Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 24, 2019

When Roger Corman wants to cash-in on a trend, little stands in his way. For 1981, the veteran producer desired his own “Alien” clone, bringing in co-writer/director Bruce D. Clark to create a similar study of horror in space, tracking the exploits of those unlucky enough to come face-to-face with their own fears while stuck on an unknown planet. Clark doesn’t completely replicate the “Alien” experience, finding it hard to do Ridley Scott on a Corman budget. Instead, “Galaxy of Terror” is a more traditional genre offering of multiple deaths and monstrous encounters, though the material tries to work in some head games and plot turns to keep viewers interested. The feature is a bit repetitive, but for cash-in entertainment, “Galaxy of Terror” actually looks good when it wants to, finding the crew (which includes production designer James Cameron) working especially hard to sell this visually textured descent into terror.

There’s trouble for a spaceship crew on the planet Morganthus, and the Master wants answers, quickly assembling another team of explorers for a rescue mission. Zooming to the alien world, crew members Cabren (Edward Albert), Alluma (Erin Moran), Kore (Ray Walston), Ranger (Robert Englund), Quuhod (Sid Haig), Baelon (Zalman King), Dameia (Taaffe O’Connell), Captain Trantor (Grace Zabriskie), and Commander Ilvar (Bernard Behrens) are unsure about the quest, preparing for anything as they attempt to understand what resides on the seemingly barren planet. Discovering an ancient pyramid home to a cavernous temple, the team enters cautiously, only to discover the evil power that resides in the walls. Divided up to cover more ground, the crew is soon subjected to their own worst nightmares, picked off one-by-one by a malevolent force, leaving those managing to survive fighting to figure out the source of such murderous aggression, traveling deeper into the pyramid to destroy it.

“Galaxy of Terror” offers a simple idea for horror, but Clark doesn’t want to admit it, creating an opening that pushes the viewer into the middle of a sci-fi world, which is ruled by a Planet Master who pulls the strings without any real explanation provided to help outsiders acclimate to this vision of intergalactic control. While the material has its “Alien” cues, the screenplay seems influenced more by sci-fi literature, as the effort is filled with crazy character and planet names, and the primary home for agony is the pyramid, which creates personalized nightmares for troubled people. There’s initial confusion, but “Galaxy of Terror” isn’t concerned with comprehension, just giving enough exposition to launch the tale and some basic characterization to maintain personalities, inspiring a chess game of survival.

Cameron is the most famous crew member in “Galaxy of Terror” (Bill Paxton, Alec Gillis, and Don Keith Opper are also involved), and his touch is unmistakable here, giving Clark more cinematic heft than expected. As many have previously reported, Cameron collected much of the production design and atmosphere found here and reused it for his 1986 masterpiece, “Aliens,” making a viewing of “Galaxy of Terror” fascinating just to see the early stages of Cameron’s creative achievements. There’s a smoky, slippery, forbidding world to explore in the film, and while actual attack sequences are lackluster (including a character being sexually assaulted by a giant worm), travel scenes do quite well, with the crew sliding down tight holes in the pyramid or entering cavernous areas, working their way through a maze of madness. For a Corman-produced venture, this genre endeavor is one of his best looking, offering appealing claustrophobia and impressive scale.

Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Galaxy of Terror" originally made its Blu-ray debut in 2010, with a release that offered a serviceable look at the feature's design achievements. Returning to the title, Shout Factory provides a refreshing for fans, delivering a "4K scan of the original film elements" to boost interest in this steelbook release. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation does appear to be a satisfying upgrade from the previous release, offering strong detail with planet exploration, securing better texture with pyramid specifics and monster particulars, while gory encounters are defined. It's a production that spends a long time in the dark, but blacks are more natural, preserving delineation. Brightly lit events on the spaceship handle facial surfaces and costumes well. Colors are vivid, with more varied hues found on computer displays and ship ornamentation, and skintones are natural. Grain is more film-like. Source is in fine condition, without elements of damage.

Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is active throughout, dealing with assorted sound effects to bring spaceship activity to life, and monster encounters, with their sound library roars and shrieks. Dialogue exchanges do relatively well considering the production's limited budget, with freak-outs and confrontations comfortable. Scoring is supportive with passable instrumentation, providing some musical emphasis during attack sequences. Atmospherics are acceptable, never intruding on the action. Hiss is detected throughout the listening event, with a few brief stretches of pops.

Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features production assistant David DeCoteau, special effects artists Allan Apone and Alec Gillis, and actress Taaffe O'Connell.

• "Tales from the Lumber Yard" (62:44, HD) is the official making-of for "Galaxy of Terror," gathering an impressive amount of cast and crew to discuss their time working on the feature. Roger Corman appears to help track the history of New World Pictures, which brought him into the distribution game during the 1970s, only to realize the major studios were tapping into his B-movie market. Requiring an "Alien" knockoff, Corman hired Bruce D. Clark to direct, tasking the helmer to generate an intergalactic mission from the producer's lumber yard studios, requiring some careful planning. Casting is recounted, with most happy for the work, sharing anecdotes about daily life and the cheery camaraderie amongst the professionals. The construction of sets is celebrated, along with costuming achievements. Special effects are dissected, with major attention paid to James Cameron, who was offered increasing BTS responsibility on the endeavor, often displaying his now-famous temper issues. Specific monsters are examined, including the maggot creature, which caused enormous problems for the crew. Post-production challenges are examined, working through editing pressures (battles ensued with the MPAA) and scoring needs. First impressions and the lasting legacy of "Galaxy of Terror" close out the documentary.

• Still Gallery (3:14) offers poster art, lobby cards, film stills, concept art, publicity shots, and BTS snaps.

• Thom Shouse Makeup Effects Still Gallery (1:44) provides workplace images.

• Background Plates Still Gallery (1:21) is presented.

• T.V. Spots (1:08, HD) deliver two commercials for "Galaxy of Terror."

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:26, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (1:58, HD) are included.

Galaxy of Terror Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Galaxy of Terror" falls into routine too easily, but the positives outweigh the negatives, finding the eclectic cast trying to do something with their limited roles. There are a few hams in the group, but such thespian emphasis is hard to fault when the monsters and gore are the real stars of the show. There's an ending that pays off the bewildering opening, which is a relief, though the screenplay could use more initial information, providing some type of welcome mat for viewers to help find the sci-fi rhythm of the piece. But hey, at least there's a conclusion. "Galaxy of Terror" has a certain Corman funkiness to it, offering gushing innards and gratuitous nudity while actors run around cardboard sets, but there are impressive achievements underneath the thin layer of schlock, which preserve the viewing experience.