Review of The Ice Pirates (1984) by Adam B — 05 Aug 2008

In another part of the galaxy, water is so scarce it's like diamonds and gold, and so scurvy 'ice pirates' roam the space ways searching to steal ice from passing ships! Stewart Raffill directs a cast that would later be in well known movies and series, like Ron Pearman(Beauty and the Beast, Hellboy), and, Angelic Huston, (Addams Family) Robert Urich (Vegas) and John Carridine.

When Mary Crospy's character, the Princess Corinna, is napped on a pirate run, the Templar authorities are after them, while a barter is reached, to find the mythical seventh planet, where there is plenty of water.

Cheesy sets, fog machines, goofy characters, crazy machines, and wacky sets make for a cult hit in the making, way ahead of it's time, and funnier than later Spaceballs. Done on a cheap budget, but still extremely satircal and funny.

Not such much a riff on Star Wars as the 70s Buck Rodgers, Battlestar Galactica, Mad Max, and Time Bandits. Space Eunochs, crazy battles, painted set backdrops, and suggestive situations make for a trip back into time.

Beware the dreaded Space Herpees! This is clearly meant for teenage guys, or adult guys who saw it 26 years ago.