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Lifeforce (1985)

 -  Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller  -  21 June 1985 (USA)
5.9
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Ratings: 5.9/10 from 9,915 users  
Reviews: 163 user | 89 critic

A race of space vampires arrive in London and infect the populace.

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(novel), (screenplay), 3 more credits »
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Title: Lifeforce (1985)

Lifeforce (1985) on IMDb 5.9/10

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
...
...
Nicholas Ball ...
...
Nancy Paul ...
John Hallam ...
John Keegan ...
Chris Jagger ...
First Vampire (as Christopher Jagger)
Bill Malin ...
...
Pathologist
Derek Benfield ...
Physician
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Storyline

A space shuttle mission investigating Halley's Comet brings back a malevolent race of space vampires who transform most of London's population into zombies. The only survivor of the expedition and British authorities attempt to capture a mysterious but beautiful alien woman who appears responsible. Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

In the blink of an eye, the terror begins. See more »


Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

21 June 1985 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Space Intruders  »

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (edited)

Sound Mix:

(70 mm prints)| (35 mm prints)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The role of Kelly, played by Chris Sullivan, was actually 6 roles joined together by Tobe Hooper after he met Sullivan who was initially offered the role of a crew member before they decided that the role should be played by a female. See more »

Goofs

Dr Fallada says that the Space Girl is in the Cathedral in London, in "the crypt of kings and queens". The cathedral in question is presumably intended to be St Paul's (though in appearance it does not accurately match the real St Paul's). However, no king or queen of England has ever been buried in St Paul's, except for Ethelred (1016). There are two other cathedrals in London: Southwark and Westminster. No king or queen of England has ever been buried in either of them. Many kings and queens of England have been buried in the entirely separate Westminster Abbey, and others at Windsor. This could be regarded as an error made by the Fallada character rather than by the film makers. See more »

Quotes

Derebridge: [Derebridge and Carlsen are observing the spaceship] What you gonna do?
Colonel Tom Carlsen: We want in. We only gonna get one chance, Derebridge. That thing won't be back for another 76 years. We'll both be dead. We have to take a look now.
See more »

Connections

References Female Vampire (1973) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

Glorious, demented, insane, has to be seen to be believed. Humankind's greatest achievement?
9 December 2008 | by (prejudicemadeplausible.wordpress.com) – See all my reviews

Did director Tobe Hooper, writers Dan O'Bannon ("Alien", "Return of the Living Dead") and Don Jakoby ("Blue Thunder"), in addition to some uncredited writers who presumably did rewrites of the original script, or any of the cast actually think they were making a good movie during the production of "Lifeforce"? The movie gets progressively wackier, more disturbingly bizarre, hilarious, over-the-top, and greater by the minute. When you think that the movie couldn't possibly become more demented, that it was already as nutty as anything could possibly be it outdoes itself. I really don't know if this was at any point supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, if anybody involved thought it was genuinely creepy or effective, or if they were just too distracted by Mathilda May's exquisite breasts and rear end to care, but the end result is quite simply one of the greatest films ever made.

Here are some reasons why "Lifeforce" is perhaps humankind's greatest achievement to date (and probably impossible to surpass):

  • Mathilda May is nude for the entirety of the film, and she is "the
most overwhelmingly feminine presence" you will ever see. Yes, that is a quote from the film.

  • Steve Railsback gives one of the most gloriously, hilariously
over-the-top performances in the history of film.

  • It is, to quote a fellow IMDb member, 'the greatest naked space
vampire zombies from Halley's Comet running amok in London end-of-the-world movie ever made'. Yes, that is actually the plot.

  • Frank Finlay, Peter Firth, and Patrick Stewart embarrass themselves.


  • Special effects and design that are actually good, adding to the
suggestion that someone somewhere actually took this thing seriously, which is quite a disturbing thought.

  • Unbelievably stilted delivery of some of the finest dialogue known to
man, examples of which include:

"She looks perfect. I've been in space six months and she looks perfect to me."

""Don't worry, a naked woman is not going to get out of this complex."

"Despite appearances this woman is a masochist, an extreme masochist."

"He too needs feeding."

"She's totally alien to this planet and our life form... and totally dangerous."

"I'm Colonel Cane." "From the SAS?"

"It was two hours ago that the guard was attacked. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we're seeing a pattern here."

"Colonel, take it from the beginning. Assume we know nothing... which is understating the matter."

Colonel Cane looks at a shriveled corpse, then asks: "and this was murder, you say? "

"Lifeforce" is not merely another 'so bad it's good' movie. It is not an example of a film made by individuals with ambition far beyond their reach. No, it is quite simply THE most audacious, spectacular, hilarious, absurd, insane, riotous, crazy, deliriously demented science fiction film of all time. I cannot fully articulate why it is deserving of being one spot ahead of Samuel Fuller's "Pickup on South Street" on my list of favorite films, but I do know that it is. "Lifeforce" elevates craziness to an art form. Quite possibly the most entertaining film known to man, and perhaps our greatest achievement as a species.


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