STARSHIP INVASIONS
Canada, 1977, 89 minutes, Colour.
Robert Vaughan, Christopher Lee, Helen Shaver.
Directed by Ed Hunt.
This adventure looks like a derivative of both Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It has intergalactic battles with adventures between good and evil and empires trying to control space as well as benign visitors in flying saucers. Robert Vaughan is the taciturn star but Christopher Lee is at home in this kind of elegant villainy. The special effects are quite good although there are some gruesome touches especially with a suicide epidemic and its visualization. The film is a Canadian production written and directed by Ed Hunt. It is minor but interesting enough of its kind.
1. The seventies' trend for space exploration and drama? Encounters with UFOs? Why the popularity with space themes? Audience interest in science fiction, science fantasy? The mysterious aspects of the present, looking ahead to the future?
2. The influence of 'Star Wars and its style, space adventures and wars? The plausibility of such intergalactic warfare? The importance of the presentation of the clash between good and evil, literal black and white? Causes, issues? (the importance of visual special effects for such adventures and battles?).
3. The plausibility of UFOls? Interest in them during the sixties and seventies? Excitement, plausibility, scientific aspects, the popularity in the media? The purpose of UFOs and interplanetary visiting? The science fantasy fascination of UFOs?
4. The plauaibility of life on other planets? The atmospheres of the planets, the possibilities of travel, the evolution of intelligent beings? Comparison with earth and human beings?
5. The technical aspects of the film, special effects, colour, score? A Canadian production and values?
6. The impact of the opening and the invasion? The rebels and their being dressed in black and the sinister presentation of their dress? Their communication and their not speaking? Ramases and Christopher Lee as the central villain? The landing of the flying saucer, the power over the human being and his ordinariness on the tractor? The control over him. sexuality, suicides? (the lack of following up these themes in great detail, although the stress on the number of suicides?).
7. The atmosphere of the rebels, their being renegades in space, Ramases and his ambitions, his aides both masculine and feminine? Their skills, the raid on the underwater station, their power to kill? Their growing control? Their capacity for destruction and their aims at controlling earth? What kind of evil did they represent?
8. The contrast with the League? The appearance of the mutant type persons, human beings working with them? Their underwater station, their becoming victims of the rebels? The nature of their civilization and its qualities? Communication, technology, the use of robots? The importance of computers and their getting the computer help?
The robot and his important role in saving and destroying the rebels? The capacities of the League to heal especially Duncan's wife? The significance of their ultimate victory? Benign interplanetary intelligences, benign visits of UFOs?
9. Allan Duncan as representing the human race? As a person in himself, his television interviews, scientific background and interest in astronomy, growing interest in UFOs? Relationship with his wife and daughter and their characterization? Clashes with his wife? Friendship with Malcolm? His being taken by the League, his willingness to help, his watching events on the television, his being able to save the day? An interesting character?
10. Malcolm and his scepticism, his help?
11. The portrait of the wives, Allan's daughter? Their interest in UFOs, the reaction to their husbands' disappearance, television interviews, grief? The supermarket scene and the death? Allan's wife killing herself and the impact on her daughter? (was she killed merely so that the League could benignly raise her to life?), the happy ending?
12. The visuals of intergalactic battles and strategy? Explosions? How satisfying the presentation of the battles?
13. An appropriate happy ending? The status of UFOs, their peaceful presence in the universe? An optimistic film in its presentation of the clash between good and evil? For what audience was it made? The exploitive elements of sex and violence and suicides and their impact on young audiences?
