Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Science fiction suspense thriller, in which a rescue space ship crew meets up with horrors projected by their own imaginations.

Director:

Bruce D. Clark (as B.D. Clark)

Writers:

Marc Siegler, Bruce D. Clark (as B.D. Clark)

Stars:

Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward Albert	...	Cabren
Erin Moran	...	Alluma
Ray Walston	...	Kore
Bernard Behrens	...	Commander Ilvar
Zalman King	...	Baelon
Robert Englund	...	Ranger
Taaffe O'Connell	...	Dameia
Sid Haig	...	Quuhod
Grace Zabriskie	...	Captain Trantor
Jack Blessing	...	Cos
Mary Ellen O'Neill	...	Mitri

Storyline

A spacecraft travels to a distant planet to rescue the crew of another spaceship that crashed, but their own craft, damaged in the landing, needs repair. Baelon commands the rescue team formed of his rival Cabren, Alluma, Dameia, Quuhod and the rookie Cos. While looking for but not finding survivors from the former expedition, Cos is murdered; however, they cannot leave the planet due to a projected electromagnetic field. Commander Ilvar joins the team to search for the cause of the interference, while Captain Trantor, technician Ranger and cook Kore stay in the craft. One by one, rescue team members are killed in weird situations materialized from their own fears by an ancient alien pyramid.

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Plot Keywords:

killer worm | spaceship | stripped naked | graphic violence | alien technology | 

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Taglines:

ALIEN was the beginning ... Hell Has Just Been Relocated!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mindwarp: An Infinity of Terror

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New World Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Future director James Cameron worked as Art Director on this movie, but got a big career break when he noted that the director and camera crew didn't produce enough shots. He requested to be Second Unit Director as well, so that he could film additional shots. His request was honored, and one of his suggestions was adding a scene involving a severed arm covered with maggots that come alive. Cameron tried real maggots, but because they didn't move by themselves, he invented a set-up by hooking a power drill line to the arm and hiding it inside the set. One of his co-workers would then plug the wire into an electrical outlet, letting the maggots wriggle on cue. On the day that the effect was shot, two of the future producers of Piranha II: The Spawning (1981) were on set. They were so impressed by Cameron's ingenuity that they immediately told him they had big plans for his future, and signed him on for his first directorial deal when production on GoT was over.

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Goofs

Quuhod drops his crystal throwing star to remove one of the broken points from his arm. When this proves futile, the throwing star reappears in his hand.

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Quotes

Cabren: I will find a way to kill you for what you've done.
Kore: Perhaps you will. But enough, Cabren. Why let your emotions rule now, after showing such admirable control of your fear? You already won the game.
Cabren: A game?
Kore: A children's game, Cabren. This pyramid is an ancient toy. A brilliant initiatory toy for the children of a vanished race, to see their deepest fears and to learn to control them.
Cabren: How can you know this?
Kore: This is where I became Master.
Cabren: Why did she have to die? Why did they all have to die? ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

End credits roll over the pyramid which glows blue as the wind can be heard blowing.

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Alternate Versions

The 1986 UK Warner video release was cut by 14 secs by the BBFC to reduce the rape of Dameia by a giant maggot. The cuts were fully waived for the 2002 ILC DVD.

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Connections

Referenced in Deadly Premonition (2010)

User Reviews

Great Sci-Fi B-Movie With One of the Best Erotic Scene Ever

A spacecraft travels to a distant planet to rescue the crew of another space ship that has crashed. The craft has damages in the landing and needs to be repaired. Baelon (Zalman King) commands the rescue team formed by his rival Cabren (Edward Albert), Alluma (Erin Moran), Dameia (Taaffe O'Connell), Quuhod (Sid Haig) and the rookie Cos (Jack Blessing). While looking for survivors from the former expedition, Cos is murdered and they do not find any survivor. However they cannot depart from the planet due to an electromagnetic field. Commander Ilvar (Bernard Behrens) joins the team to search for the cause of the interference in the spacecraft. Captain Trantor (Grace Zabriskie) stays in the craft with the technician Ranger (Robert Englund) and the cook Kore (Ray Walston) but soon one by one of the rescue team members is killed in weird situations, created by the materialization of their own fears.

"Galaxy of Terror" is a great sci-fi B movie with a story with good premise, although having many clichés of the genre. The menaces of the planet are nothing but the fruit of the imagination of each person, projecting their inner fear. Further, this movie has probably one of the most erotic scenes I have ever seen. Dameia, the character played by the sexy Taaffe O'Connell, has a great fear of maggots, being a kind of "worm-phobic" person. When she meets the huge maggot, she starts screaming for help, while the creature with many legs rips her clothes off and rapes her. Her naked body is covered and lubricated by slime, and her initial panic becomes into a very intense multiple orgasms. Other good attractions are the names of James Cameron (as unit director in the bottom of the credits), the later soft porn director Zalman King ('Wild Orchid') and Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund in the cast. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Galáxia do Terror" ("Galaxy of Terror")

Note: On 18 October 2014, I saw this movie again. Note: On 18 March 2018 , I saw this film again on DVD.