Lifeforce (1985)

A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos.

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Colin Wilson (novel), Dan O'Bannon (screenplay)

Stars:

Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Peter Firth

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Railsback	...	Col. Tom Carlsen
Peter Firth	...	Col. Colin Caine
Frank Finlay	...	Dr. Hans Fallada
Mathilda May	...	Space Girl
Patrick Stewart	...	Dr. Armstrong
Michael Gothard	...	Dr. Bukovsky
Nicholas Ball	...	Roger Derebridge
Aubrey Morris	...	Sir Percy Heseltine
Nancy Paul	...	Ellen Donaldson
John Hallam	...	Lamson
John Keegan	...	Guard
Chris Jagger	...	First Vampire (as Christopher Jagger)
Bill Malin	...	Second Vampire
Jerome Willis	...	Pathologist
Derek Benfield	...	Physician

Storyline

The space shuttle Churchill is assigned to observe Halley's Comet under the command of Colonel Tom Carlsen. They see a strange form attached to the comet and Carlsen goes with a team to investigate. They find three humanoid life forms in caskets and they bring them to the Churchill. However, Earth loses contact with the shuttle and the Space Research Center sends another spacecraft to search the Churchill. They find the crew dead and the shuttle burnt and one rescue pod missing. They bring the humanoids to Earth and soon Dr. Hans Fallada and his team discover that the Space Girl is a sort of vampire and drains the life force from people, transforming them into zombies. When the authorities find that Colonel Tom Carlsen has survived, they summon him to explain what happened in the Churchill. Carlsen tells an incredible story about the three aliens and he teams up with Colonel Colin Caine trying to save mankind from the evil vampires from space.

---

Plot Keywords:

vampire | alien | zombie | space vampire | breasts | 

---

Taglines:

In the blink of an eye, the terror begins.

---

Genres:

Action | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Space Intruders

Filming Locations:

Christchurch, Hampshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,209,136, 23 June 1985, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$11,603,545

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golan-Globus Productions,Easedram Limited,London-Cannon Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min 101 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of Nicholas Ball's performance ended up on the cutting room floor, according to an interview he gave on the Wogan (1982) television talk show in 1985.

---

Goofs

When 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 Versions

Original unedited European version contains more violent and erotic footage Tri-Star Pictures cut from the domestic version. It also contains the full Henry Mancini score in place of the occasional Michael Kamen music cues placed at the last minute for U.S. prints. This version is now available on video and runs 116 minutes.

---

Connections

Featured in Dangerous Beauty with Mathilda May (2013)

---

Soundtracks

The Lifeforce Theme
Written by Michael Kamen and Henry Mancini
Performed by Henry Mancini

User Reviews

So bad that it almost becomes great.

I hate to admit it, but I really love this movie, although on every level it really is horrible! The moments of incredibly bad acting (does Steve Railsback HAVE to scream like a maniac in every part he plays? Is it a part of his contract?), cheesy effects (oh, yeah, gotta love those animated corpses...), completely senseless "scientific" explanations and gratuitous nudity... Okay, so the last point is a plus rather than a minus, because Mathilda May has to have been the most beautiful-looking woman on the planet when this film was made, but it's just a little bit obvious that she's serving as a distraction from the rest of the movie rather than an enhancement to it.

You know what? I really don't care. I've watched this movie repeatedly, especially when I've had a few, and I never fail to enjoy it thoroughly, although not perhaps in the way its creators intended. I mean, where else can you see Frank Finlay pontificate in such a wonderful take-off of the original mad scientist? And for screaming, Patrick Stewart sure gives Steve Railsback a run for his money. (That's saying a great deal, believe me!) Let us not forget some other fantastically talented actors whose facial expressions seem to indicate that they can't believe they've been trapped in this low-budget purgatory--Aubrey Morris, Michael Gothard, Jerome Willis, and, of course, the incredible Peter Firth. Oh, Lord, how I love it!

If you're after a movie that doesn't make you think at all but has wonderful eye-candy value (if you appreciate female beauty, anyway), this is the one for you. Slightly better now that all of the original scenes have been re-instated--so many more opportunities for howling with laughter. It just screams "B movie!" but somehow it is so much more fun. Oh, dear, now I have to go and watch it again!