In both films the supernaturalpsychic holocaust that lays waste to london can only be stopped by interrupting the. The film while produced by cannon films the schlock studio behind the cinematic ascension of chuck norris and the sho kosugi ninja trilogy is not that bad. Lifeforce originally published as the space vampires by colin wilson a. Tobe hooper directed the film lifeforce, based on wilsons novel the space vampires. In fact, it almost seems this book were contrived as a means of expressing his ideas on the dynamic of vampiric exchange and the nature of consciousness, and thats fine by me because wilson is spot on with his observations. I mean, all they need to survive is to drain some of our lifeforce every two hours, that blue cosmic material that lives in all of us.
A race of space vampires arrives in london and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos. The basic plot warmed over bram stoker is the same in the book and film, although there is no climactic plague of zombievampires in the book. Discussions abound on predation, and the precise nature of sex in general. The investigation into these bizarre events is cut short when news of a survivor of the churchill arrive. The book was published in 1976 by colin wilson and once before made it to screen, as lifeforce in 1985 remember patrick stewart in that. The novel originally titled space vampires was made into a film in 1985 as lifeforce. Based on colin wilsons 1976 novel the space vampires, 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. Lifeforce plays like quatermass and the pit enhanced with extravagant effects work. In 1985, the book was adapted to film as lifeforce, directed by tobe hooper. Space girl lifeforce the female villains wiki fandom. But i knew the movie was about space vampires, and that sounded pretty stupid to me.
While the film is focused more on hunting missing aliens who suck vitality out of their victims just as vampires do, the novel expands much more than that trying to answer a lot of mysteries about vampires and our possible contact with higher intelligence from. In other words, lifeforce sets the tone early and runs headlong at it with an iron sword in one hand and a service pistol in the other. Based on the 1976 colin wilson novel the space vampires, a title conjuring up schlocky book covers, lifeforce manages to avoid bargainbasement execution. It seems that in the novel, the space girl specifically chose carlsen as a new lifeforce gatherer and eventually the replacement for the two male vampires after they were killed without much fanfare. If its unfamiliar, its probably good to start knowing the book on which its based and the working title of the film was the space vampires. This rapid embrace of the supernatural lends lifeforce much of its charm. The space vampires, his fi ftyfi rst book, was translated into spanish, japanese, french, dutch and swedish and was later adapted for screen in the movie lifeforce, directed by tobe hooper salems lot, poltergeist, the texas chain saw massacre. Lifeforce is a 1985 science fiction, horror film directed by tobe. With steve railsback, mathilda may, peter firth, frank finlay. Cowritten by alien and return of the living dead mastermind dan obannon and adapted from the space vampires by colin wilson who publicly derided the film upon release, lifeforce follows the fallout of an investigation of halleys comet, which heralded the unearthing of an alien vessel and three perfectly preserved bodies. Lifeforce was based on a novel by prolific british author and essayist colin wilson called the space vampires, which, on the awesome.
The space vampires is a british science fiction horror novel written by author colin wilson, and. The movie failed however to capture the true spirit of the cult classic reprinted here by popular. Colin wilsons 1976 novel space vampires was a curious mix of lovecraftian horror and metaphysical science fiction literature, the somewhat trashy title perhaps a knowing nod towards the pulp horror of the era. Buy space vampires book online at best prices in india on. Space girl and her two male consorts were discovered by the hms churchill, a space shuttle sent to investigate what seemed to be derelict space ship hidden in the tail of haleys comet. The space vampires aka lifeforce if you know the movie, which has been out of print for a while, this a technically excellent steel book, top notch video and audio. Lifeforce steelbook bluray disc details highdef digest. I recently saw a copy of that book at a local flea market and wish id known then, as i would have picked it up. The next day, another shriveled corpse is found on a park. Based on colin wilsons 1976 novel the space vampires, the film portrays the events that unfold after a trio of humanoids in a state of suspended animation are. A race of space vampires arrives in london and infects the populace, beginning an.
Alas, not many moviegoers responded to the charms of lifeforce a title that cannon decided on at the last second because they felt the space vampires sounded too cheesy, critics by and large assailed it, audiences ignored it in order to again bask in the glories of rambo and it was yanked from theaters in a couple of weeks. This is meant to connect traditional vampires to the three energy sucking space vampires. Wilson had written the book in response to a challenge from august derleth to write a lovecraftian novel after wilson had criticised h. Carlsen kills the space girls at the end of the novel as he wasnt too keen on being a lifesucking monstrosity for all eternity. Lifeforce is one of the most notorious films of the 1980s a huge budget spectacle that was critically derided and has since become something of a byword for the excesses of cannon films, director tobe hooper and possibly the whole decade colin wilsons 1976 novel space vampires was a curious mix of lovecraftian horror and metaphysical science fiction literature, the somewhat trashy. Lifeforce by colin wilson meet your next favorite book. Lifeforce limited edition steelbook bluray walmart. The adaptation eventually became known as lifeforce. The movie failed however to capture the true spirit of the cult classic reprinted here by popular demand. The space vampires is a quick and interesting read, contrasting extraterrestrial criminals with the more common garden variety found on earth. Equally strange were the immobile bodies of the humanoid passengers discovered by captain carlsen and his men.
