A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos.A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos.A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos.
- Writers
- Colin Wilson(based on the novel "The Space Vampires" by)
- Dan O'Bannon(screenplay by)
- Don Jakoby(screenplay by)
- Stars
- Writers
- Colin Wilson(based on the novel "The Space Vampires" by)
- Dan O'Bannon(screenplay by)
- Don Jakoby(screenplay by)
- Stars
Chris Jagger
- 1st Vampire
- (as Christopher Jagger)
John Forbes-Robertson
- The Minister
- (as James Forbes-Robertson)
- Writers
- Colin Wilson(based on the novel "The Space Vampires" by)
- Dan O'Bannon(screenplay by)
- Don Jakoby(screenplay by)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMathilda May had to learn her lines phonetically, for her audition as Space Girl, because she didn't know any English at the time. Also, May learned how to speak English during the six months she spent in England on this movie.
- GoofsWhen the Space Girl gets off from the table and faces the man, on her reflection on the window behind her, she's wearing red underwear.
- Quotes
Colonel Tom Carlsen: It was the hardest thing I ever did.
Dr. Bukovsky: We understand. It must have taken great courage to try and...
Colonel Tom Carlsen: No, you don't understand. Part of me didn't want to leave. She killed all my friends and I still didn't want to leave. Leaving her was the hardest thing I ever did.
- Alternate versionsScenes cut from 101 min but in 116 min version.
- Voiceover describing the Churchill's mission and the Nerva device.
- Derebridge has a conversation with the Radar Technicians about the object in the comet and it being 150 miles long.
- The opening line of Carlsen about what is 150 miles long Astronauts going into the comet has remarks from Derebridge about the state of the craft.
- The Spacecraft opening up has bits and pieces removed.
- Dr. Bukovsky being told by a RAF officer about the state of Churchill's orbit and it had not changed since leaving the comet.
- Bukovsky and a NASA official agreeing that the Columbia should be sent into space to investigate.
- Scenes with the Columbia rescue party trimmed in particular talk about fate of the crew and obtaining the video tapes.
- A whole scene is removed which introduces Fallanda and The Pathologist which sets up Fallanda's character.
- A Cabinet Minister discussing the crystal cases with Fallanda, Bukovsky the pathologist and a Metallurgist.
- The Minister is inquiring whether X Rays have been done and their results -- blurred images. The metallurgist is very puzzled by the cases. Plus comments about are the bodies being alive.
- After being shown the Guard's body, Colonel Caine is interrogating Bukovsky and Fallanda about the Space Girl (Matilda May). Being told about the Churchill's escape Pod being missing, the fire and the cases. After this Fallanda's conversation with Caine about is there life after death is trimmed.
- The Hyde Park scene is trimmed; the Police Inspector (Nicholas Donnelly) has three lines in 116 version but in the 101 min version he has one line.
- Bukovsky on the phone about Carlsen being in a Walter Reed Army Hospital, he demands Carlsen is brought to London.
- Carlsen's debriefing in 116 version also includes Bukovsky introducing Colonel Caine of the SAS remarking about we all thought You were dead plus the comments about a pretty nurse, the Churchill flashback is trimmed.
- Just before Carlsen's nightmare a scene where Bukovsky informs Caine that NASA have tracked a strange object leaving the comet which is heading for Earth in two days time also there is to be a meeting at Downing Street (The Prime Minister and his Cabinet meet at the PM's home for non UK readers).
- After the hypnotizing of Carlsen's comments made by Bukosvsky about the vampires of legend taking their Earth with them ( The majority of comments about vampires in 116 version are missing from 101 version explains why the title was changed from Space Vampires to Lifeforce).
- The scene with Ellen(Nancy Paul) is cut slightly.
- The attack on Dr.Armstrong(Patrick Stewart) is shortened.
- The Kiss between Armstrong and Carlsen is removed.
- After the deaths of Sir Percy(Aubrey Morris) and Armstrong, the Churchill flashback the love scene between Carlsen and the Space Girl is cut to the bone. Likewise the scene with the Infected PM (Peter Porteous) and his Secretary, Miss Haversham(Katherine Schofield) has had huge chunks cut out e.g. the PM being told of The Home Secretary's demise. Plus there are lines reactions closeups omitted here where and everywhere. The 101 Min version had some more zombie mayhem.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Making of... 'Lifeforce' (1985)
Review
Featured review
A Nugget From The Golden Age Of Special FX
Based on the novel "Space Vampires", by Colin Wilson, Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce is an intriguing blend of sci-i, horror, and action, with particularly masterful
special fx.
As far as vampire films go, it's really quite original, in that it attempts to explain the origin of the vampire legends on Earth, as intervention from an extraterrestrial race of beings that traverse the universe- riding the wave of haley's comet- and leaving destruction in their wake (Von Daniken would be proud).
