In true Corman fashion, he decided on a whim during the production of Galaxy of Terror that he wanted to utilize a space ship interior before the set was taken down. But Forbidden World (also known as Mutant and as Subject 20) - which celebrates its 40th anniversary this week - is the more interesting case study. Galaxy of Terror is more blatantly derivative of Alien, but its cast features horror icons Robert Englund and Sid Haig and the crew includes a young James Cameron and Bill Paxton. Never one to miss an opportunity to make a quick buck, the trailblazing producer oversaw Galaxy of Terror for release in 1981 and followed it up with yet another Alien knock-off, Forbidden World, in 1982.īoth Corman productions have their charms. Not surprisingly, Roger Corman wasn’t far behind. The Italians were first to strike, rushing the boldly titled Alien 2: On Earth into theaters less than a year after Alien‘s release, and Luigi Cozzi’s Contamination followed shortly after. Its first sequel wouldn’t come for another seven years, but the interim was filled with a variety of imitators hoping for a piece of the intergalactic pie. The film has a lot in common with Galaxy of Terror, which was released by Corman the previous year, so if you like that nasty flick, there’s no reason you wouldn’t find a lot to enjoy here.Despite being met with mixed reviews upon its release in 1979, the massive box office success made it clear that audiences loved Ridley Scott’s Alien. But, there’s really not much more you could ask for from a movie like this: it provides scares, viscera, skin, a decent monster, and pacing that doesn’t let the audience snooze. The acting’s a little weak, but not particularly terrible, and of course the alien is a rubber-suited creation. I’m making Forbidden World sound very sleazy, and I suppose it is, but there are also artistic touches that position it slightly above the fray: there are some eccentric and interesting editing choices, the movie actually looks really good overall, and Susan Justin’s warbling and whining synth score elevates the atmosphere significantly. There are only two female cast members, but the movie finds a multitude of ways for them to shed their clothing. There are many scenes of human and alien flesh in various stages of ooey-gooey, due to the monster’s propensity to metamorphose and to reduce its human victims to an easily digestible sludge. Very little time is wasted before we get right to the gore and gratuitous nudity. There’s not much here in terms of haughty things like plot, characterization, symbolism, or nuance, but, as one might reasonably anticipate from a Corman flick from the era, there is a plethora of titillation. Predictably, the scientists lose control of their creation, which starts killing everyone to use as food. The film concerns a military officer investigating a research lab at which scientists have created an always-evolving alien life form in their quest for a new food source. Starring: Jesse Vint, Dawn Dunlap, June Chadwickįorbidden World is another in a huge glut of space-based horror movies intended to cash in on Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) - this one from B-movie royalty Roger Corman.
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