Starship Invasions

I saw this film once on afternoon television in the late 70's . I've never seen it screened, rented or sold since. It seems to have sank into obscurity. I remember being disturbed in parts, so as bad as it may be, it could be provocative for ten year old latch key children, home alone in the late 70's. One interesting thing to note, reading the plot summary offered at IMDb, I've seen some of the same elements in UFO abduction lore & accounts. There are some who believe that there has been an extraterrestrial culture occupying the bowels of the Earth for some time, a federation of races I believe, that use this symbol of the winged serpent as their identifying mark. Some believe that this federation ultimately does want control of the Earth and humanity, and will reveal themselves following some type of cosmic or nuclear calamity on the Earth. Also, the ability to exert remote and irresistible control of the human brain through superior technology is a theme I've read frequently in reports, as well as this film's attention to the commonly reported telepathic ability of the ET's. I mention this because it seems like most cinema avoids some of the more fantastic elements of abduction accounts, and concentrates on other elements to the point of cliché. X-files hit on a lot of themes one can find in the reports, to be sure. I'd like to see this movie again, for nostalgia's sake. Sadly this isn't the UFO lore Epic I want. I'd like to see some talented writer/director do for modern abduction accounts what Spielberg did in Close Encounters with Project Bluebook reports. Some of the stuff they predict/report is genuinely terrifying, like, the apocalypse of mankind. The stakes don't get any higher. Perfect for Hollywood. A rich vein for creative exploration and sadly this little low budget film is about as close as it gets at the moment.

A film with some great special effects shots and a few not so great. A film with neat ideas yet, crisp film cinematography and color. This is one of those popcorn and coke matinee films which i saw a zillion times when it ran on WGN and WKBD in syndication. The film features well known actors. In another version i thought I read CHRISTOPHER LEE says his lines. There may have been another version. STARSHIP INVASIONS came out as a "b" movie yet garnered a cult following on tv. It also was one of those post star wars films that capitalized off ufo myths tied in with ancient astronaughts like HANGAR 18. All of this makes for a fun story and has been fodder for years for writers searching for fiction story material. With some revamping the film could have been better. I sense budgetary constraints. As a boy I liked it and loved the escapism. Fans of older science fiction will enjoy this piece for a fun afternoon or evening. Fans of LARENCE OF ARABIA don't expect DAVID LEAN quality here. Expect escapism.

The film studio responsible for the old "OUR GANG" serials cranked out this science fiction film in 1977. The film, STARSHIP INVASIONS drew inspirations off of the wave of space warfare films coming out at that time. The film tells the tale of a ufo menace to earth that is combated by friendly aliens who ask humans for help. A fun point in the plot is the ERIC VON DRAKEN plot point involving hidden ufo bases and ancient astronauts. I don't believe this in real life it was as I said fun. The film was a good family movie and a great "pop corn and coke" film. The special effects at times were creative and others dreadful yet the film is worth viewing. I if you are into UFO lore you will like this film. The film plays like a modren incarnation of a old BUSTER CRABBE serial.

While there's no denying the poor production value and cheap special effects (this is a B movie, after all); I feel the story behind this movie has some value. The motivation of the bad guys is well established. They are not simply evil, but are in a bit of a tight spot themselves. Also, the primary method they use to achieve their goal (a suicide ray) is rather chilling. The use of telepathic communication between the aliens was a nice touch. The cheesiness of this film can easily be embraced as enjoyable camp. It's not a great film, but I think you'll find that it sticks with you after you watch it. The story is fairly rich, with lots of details and connections filled in along the way. It truly has some meat to it. I first saw it as a kid while growing up. Now, over 25 years later, I finally tracked it down and watched it again. I'm still charmed by it.

"Starship Invasions" is an incredibly slow and underacted sci-fi film from Canada. While it stars Robert Vaughn and Christopher Lee, the rest of the cast are mostly unknowns. If I didn't know better, I would believe that the film's director gave all the actors downers before they began filming. This is because although the film is supposed to be a life or death tale about the invasion of the Earth, it's all so low energy and the acting is just too subdued....to the point where you start to wonder if it's a sci-fi zombie film!

So is there anything I really liked about this film? Well, there isn't much but I did like the makeup job on the huge-domed aliens-- they looked quite good considering the low budget. As for most of the rest of the aliens, however, they were just folks wearing silly black leotards. The robot that saves the day is even more ridiculous. Overall, the film has its moments but just not enough to recommend you watch it.