Review Lifeforce (1985)

Doctor Omega

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Lifeforce is a 1985 British science fiction horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Dan O'Bannon and Don Jakoby, based on Colin Wilson's 1976 novel The Space Vampires. Featuring Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Mathilda May, and Patrick Stewart, the film portrays the events that unfold after a trio of humanoids in a state of suspended animation are brought to Earth after being discovered in the hold of an alien space ship by the crew of a European space shuttle.[5] The film received negative reviews on release. It grossed $11.6 million in the US.


Cast
Production

Background


Lifeforce
was the first film of Tobe Hooper's three-picture deal with Cannon Films, following Poltergeist in 1982, which was a collaboration with producer Steven Spielberg. The other two films are the remake of Invaders from Mars and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.

Filming began on 2 February 1984. Before Hooper was finally approved, Michael Winner was offered the chance to direct the film.[7]

The film was originally filmed and promoted under the same title as the Colin Wilson novel. Cannon Films, which reportedly spent nearly $25 million in hopes of creating a blockbuster film, disliked The Space Vampires for sounding too much like another of the studio's typical low budget exploitation films.[8] As a result, the title was changed to Lifeforce, referring to the spiritual energy the space vampires drain from their victims, and it was edited for its US theatrical release by TriStar Pictures into a 101-minute domestic cut that was partially re-scored by Michael Kamen, with a majority of Henry Mancini's original music remaining.

In an interview, Tobe Hooper discussed how Cannon Films gave him $25 million, free rein, and Wilson's book. Hooper then shares how giddy he was. "I thought I'd go back to my roots and make a 70 mm Hammer film."


Reception

On release, the film received negative reviews from American critics.[16] Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "ts style is shrill and fragmented enough to turn Lifeforce into hysterical vampire porn."[17] Michael Wilmington in the Los Angeles Times said the film was "such a peculiar movie that it's difficult to get a handle on it."[18] Jay Carr wrote in The Boston Globe that "it plays like a tap-dancing zombie."[19] John Clute dismissed Lifeforce as a "deeply silly flick".[20] Leonard Maltin called the film "completely crazy" and said it was "ridiculous, but so bizarre, it's fascinating."[21]

On the other hand, science-fiction film authority C. J Henderson praised the film: “Lifeforce is an incredible film, and may by be the most intelligent vampire movie ever made ... [The ideas presented in Lifeforce] are beyond [others vampire movies] beyond all of them, light-years beyond ... the story is what makes this movie hum.... Lifeforce is a true, thinking sci-fi fan's film."[22] Andrew Migliore and John Strysik in their Lurker in the Lobby explain that Colin Wilson wrote The Space Vampires as a consequence of H.P. Lovecraft's publisher August Derleth challenging Wilson (who was critical of Lovecraft's writing) to write a Lovecraftian novel himself (a challenge that resulted in three such novels, The Mind Parasites, The Space Vampires, and The Philosopher's Stone), and they continue, "[Lifeforce] is big, splashy, and ... the scenes of an apocalyptic London are not to be missed. And the film, an obvious tribute to Nigel Kneale's Quatermass, has deep roots in Lovecraft's mythos."[11] Film critic Gene Siskel of Siskel & Ebert called the film a "guilty-pleasure", awarding it 3 out of 4 stars.

As of 26 January 2017, it holds a 67% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews.[24]

Box office

Lifeforce
was released on 21 June 1985 to poor box office returns.[16] The film opened in fourth place, losing a head-to-head battle against Ron Howard's science fiction film, Cocoon. The film earned $11,603,545 at the US box office



 
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