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Galaxy of Terror

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Robert Englund, Edward Albert, Bernard Behrens, Jack Blessing, Zalman King, Erin Moran, Taaffe O'Connell, and Grace Zabriskie in Galaxy of Terror (1981)
Science fiction suspense thriller, in which a rescue space ship crew meets up with horrors projected by their own imaginations.
Play trailer1:07
1 Video
72 Photos
B-ActionB-HorrorBody HorrorSpace Sci-FiActionAdventureHorrorSci-Fi

A ragtag spaceship crew sent on a rescue mission encounter a formidable enemy, their worst fears projected by their own imaginations.A ragtag spaceship crew sent on a rescue mission encounter a formidable enemy, their worst fears projected by their own imaginations.A ragtag spaceship crew sent on a rescue mission encounter a formidable enemy, their worst fears projected by their own imaginations.

  • Director
    • Bruce D. Clark
  • Writers
    • Marc Siegler
    • Bruce D. Clark
    • William Stout
  • Stars
    • Edward Albert
    • Erin Moran
    • Ray Walston
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.0/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bruce D. Clark
    • Writers
      • Marc Siegler
      • Bruce D. Clark
      • William Stout
    • Stars
      • Edward Albert
      • Erin Moran
      • Ray Walston
    • 136User reviews
    • 96Critic reviews
    • 38Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Blu-ray Trailer
    Trailer 1:07
    Blu-ray Trailer

    Photos72

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    + 65
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    Top Cast13

    Edit
    Edward Albert
    Edward Albert
    • Cabren
    Erin Moran
    Erin Moran
    • Alluma
    Ray Walston
    Ray Walston
    • Kore
    Bernard Behrens
    Bernard Behrens
    • Commander Ilvar
    Zalman King
    Zalman King
    • Baelon
    Robert Englund
    Robert Englund
    • Ranger
    Taaffe O'Connell
    Taaffe O'Connell
    • Dameia
    Sid Haig
    Sid Haig
    • Quuhod
    Grace Zabriskie
    Grace Zabriskie
    • Captain Trantor
    Jack Blessing
    Jack Blessing
    • Cos
    Mary Ellen O'Neill
    • Mitri
    Kenny Myers
    • Dead Crew Member
    • (uncredited)
    Brian Wade
    Brian Wade
    • Shadow Monster
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Bruce D. Clark
    • Writers
      • Marc Siegler
      • Bruce D. Clark
      • William Stout
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews136

    5.010.2K
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    Featured reviews

    5christopher-underwood

    I still love the poster

    I really wanted to see this film, especially because my kids liked it years ago and I never saw it. Of course, it probably was okay then but it is far too simple to enjoy it now. It is not boring because there is something happening all the time but it is not interesting and really only the sex and violence stands out today. I still love the poster.
    5ma-cortes

    Futuristic and formulaic horror film with chilling and creepy creatures

    The film concerns about a team of astronauts assigned to save the outer space starship crew from a far planet . The astronauts become threatened by a weird , vicious life force as well as indiscreet , slimy aliens that embark upon a killing spree in the base and spaceship . They are unexpectedly devoured by hungry , vicious aliens intent on picking off the astronauts one by one . And an ominous monster in the form of a giant worm ; it is , in fact , a carnivorous , ominous maggot and is enormously spooky when the large slug eats a beautiful nude scream girl or when another young woman explodes . The picture contains an interesting twist at the ending.

    It's a formula terror space film with tension , shocks , grisly horror , including some decent scares , graphic gore abounds and results to be quite entertaining . A lot of the special effects shots involving live actors combined with matte paintings and miniatures were done in camera . At the movie appears known actors with a future long career : The recently deceased Edward Albert (Butterflies are free) , Robert Englund (Freddie Kruger) , Zalman King (a notorious director of erotic films) , Ray Walston (famed comedy actor) and Grace Zabriskie (famous secondary actress) and Sid Haig (usual as baddie and blaxploitation genre) , the latter asked Roger Corman if he could play Quuhod as a near mute instead Corman agreed and let Haig portray Quuhod with almost no dialogue as Haig only says a single line in the whole movie . The visual production design by subsequently successful James Cameron creates a vivid sense of claustrophobic doom , enhanced further by the eerie musical score .

    This disturbing and dark film was produced by Roger Corman with his New Word Pictures and tensely directed by B.Clark who managed to create shocks , generous violence and exciting horror sequences . According to Roger Corman , the film was budgeted at approximately $700,000 . The film went into production in the spring of 1981 at the Hammond Lumber Co. lot in Venice, CA, where New World's studio facilities were located. Additional sets , including the surface of the planet and the exterior of the pyramid , were built at a soon-to-be demolished Bekins Storage facility . David DeCoteau got his first Hollywood movie job working as a production assistant on this film , he was only 18 years old at the time. And followed by ¨Forbidden world¨ by Allan Holzman with Jesse Vint and Scott Paulin . It's a standard terror graphically gory, giving a paranoid dimension and turns out to be an ¨Alien¨ exploitation film , being a sloppy attempt to cash on this hit smash.
    5kevin_robbins

    This is only worth your time if you're a huge Englund and/or Haig fan

    I recently came across the Robert Englund and Sid Haig cult classic Galaxy of Terror (1981) on MAX. The story follows a spaceship crew that stumbles upon a vessel with a missing crew. As they investigate, hoping to find survivors, they instead encounter alien creatures that begin picking off the members of their own ship one by one.

