Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 11, 2014

“Space Raiders” was Roger Corman’s attempt to piggyback on the release of 1983’s “Return of the Jedi,” hoping to steal a few gold bars from George Lucas’s vault before anyone noticed. Instead of putting in a heroic cinematic effort, Corman instead recycled footage, music, and design achievements from such movies as “Battle Beyond the Stars” and “Galaxy of Terror” to construct another space opera, creating a kiddie adventure with the bare minimum of budget. This is why the film, while determined to entertain, is shoddy, incomprehensible at times, and shameless. All the space battles and rogue banter in the world can’t scrape away the crummy penny-pinching vibe of this excessively noisy feature.

I feel bad for writer/director Howard R. Cohen, tasked with dreaming up a story that could snap easily into an established visual presentation already exhausted by other pictures. The helmer does what he can, always keeping the energy of the movie up and the performances vigorous, adding plenty of violence and sacrifice to obscure the more obvious “Star Wars” lifts, including a visit to an alien-infested cantina, which eventually leads to a food fight (oof). Still, this is cynical work from Corman, who doesn’t concern himself with quality, only the bottom line.

Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation makes a fresh impression on BD. Bright and passably detailed with some softness, exploring the particulars of make-up effects and production design achievements, the viewing experience allows an appreciation of what "Space Raiders" has to offer, delivering bold primaries with little sign of fade, and blacks are communicative with low-lit sets. Grained is managed satisfactorily. Print doesn't show signs of overt damage, with speckling and scratches fairly mild.

Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix doesn't possess desired clarity, with a slightly muddy quality that occasionally clouds the group dynamic. It's an aged mix, with sound effects and dialogue exchanges competing for prominence, while scoring cues add to the periodically chaotic blend of elements. Energy is kept up throughout with an adequate push of space warfare and agitated performances. The track is restrained some by hiss and pops, which vary in intensity.

Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (29:38, HD) with actor David Mendenhall is a pleasant chat with the former child star. Clearly enamored with his experience on "Space Raiders," Mendenhall works through his memories of co-stars and Corman, emphasizing how well he was treated on-set. Time is also spent on other highlights of his career, including his work with Sylvester Stallone in "Over the Top."

• Interview (6:38, HD) with producer Roger Corman keeps to the basics of production achievements, discussing the recycling of sets and the novel use of the child star as the lead in a sci-fi extravaganza. Corman does reference his "Star Wars" influence, but refuses to expound on his cash-in intentions.

• Interview (7:53, HD) with Corman employee Clark Henderson is a recollection of the "Space Raiders" era, sharing his foggy memories of the studio's crew and the picture's reworking of old footage.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:32, HD) is included.

Space Raiders Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The déjà vu is difficult to cut through during "Space Raiders," which represents the lazy side of the Corman empire. It's a spunky picture, but one consistently cut down by confused editing and lack of creative invention.