Planet of the Vampires is certainly a low-budget, cheesy 60s sci fi flick, but it delivers a creepy outer space yarn that had some influence on later films.
What Is It?
Two interstellar spacecraft (the Galliott and the Argos) are on an expedition in deep space when they receive a distress signal from an unknown planet. As they approach this uncharted world, the crew of the Argos is possessed by a strange force and only barely avoids crashing when the captain resists its influence and regains control of the ship. The Argos lands successfully, though it sustains damage. While repairs are being made, the crew begin to explore this mysterious fog-enshrouded planet for the source of the signal as well as their sister ship which they cannot contact. They discover the ruins of an alien ship (apparently also lured by the phantom distress signal) as well as the skeletal remains of its crew. Two crew members of the Galliott then show up at the Argos and attempt to steal the meteor rejector which they will need to safely leave the planet. It becomes apparent to the captain of the Argos that these two have been possessed by some alien force, and that is starting to affect his crew as well. He must then determine its origin and its purpose to assure that it does not threaten any other ships passing by nor escape from this planet to endanger other worlds.
Cast: Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda, Evi Marandi
Crew: Mario Bava (Writer/Director), Alberto Bevilacqua (Writer), Renato Pestriniero (Writer of Original Short Story)
Original Release: 1965 (Italian Title: Terrore nello spazio)
Legacy
This micro-budget Italian-made film is a true sci fi guilty pleasure that actually proved to have some staying power. It has a decent story at its core and it manages to invoke a palpable creepiness and sense of terror despite its production limitations. And because of that, it would actually go on to act as a direct inspiration for Alien and other genre films.
A Closer Look
This 1965 sci fi/horror movie was one of several similar low-budget genre films produced in Italy during the sixties such as Battle of the Worlds and The Wild, Wild Planet (does that make them spaghetti sci fi?), and we should probably get the negatives on the table right away. The special effects and most of the production values for this one are bad, I mean atrociously bad. The spaceships look like some cheap model you might have bought off the store shelf at that time. The uniforms (which inexplicably change several times during the film) look like the ridiculous sort of bad comic book cast-offs that have historically given sci fi cinema a bad name. The acting leaves much to be desired and the dubbing is on par with the worst of the Godzilla movies. And the twist at the very end doesn’t really work either (no further spoilers, though). So understand all of that going in.
Still, for what it is, Planet of the Vampires is actually not that bad of a film and it’s definitely worth checking out. Sure, it’s a cheesy sci fi B-movie that takes itself more seriously than it should, but in the end, it manages to rise above its flaws and actually deliver an entertaining little film, even if you have to give it quite a bit of leeway. This movie never quite succumbs to the weight of its limitations and where it succeeds best is by establishing a creepy atmosphere which it maintains throughout the film. The sets, which likely took up most of the film’s limited finances, are a large part of the moody look and feel, especially the surface of the alien planet and the interior of the alien ship. Most importantly, the movie manages to strike a primal nerve which helps it register with the viewer.
This is not an easy movie to watch today after we have been spoiled by CGI and the other technological advances of modern cinema. But if you put yourself in classic Doctor Who mode for a while, you should be able to enjoy it for its positive elements and also see the influence it had on later sci fi cinema.
Influence
And anybody watching The Planet of the Vampires today will quickly note many similarities to the 1979 Ridley Scott/Dan O’Bannon film Alien. It has the alien distress signal that draws the ships to the planet, the fog-enshrouded planetary landscape, and the crashed alien spaceship with the nearly fossilized bones of its large former inhabitants. It also has an alien presence trying to attach itself those who land on the planet, though in this case, it is a psychic symbiosis instead of physical. Combine this with 1958’s It! The Terror from Beyond Space (written by Jerome Bixby) and you have 85% or more of Alien. James Waan has also claimed that the film is a direct inspiration for his upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Should It Be Rebooted?
This film was in the regular rotation on the UHF and early cable channels back in the 70s and 80s, but it has been mostly forgotten these days. Despite the lack of name recognition, though, it is ripe for a reboot. Instead of yet another Alien prequel/sequel/spin-off or a reboot of The Thing that nobody wanted, revisiting this early source material could prove quite fruitful. It could even be produced on a rather economical budget and still deliver an engaging sci fi/horror film. Hollywood may not be interested in bringing this one back, but if someone like Jordan Peele or Alex Garland attached themselves to it, a reboot might get some traction. Or perhaps an up-and-coming director could acquire the rights (I don’t imagine it would be too expensive) and produce a modern version. In any case, this is a piece of sci fi history that could benefit from a reboot.
Interesting Facts
Planet of the Vampires, It! The Terror from Beyond Space, and perhaps The Thing from Another World all had an apparent influence on 1979’s Alien. However, writer Dan O’Bannon denies borrowing from any one of these movies in particular. His comment was “I didn’t steal Alien from anybody. I stole it from everybody!”
The cast was comprised of mostly Italian and international performers, but the lead role went to American actor Barry Sullivan. He had a long career in movies and television in supporting and guest star roles and has several other genre credits on his resume (all as guest star) such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Mission: Impossible, Man from UNCLE, Night Gallery, Bionic Woman, and more.
Short-lived publisher Atlas/Seaboard put out a comic book titled Planet of the Vampires in 1975 that ran for three issues. It had no direct relation to the movie though it did borrow some similar themes (which it also combined with a Planet of the Apes-style setting).
Where Can You Watch It?
The movie has been released on DVD and Blu-ray. It is not currently streaming on any of the major services, but several sites have it available for sale VOD (interestingly, Amazon.com is not one of them). You can also find it on YouTube from time to time.
