Destination Moonbase-Alpha (1978)

Lunar colonists of Moonbase Alpha are marooned in space after a nuclear explosion pushes the Moon out of its orbit and a rescue spaceship from the Earth is not what it seems to be.

Director:

Tom Clegg

Writers:

Gerry Anderson (creator), Sylvia Anderson (creator)

Stars:

Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Catherine Schell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Landau	...	Commander John Koenig
Barbara Bain	...	Dr. Helena Russell
Catherine Schell	...	Maya
Tony Anholt	...	Tony Verdeshi
Nick Tate	...	Alan Carter
Zienia Merton	...	Sandra Benes
Jeffery Kissoon	...	Dr. Ben Vincent
Toby Robins	...	Diana Morris
Stuart Damon	...	Guido Verdeshi
Jeremy Young	...	Jack Bartlett
Drewe Henley	...	Joe Ehrlich
Patrick Westwood	...	Dr. Shaw
Cher Cameron	...	Louisa
Al Lampert	...	Ken Burdett
Billy J. Mitchell	...	Professor Hunter

Storyline

After an atomic explosion blasts the Moon out of Earth orbit, Moonbase Alpha drifts in space, with 300 people on board. When a rescue team from Earth arrives in a faster-than-light space ship, everyone is overjoyed that they can now return to Earth. But Moonbase Commander John Koenig, having undergone an experimental brain soothing process after receiving a concussion in a crash on the Lunar surface, sees not friends from Earth but gruesome monsters which have telepathically caused all others on Alpha to see an illusion of an Earth party. The aliens are desperate for radiation and plan to manipulate the Alphans into detonating nuclear waste on the Lunar surface, reducing the Moon and everyone on it to dust. Koenig must expose this conspiracy to save his people.

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Plot Keywords:

earth | moon | alien | nuclear waste | nuclear explosion | 

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Taglines:

Man's Quest For Extraterrestrial Contact Ends Here!

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Genres:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1978 (UK)

Also Known As:

Angrebet på månebase Alpha

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Group 3, Incorporated Television Company (ITC), RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The date is changed from 2004 (as it was in the original two-part Space: 1999 (1975) story "The Bringers of Wonder") to a more futuristic 2100.

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Goofs

The opening narration says the year is 2100, yet dialog indicates the year is only 2000 or 2001.

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Quotes

John Koenig: It's better to live as your own man, than as a fool in someone else's dream.

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Crazy Credits

"Far out into the galaxy of the universe is the Moon, Earth's great natural satellite, revolving round man's planet in an orbit as fixed and rigid as that of the Sun. It has now been transformed into a stepping stone, an advanced, complex, instrument, self supporting in all aspects, enabling man to continue the eternal search for other forms of life in outer space. The year is 2100."

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Alternate Versions

Originally broadcast as the two-part Space: 1999 story "The Bringers of Wonder."

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Connections

Edited from Space: 1999: The Bringers of Wonder: Part 1 (1977)

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Soundtracks

End Title song
Composed by Guido De Angelis and Maurizio De Angelis
Lyrics by Hilary Harvey
Sung by Oliver Onions

User Reviews

An excellent movie, made from 2 episodes of Space: 1999

This was the first movie of a Gerry Anderson production, to be produced by editing together old episodes from certain series, in this case Space: 1999. Produced in 1978 by ITC London's offices, this movie combines the two parts of the Space: 1999 season 2 epic 'The Bringers of Wonder', which was edited to form a feature length film. The new opening titles and music by Mike Vikkers are very good, and they are incredibly faithful to the original material, edited only certain parts that needed to be removed to create that 'movie' feel. The only downsides to the movie is the general silliness in it, but this isn't the movie makers fault, Season 2 of Space: 1999 was incredibly zany, and not half as good as Season 1. The other annoyance is the end of the movie, when the end credits are scrolled over an awful tune sung by someone called Oliver Onions. Other than this the film is superb, and the episodes that it is edited from are undoubtedly some of the classics from Season 2. Martin Landau, Barbara Bain give excellent performances, as do Tony Anholt, Catherine Schell and Stuart Damon. The aliens look excellent, and the last few minutes are sensational. The film ends with a speech from Commander Koenig, speaking to the hostile aliens, "It is better to live as your own man, than a fool in someone else's dream". Because this film is so faithful to the original material, I would recommend it to Gerry Anderson purists. A throughly excellent movie!