Space Raiders: Star Wars Cash Grab

1983. The year of Return of the Jedi. The Star Wars trilogy was complete, and sci-fi films had been enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Some films released during this era are classics of the genre (Alien, Close Encounters, Star Trek II). Others have enjoyed  a smaller cult status (Tron, The Last Starfighter). Then there are films like Space Raiders.

Infamous B-movie king Roger Corman saw the opportunity to quickly get a science-fiction kids movie released to piggyback on the success of Star Wars. Scenes from previous films of his, mainly Battle Beyond the Stars from 1980, were cobbled together with new footage to create Space Raiders. A story about a young boy who stows away on a ship full of space pirates is surrounded by footage of space battles from the previous films.

Space Raiders was cheap to make, and it shows. The opening scene takes place in a warehouse that is supposed to be futuristic, yet it looks like a plain old warehouse from 1983. The space battles show the same ships exploding several times over. The dialogue is dreadful. Space Raiders is a terrible movie, but is it so bad that it's good? Most casual movie watchers wouldn't get very far with this one, but those who enjoy 1980's cheese will find something to enjoy here.

Yes, the movie is cheap. Yes it's a blatant Star Wars rip-off, right down to a cantina scene with musical aliens. Still, there's a charm about it. In a way it's fun to watch what the film makers did with what little they had and still try to produce something entertaining. The actors give their all despite a lousy script, especially Vince Edwards as gruff space pirate Hawk. The film also features the debut of David Mendenhall, who would later co-star with Sylvester Stallone in another 80's cheese-fest, Over the Top.

Space Raiders recently released on limited-edition Blu-ray, limited no doubt to the little interest the film still generates. A nice interview with David Mendenhall is included, who fondly remembers making the film and respects its fans, yet still knows what type of film was made. Recommended only for die hard fans of the genre or sci-fi completists.

Labyrinth: A Fresh Perspective

 

1986 saw the release of several memorable movies from the decade: Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Karate Kid Part II, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Aliens, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. As a kid growing up in the 80's it was hard to miss seeing most, if not all, of these movies, whether at the theater, on home video, or on TV. One film that released to much less acclaim and attention at the time was Labyrinth, which came out during the summer of '86. Labyrinth was a Jim Henson film that featured David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly along with a host of puppets of all shapes and sizes. I remember the movie being promoted and then releasing on video. I'm not sure why I never saw it. Maybe it was David Bowie in the fright wig, or maybe I thought it would be too scary.

Labyrinth wasn't a success upon release, and it was a source of vast disappointment for Jim Henson, which is understandable considering all the painstaking hard work that must have gone into the making of the film.
Over the years since its release, Labyrinth has maintained an ever growing and loyal following. It has remained popular on home video formats and there is even an annual gathering of fans in California.
After all the talk surrounding this movie and its status as a cult classic, I finally decided to visit it for the first time recently. It's always interesting to see a film like this that I haven't seen before and evaluate it based on what I would have thought about it as a kid and what I think of it now.

Labyrinth is the story of teenage Sarah (Connelly) who is whisked away to a magical realm in order to search for her infant stepbrother, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King (Bowie). Sarah has to find her way through a labyrinth filled with obstacles, creatures both friendly and villainous, and strange landscapes. Along the way she learns a thing or two about responsibility and selflessness.

What makes the film so memorable is its use of imagination, no doubt due to Jim Henson and so many other contributors, including George Lucas. The Labyrinth itself is full of weird and interesting creatures such as the Fire Gang who can switch their extremities, or Ludo, who appears like a vicious beast but is actually kind and gentle. There is also the pit of helping hands and the talking door knockers. The musical numbers are bizarre, but then again, it is David Bowie. The most noticeable song is "Magic Dance", which was stuck in my head the rest of the day after viewing the movie. There is definitely an appreciation for all of the puppet work that has the viewer believing that the characters are real, and they are much more effective than today's overused CG characters.

What doesn't work is the film's ending, which feels anticlimactic. Sarah confronts Jareth, simply tells him he doesn't have power over her, and he turns into an owl and flies away. Why doesn't he have power over her? Is it because she is an adult now? Is it because she isn't frightened of him? It is unclear. Not enough to ruin the film, but not satisfying.

Overall, Labyrinth is indeed an '80s gem to be treasured. Its uniqueness garners it classic status and it deserves its following. It's available for viewing right now on Netflix Instant and is also offered at a low price point on Blu-ray.

Krull: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Mashup

In 1983, the Masters of the Universe toy line was surging to enormous success, quickly spawning a cartoon series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The combination of science fiction and sword & sorcery struck a chord with children of the decade. It would seem that a film such as Krull, released in the summer of '83, would have ridden the wave right along with He-Man. Krull was marketed to kids with an arcade game, comic books and magazines, even a board game. For whatever reason, the film didn't fare very well at the box office, and is only remembered by those who grew up in the 80's when referenced as "the movie with that big throwing-star thing". Critical notices were lukewarm at best, but Krull actually offers a refreshing experience.

Named after the planet the story takes place on, Krull begins with the wedding of Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa, which is interrupted by minions of the Beast, an evil creature bent on ruling the world of Krull. The princess is kidnapped and Colwyn embarks on a quest to rescue her. First he must seek out the Glaive, a powerful weapon that the Beast is susceptible to. Next he must locate the Beast' s fortress, which vanishes and reappears in a different location every sunrise. Colwyn is joined by an elderly seer, a Cyclops, a shape-shifter, and a band of thieves as he completes his journey. Fantastic locales and creatures (firemares!) are discovered as Colwyn and crew make their way to the final confrontation with the Beast.

The charm of Krull lies in its simplicity, the fun characters, and practical effects. It's an old-fashioned rescue-the-princess story at heart, and that's all it's trying to be. Each character brings something to the table to complete the quest, and while some of the acting is hammy, there are some nice performances, including early roles for both Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane. The effects are dated in spots while others still hold up well. What matters is that it's all practical, with no CG in sight. The backgrounds are either beautiful matte paintings or breathtaking locations rivaling anything presented in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. A great example of old school film making. The score by James Horner is epic, and is easily one of the best and most overlooked of the decade.

Krull was intended to be a blockbuster and possible franchise-starter. Maybe the creepy poster artwork scared parents away, or they thought kids would craft their own Glaives and hurl them at passerby.  Maybe moviegoers were confused by the genre mash-up. The film introduced a big world that could have offered up some great adventures, but some things just aren't meant to be. Mill Creek Entertainment released the film on blu-ray last fall, and it's a fine way to relive an old favorite or discover it for the first time. Recommended for fans of 80's sci-fi/fantasy or those looking for something off the beaten path.

Welcome to the Master Control Program! The purpose of this blog will be to highlight science fiction and other fan-favorite films from all eras, with a focus on the 70's and 80's. Everything from cultural phenomenons to forgotten gems will be covered. Star Wars, Star Trek, comic book films, new releases, oddball B-movies: it'll all be here. Wax nostalgic, rediscover a childhood favorite, or find a new film to enjoy. First up will be a look at the film Krull. See you soon!