Dollar Dream (1980)

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Soundtracks

"Space Rock"
(uncredited)
Music by Charles Fox

User Reviews

the ORIGINAL "Alien"... this is one FUN & action packed b-movie!

i just got this film on VHS through an auction and greatly enjoyed it! it's nowhere near as bad as it's reputation. it IS technically limited and even unintentionally funny in parts, but a lot of the story was very much ahead of it's time and inspired. it's like a typical 1950s space monster b-movie on steroids.

after watching it, i couldn't believe just how much of this film's story mirrors that in alien.

the film DOES use "godzilla grade" models and space ships, but it also has some REALLY nice sets that embarrass those in many more well known films with typical surplus radio parts and a few blinking lights. as much as i always hated those fake looking models in godzilla films, here they're forgivable because at least this story makes sense.

for what this film lacks in production values and sheer suspension of disbelief, it more than makes up for with conviction and originality. the ending has to be seen to be believed, it is EXTREMELY action packed.

this is my new #2 "old school sci fi" favorite only after forbidden planet. it's THAT GOOD!

don't believe this film's low score. it's funny and campy at times true, but it's also clever, sincere and action packed too. you've NEVER seen a pre 1970 sci-fi film that goes where this one does. it humbles many a predecessor with it's scope and originality.

i had a blast watching this one and by the end, had given it the respect it deserves for it's ambition and OBVIOUS inspiration on Alien. this film really tries hard to be a blockbuster and totally surprised me by how close it came to pulling it off.

hopefully, more people well schooled in just how bad typical 1950s American sci-fi films were, using little more than stock footage for SFX at times, will see this film and give it the respect it deserves for creating EVERYTHING in it from scratch and using new ideas of it's own.

i think there are a lot of 7+ votes out there that just haven't had the chance to see this film. i give it a 9 for effort and entertainment value.