Review of Lifeforce (1985) by Stuart K — 16 Jan 2012

Directed by Tobe Hooper, fresh off Poltergeist (1982) at the time, was offered a contract at Cannon Films (alarm bells ringing), but WAIT!! What's this!? Cannon actually spent more than $1.99 on the budget for this film, and it has a good screenplay as well, it's gripping and violent too.

It begins with a space mission to Halley's Comet by the space shuttle Churchill, led by an Anglo-American crew, where the crew discover a spaceship embedded in the comet. On the return, mission control in Texas lose contact with Churchill, and discover that it's crew have all been killed, save one.

Col. Tom Carlsen (Steve Railsback) who got out in an escape pod, and on the spaceship are 3 naked humanoids in suspended animation, they are taken to a research facility in London led by Dr. Leonard Bukovski (Michael Gothard) and Dr.

Hans Fallada (Frank Finlay). The female alien (Mathilda May) awakens and escapes by sucking the life out of the security guards, but then havok entails all around London as the vampires move from body to body, and it's up to Carlsen and SAS member Col.

Colin Caine (Peter Firth) to put a stop to it. Hooper is one of the most underrated of directors, as he knew how to create mood and atmosphere. He has a good ensemble working together here and for once, this is a film by Cannon with good special effects for their day, it's just a shame Hooper chose to follow this up with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), also done for Cannon.