Lifeforce

Lifeforce (1985) has a lot going for it. Insanely hot space vampires. A zombie epidemic. Patrick Stewart (was that guy ever not bald?). What more could you ask for? In my book, not a whole lot. This film is fun, scary, and epic, and I have no idea why it bombed at the box-office.

The film opens on an international space crew about to board an alien vessel that they've found among the asteroids and space debris of the tail of Halley's Comet. Amid the dessicated corpses of a bat-like alien species, the astronauts discover 3 nude humanoid lifeforms in suspended animation. Once back on earth, the aliens revive, escape, and begin draining the lifeforce from Londoners, turning their victims into dessicated zombies, and sparking an epidemic on the the streets of London. The city's only hope may be Colonel Carlsen (Steve Railsback), lone surviving member of the space shuttle crew, who apparently has a mysterious link to the space vampires. Carlsen and Colonel Caine (Peter Firth) from the British SAS frantically track the lead vampire as her essence hops from body to body, hoping to trap her in a body long enough to dispose of her.

Oh, and did I mention that the lead vampire (Mathilda May) is insanely hot? Did I also mention that she spends almost every single second of her screentime completely nude? Seriously, how did this movie not do well??

What Lifeforce has going on the surface is quite enough to make it a good fun movie, but it's the subtle undercurrents that make it great. The film examines issues as diverse as identity, gender, destiny, the soul, the afterlife, and world folklore and legends. And it's scary? And there's zombies? And there's an extremely gorgeous, extremely naked woman? This movie was seriously underrated in its own time, and although it has gathered a small cult following in the 25 years since its release, it is still woefully ignored.

I mean, come on! Lifeforce was helmed by a legendary director in Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist) The score for the film, which is gloriously bombastic and epic, was composed by the legendary Henry Mancini. The film includes a relatively early big-screen performance from Patrick Stewart, who has since gone on to become a legend in his own right. How many times do I have to say legendary??

The acting is awesomely classicly British, the score is phenomenal, the story draws on lots of horror and folklore tropes while still being unique. True, by today's standards, some of the effects are slightly hokey (but only slightly), but in terms of 1985, these were top-of-the-line effects.

My recommendation: definitely check this one out. It's got a lot going on, and you're bound to find something you can get behind.

Storyline & plot: 9/10

Cinematography & effects: 8/10

Music & mood: 10/10

Performances: 6/10

The Reverend says: 8/10