    The film also stars Erin Moran (Happy Days), Ray Walston (The Stand), and Edward Albert (Power Rangers), and is directed by Bruce Clark (Ski Bum and The Hammer).

    It's clear that Galaxy of Terror was aiming to capitalize on the success of Alien, which had been released two years earlier. However, the special effects and action sequences here are far from the quality of Alien, and often come off as a bit cheesy. Despite being released in 1981, the film has more of a '70s sci-fi feel. Overall, it's an average to below-average entry in the sci-fi genre that might only appeal to diehard fans of Englund or Haig. I'd rate it a 5/10.
    7vampi1960

    best of the alien rip offs

    When i saw the trailer for galaxy of terror i knew it was going to be good,as a roger Corman produced b-movie it is a wild ride.sort of like alien on a lower budget.it stars Eddie Albert Jr.zalman king,Sid haig, ray walston(my favorite martian)Robert englund(nightmare on elm street) Erin Moran(Joanie on TV's happy days)and grace zabriskie(twin peaks) its bizarre science fiction horror about a group of space travelers on a rescue mission encountering terrors of all sorts,a women is raped by a giant worm,now thats bizarre.James Cameron was involved in the production.critics bashed this and it was one of the movies on the DVD 50 worst movies of all time,sorry i don't agree.its the best of the alien rip offs.7 out of 10
    IonicBreezeMachine

    What Galaxy of Terror lacks in plot cohesion or character, it makes up for in memorability and shock

    Following a failed voyage to the planet Morganthus, the spaceship Quest is dispatched from the Planet Xerxes for a rescue mission. Once there, the crew discovers the remains of the crew of the doomed voyage as well as a strange pyramid containing unspeakable horrors.

    Galaxy of Terror is a 1981 sci-fi/horror film from producer Roger Corman. The film saw him attempt to cash in on the success of Alien much in the same way Battle Beyond the Stars was his answer to Star Wars. Once again using the talents of James Cameron who provided the impressively improvised effects, with Cameron hired as an art director and effects supervisor alongside Robert Skotak. The movie has carved quite a legacy for itself (one of infamy as well as curiosity) and while I can't say much for quality of its writing, from an atmospheric and technical perspective it's undeniably memorable.

    Starting off, the writing of Galaxy of Terror is often very confused and muddled with the nature of elements such as Xerxes' "Master" or the borderline Darwin Award behavior of the some of the crewmembers making it pretty obvious plot is not this movie's strong suit. Rather than creating a streamlined narrative Galaxy of Horror is mostly a showcase of impressive effects work in both creature design and gore work and both the curiosity factor of seeing James Cameron's humble beginnings as well as the grotesque nature of the kills and creatures has given the film a lasting legacy (such as the forceful nonconsensual sexual escapades of a certain giant worm).

    As far as Alien rip-offs go Galaxy of Terror is certainly memorable in its exploitation and nastiness value even though with its thin characters and borderline nonexistent story that's the only real selling point. Depending on what you're looking for Galaxy of Terror might satisfy those trashy cravings we all deny having in spite of our knowledge to the contrary.

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    Related interests

    Mathew Karedas in Samurai Cop (1991)
    B-Action
    Bridget Hoffman in The Evil Dead (1981)
    B-Horror
    Jeff Goldblum in The Fly (1986)
    Body Horror
    Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek (1966)
    Space Sci-Fi
    Bruce Willis and Taniel in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The set dresser on this film was Bill Paxton, before he took to acting. He was employed by the film's Art Director, and future frequent collaborator, James Cameron.
    • Goofs
      When the captain engages the hyper-drive, she stands at the control panel. A montage of the crew members strapped into their seats follows, including the captain. When hyper-drive disengages a few seconds later, she is still standing at the control panel in exactly the same spot.
    • Quotes

      Quuhod: I live and die by the crystals.

    • Crazy credits
      End credits roll over the pyramid which glows blue as the wind can be heard blowing.
    • Alternate versions
      The 1986 UK Warner video release was cut by 14 secs by the BBFC to reduce the rape of Dameia by a giant maggot. The cuts were fully waived for the 2002 ILC DVD.
    • Connections
      Edited from Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

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    FAQ15

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 1, 1982 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La galaxia del terror
    • Filming locations
      • Venice, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • New World Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $700,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 21m(81 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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