This somewhat sordid sci-fi thriller certainly marked an offbeat choice of material for the veteran director Stanley Donen, who was better known for making films such as "Singin' in the Rain" and "Bedazzled". It's just quirky enough to be watchable, with the actors gamely going with the flow. The major triumph in "Saturn 3" is the production design, by Stuart Craig, and the lighting, by Billy Williams. This is a great LOOKING film, albeit a somewhat underdeveloped one. It might have been nice had we gotten to know the characters a little bit better, so our rooting interest could be stronger.
Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett play Adam and Alex, two lovers working in an underground space station on Saturns' third moon, Titan. Their job is to try to develop new foods for an underfed Planet Earth. Then along comes the unstable Captain Benson (Harvey Keitel), who makes life miserable for the two of them. For one thing, he quickly begins lusting after Alex (but who can blame him?) and, when he builds a giant helper robot named Hector (!), he is able to transfer his thoughts into Hectors' brain matter. So what we end up with is a terminator with a sex drive.
One of the most curious details is hearing actor Roy Dotrices' voice coming out of Keitels' mouth. This situation - could one consider it a sexual *rectangle*? - is enough to make this at least somewhat memorable. It's a fairly trim film at a mere 88 minutes in length, and it gets down to business with some rapidity. Hector "himself" is humanoid in shape but still very much a mechanical, and "his" design is amusing. Kirk and Farrah make for an unlikely but somewhat appealing couple. Keitel looks rather uncomfortable as the unsubtle antagonist.
This may be worth a look for curiosity seekers but they're advised to not get their hopes up or anything like that.
Six out of 10.
