SNMR 2.4: "Lifeforce"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "Lifeforce" (1985, R, 116 minutes), starring Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Ball and Mathilda May. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper.

This was one of those movies that I rented as a kid, probably when there was nothing else in the video store that I wanted to see. As a teenager what attracted me to the movie was the beautiful female star (sexy 20 year old Mathilda May) walking around nude, and that she was some kind of vampire. That was the image that I carried around with me for many years while the rest of the details of this film escaped me. When I finally remembered the title, I had to watch it again and ended up having to buy it on ebay.

From the DVD's dust case:

From the director of Poltergeist and co-writer of Alien comes a thrilling sci-fi adventure of explosive action and pulse-pounding suspense. With mind-blowing special effects by Oscar winner John Dykstra (1977 Best Visual Effects, Star Wars), Lifeforce is a sci-fi extravaganza that delivers out-of-this-world excitement. A mission to investigate Halley's Comet discovers an even more fascinating phenomenon: an alien spacecraft! After a deadly confrontation, the aliens travel to Earth where their seductive leader (Mathilda May) begins a terrifying campaign to drain the lifeforce of everyone she encounters. Her victims, in turn, continue the cycle and soon the entire planet is in mortal danger. And when the mission's sole survivor (Steve Railsback) sets out to destroy her, he comes face to face with the most charming - and horrifying - being he's ever known. Will he be able to destroy the lovely vampiress... or will he become yet another victim of her fatal charm?

From Martin & Porter's DVD and Video Guide 2006, p.658:

In this disappointing and disjointed science-fiction-horror film by director Tobe Hooper(Poltergeist), ancient vampires from outer space return to Earth via Halley's Comet to feed on human souls.

I like this film, even though I'm generally not a vampire or horror film fan. I thought that the premise of this film was interesting and had much promise. The return of Halley's Comet was heavily anticipated by astronomers and in the public eye when this film was being made and came out, since the comet was due to be visible from Earth in 1986. The acting is definitely not top notch. The script is decent but could have been better. It's not really a horror film because it isn't scary and it isn't truly a science fiction film, either. This is not the best film ever made, but certainly not the worst, either. If you can find it, it's worth renting- a good waste of two hours. I'll give this film three out of five stars.