Lifeforce

Lifeforce (1985)

Runtime: I saw the 116 minute “International Cut”

Directed by: Tobe Hooper

Starring: Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Patrick Stewart

From: Cannon

A shame that they don’t make movies like this anymore. I know some will disagree as it’s an overtly sexual, horny motion picture even if you exclude the presence of a young attractive woman who most of the time is not even wearing a stitch of clothing. At the end of the month the 116 minute “International Cut” is leaving the Criterion Channel; as Tubi (of course, because it’s Tubi) is the only other streaming option I know of which has that instead of the 102 minute cut that played in U.S. cinemas, last night was the time before I leave to go out of town a few hours after the posting of this review.

Based on the 1976 Colin Wilson novel The Space Vampires, director Tobe Hooper made some changes, including the setting from the 21st century to 1985 and the space vampire ship residing in the coma of Halley’s Comet. He (and/or screenwrite Dan O’Bannon) also had to be inspired by Quatermass and the Pit & excised most of the Lovecraftian touches Wiki told me was in the novel.

I am old enough where I remember media around this time heavily hyping the Halley’s Comet appearing from Earth in 1986; it’s the only celestial body of its type which regularly appears from the planet-in this case, around every 76 years. On the ship are dead giant bats, and the naked bodies of two dudes and Mathilda May enclosed in clear cases. Things go bad once those bodies are brought to London.

Of course, the movie is most (in)famous for May’s nudity, and May’s stunning physical appearance. While Lifeforce was designed to be a twist on the vampire mythos where a woman is the alluring predator and they drain the lifeforce from humans rather than blood, Lifeforce should be known for more than just “the hot naked lady” picture. Yes, the plot has its issues, including a few lulls and some plot points which perhaps shouldn’t be scrutinized too hard. Be that as it may, it’s an exciting story explicitly for adults featuring a unique score from Henry Mancini, big special effects from John Dykstra, explosions, and total carnage in London by the final act.

The movie is both absurd and absurdly entertaining. The presence of serious actors like Steve Railsback, Peter Firth and Patrick Stewart helps. Personally, I’m amused that Railsback was in both this and Nukie. His performances in both were a 180 of each other. Lifeforce, he’s spectacularly over the top while in Nukie, it was like he was on Quaaludes the entire time! Nukie should be avoided like the plague as it’s firmly in “the worst movie of all time” category while Lifeforce-occasionally incoherent plot and all-may be for you if you can accept its flaws and enjoy the bombastic production.