For 20 or 30 thirty mind numbinging pages the main character carlsen gets a history lesson on vampires. Carlsen steve railsback kills space girl mathilda may and himself with caines peter firth sword in. A space shuttle mission investigating halleys comet brings back a malevolent race of space vampires who transform most of londons population into zombies. The expanded foreign version contains an extra sixteen minutes of footage. Filmed as lifeforce in 85, the movie retained the basics of the plot, but went inexplicably overboard in directions wilson. Space girl then successfully escaped from the faculty into the night. The novel that lifeforce is based on is the space vampires, by colin wilson.
Tobe hooper poltergeist directs this scifi shocker, based on the book space vampires by colin wilson. When the bodies are brought back to earth, they are. Based on colin wilsons 1976 novel the space vampires and scripted by dan obannon alien, return of the living dead and don jakoby, the film was. Based on colin wilsons 1976 novel the space vampires and scripted by dan o bannon alien, return of the living dead and don jakoby, the film was. The derelict spaceship was vast, and like the landscape of a deeply disturbing dream. Colin wilsons style is somewhat awkward and mechanical.
Far out in the asteroid belt an alien spaceship of colossal dimensions is. In lifeforce, the space vampires also visited earth long ago, leaving us with a real source for the common human myth of vampire monsters. The major difference between the movie and the book is obannon didnt use any of this material. See more ideas about lifeforce 1985, mathilda may lifeforce and lifeforce movie. Attack of the space vampires the story of lifeforce the. The space vampires book by colin wilson thriftbooks. Lifeforce a moody, quite violent scifi thriller about vampires from outer space who prey on the denizens of london.
The movie lifeforce is based on a book called space vampires by the prolific colin wilson. With money from the patron saints golan and globus at cannon films, hooper packed up, headed off to london, and began work on an adaptation of a book called the space vampires by wellknown british writer colin wilson. The space girl, also known as the female space vampire, is the main antagonist of the 1985 scifihorror film lifeforce she was portrayed by mathilda may biography. Wilsons fiftyfirst book, it is about the remnants of a race of intergalactic vampires who are brought back from outer space and are inadvertently let loose on earth. Wilson told fowles there was now a worse one, the film adaption of lifeforce. But after reading the novel i totally understand now why colin wilson hated the way his book was adapted to the big. While the film is focused more on hunting missing aliens who suck. Space vampires akalifeforce by colin wilson 216 pagesout of printthis science fiction horror crossover is remembered mostly from the cannon films adaptation of the novel. Lifeforce is currently streaming for subs on hoopla and cinemax and is available for rentpurchase from apple, vudu, microsoft and fandango.
The latest news on all things 4k ultra hd, bluray and gear. Buy space vampires book online at low prices in india. Colin wilsons 1976 novel space vampires was a curious mix of lovecraftian horror and metaphysical science fiction literature, the somewhat. Attack of the space vampires the story of lifeforce.
The space vampires is a british science fiction horror novel written by author colin wilson, and first published in england and the united states by random house in 1976. The space vampires is by no means a great scifi book. The book was the space vampires by colin wilson which told the tale of astronauts who find a group of shapeshifting aliens that drain energy rather than suck blood and are accidentally let loose on earth. Lifeforce wasnt the original title of the film, written under the same title of the book, the space vampires, but cannon films, who already had the reputation of producing low budget bmovies, thought people would assume it was lowbudget trash. While the film is focused more on hunting missing aliens who suck vitality out of their victims just as vampires do, the novel expands much more than that trying to answer a lot of mysteries about vampires and our possible contact with higher intelligence from outer space at the break of civilization. The only survivors of a doomed space expedition are one crew member and a trio of humanoids discovered in suspended animation. Later, in june 1985, the original novel was reissued as a movie. A reader doesnt choose a novel called the space vampires or murder on the orient express, for that matter expecting the reader senses the existence of an undergirding framework supporting an economical facade. Lovecraft, and it was perhaps ironic that it became a bigger seller than most of the prolific wilsons work. From here the movie plays out in a slightly straightforward progression as the space vampires awaken and begin to wreck their havoc. After its release, colin wilson recalled that author john fowles regarded the film adaptation of fowles own novel the magus as the worst film adaptation of a novel ever. Based on colin wilsons 1976 novel, the space vampires, lifeforce arrives on bluray june 18, 20, and features both the films original theatrical version and longer international.
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