Everything begins when a mission is sent to study and observe Haley's Comet up close- using the new minerva engine, which allows them to travel with gravity for the first time (which is convenient for production purposes)- during which they discover this mysterious alien craft.
Knowing this is a once-in-a-lifetime oppourtunity...they send a team to enter the ship via an "artery"...only to discover the desiccated corpses of a thousand bat like creatures.
Upon further investigation they find 3 humanoid figures perfectly preserved in what appear to be crystalline obelisks of some sort.
The commander immediately falls in love with the female of the species, and orders the three humanoids and one desiccated bat corpse be taken back to the ship so they can be studied.
However, this unleashes something that kills everyone on the ship.
And by the time the ship gets back to Earth's orbit, there is nothing left...except the three humanoid creatures (who are the only things left inside the vessel that haven't been scorched).
The space agency then brings the specimens back to Earth, only to discover for themselves, exactly what they are dealing with- body snatching vampires that require human lifeforce as nourishment.
Unknowingly, they have just unleashed this plague- which spreads like zombies and vampires- upon the Earth...and they cannot contain it.
Shortly after making this discovery, the escape pod- from the ship that originally scavenged the three entities from the alien craft that now sits in orbit over London- returns carrying the sole survivor from that fateful mission.
But it's too late...the plague is spreading like wildfire across London, and NATO plans to nuke the area to contain the threat.
So our returned man (who is both the original cause of the plague and only hope for stopping it)- alongside his earthly counterpart- must find a way to kill the three entities before the plague obliterates all life on Earth.
And the only way for our out of this world protagonist to redeem his sins- and save what is left to be saved- is to form the ultimate union; and become himself, like a God (providing mercy for mankind).
Story aside, the special effects in this film are among the best I've ever seen.
The animatronic puppets used for the bodies drained of their life's essence are absolutely incredible (and something we rarely get in today's cop out age of cgi). So animated and lifelike!
The transformation sequences (a blend of real fx, cell animation and cinematic techniques) are also top notch...up there alongside the scene from American Werewolf in London...maybe even better!
It''s no Star Wars, or anything...but this film is a nugget from the Golden Age of Special Effects, which has since been heavily diluted, if not abandoned altogether.
They just don't make films like this anymore, and that's a real tragedy.
Worth watching on that note alone.
7.5 out of 10.
As far as vampire films go, it's really quite original, in that it attempts to explain the origin of the vampire legends on Earth, as intervention from an extraterrestrial race of beings that traverse the universe- riding the wave of haley's comet- and leaving destruction in their wake (Von Daniken would be proud).
Everything begins when a mission is sent to study and observe Haley's Comet up close- using the new minerva engine, which allows them to travel with gravity for the first time (which is convenient for production purposes)- during which they discover this mysterious alien craft.
Knowing this is a once-in-a-lifetime oppourtunity...they send a team to enter the ship via an "artery"...only to discover the desiccated corpses of a thousand bat like creatures.
Upon further investigation they find 3 humanoid figures perfectly preserved in what appear to be crystalline obelisks of some sort.
The commander immediately falls in love with the female of the species, and orders the three humanoids and one desiccated bat corpse be taken back to the ship so they can be studied.
However, this unleashes something that kills everyone on the ship.
And by the time the ship gets back to Earth's orbit, there is nothing left...except the three humanoid creatures (who are the only things left inside the vessel that haven't been scorched).
The space agency then brings the specimens back to Earth, only to discover for themselves, exactly what they are dealing with- body snatching vampires that require human lifeforce as nourishment.
Unknowingly, they have just unleashed this plague- which spreads like zombies and vampires- upon the Earth...and they cannot contain it.
Shortly after making this discovery, the escape pod- from the ship that originally scavenged the three entities from the alien craft that now sits in orbit over London- returns carrying the sole survivor from that fateful mission.
But it's too late...the plague is spreading like wildfire across London, and NATO plans to nuke the area to contain the threat.
So our returned man (who is both the original cause of the plague and only hope for stopping it)- alongside his earthly counterpart- must find a way to kill the three entities before the plague obliterates all life on Earth.
And the only way for our out of this world protagonist to redeem his sins- and save what is left to be saved- is to form the ultimate union; and become himself, like a God (providing mercy for mankind).
Story aside, the special effects in this film are among the best I've ever seen.
The animatronic puppets used for the bodies drained of their life's essence are absolutely incredible (and something we rarely get in today's cop out age of cgi). So animated and lifelike!
The transformation sequences (a blend of real fx, cell animation and cinematic techniques) are also top notch...up there alongside the scene from American Werewolf in London...maybe even better!
It''s no Star Wars, or anything...but this film is a nugget from the Golden Age of Special Effects, which has since been heavily diluted, if not abandoned altogether.
They just don't make films like this anymore, and that's a real tragedy.
Worth watching on that note alone.
7.5 out of 10.
helpful•121
- meddlecore
- Oct 1, 2018
Details
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- 1 hour 41 minutes
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