Product Details

• Actors: Darren McGavin, Robert Vaughn, Gary Collins, James Hampton, Philip Abbott
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: June 3, 1997
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630291342X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,662 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Watergate + "2001" + "Close Encounters" = HANGAR 18, July 16, 2001

By 

Erik North (San Gabriel, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hangar 18 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Utah-based Schick Sunn Pictures corporation, known for churning out highly speculative documentaries, turns to science fiction for this interesting conspiracy sci-fi drama. The question: What would the U.S. government do if it suddenly had an alien spacecraft in its possession?

Two shuttle astronauts (Gary Collins, James Hampton) are in the process of launching a military satellite from the shuttle, when they encounter a UFO in orbit. When the satellite is launched, it hits the UFO with explosive results, killing a third man who was inside the shuttle's cargo bay watching the satellite's progress. The UFO, however, makes a controlled landing in the Arizona desert.

When they get back on the ground, Collins and Hampton soon find themselves the target of charges that the incident in orbit was their fault, and are forced to clear their names by finding the right evidence, all the while being tracked by government agents. Meanwhile, a team of scientists, led by Darren McGavin, are ensconsed at Hangar 18, located on the grounds of an Air Force base in Texas, trying to learn everything possible about the UFO and its occupants...whose appearances bear an all-too-uncanny resemblance to humans.

Thought I dock this film one star because its special effects aren't exactly up to snuff (a lowered budget is the reason), HANGAR 18 is otherwise a very good film. In basic terms, it combines a Watergate-style political scenario with elements from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. This is not to say that HANGAR 18 is a masterpiece like those two films are. But the combination of such elements manages to work in a fairly narrow framework. The cast is also quite good, with McGavin giving one of his most memorable and stimulating performances. Robert Vaughn is equally good as the President's devious chief-of-staff, who concots the cover-up to get his boss re-elected.

To sum it up, HANGAR 18 is a somewhat imperfect movie, but it still holds up well despite its flaws.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pre-X Files, but only better and much more exciting!!, January 3, 2001

By 

Christopher Dalton (Louisville, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hangar 18 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I remember when this classic movie came out in 1980. I really enjoyed seeing the previews and what the film was all about. Surprisingly, my parents took me to see the film, and all of us really enjoyed this science fiction/conspiracy thriller classic. All of us even jumped when that alien environment suit popped out of the UFO's closet by accident. Nevertheless, the movie was in a way like an earlier version of The X-Files. Only just as better and more exciting than the series that would come some 13 years later.

Hanger 18 tells the story of how a satellite, launched by a NASA space shuttle/orbiter, collides with an Unidentified Flying Object, causing the death of an American astronaut in the process. When the UFO crashes on Earth, the U.S. Air Force and NASA recover it, and take it to a manned lunar receiving station in Texas. There, they uncover some hidden secrets that soon take the scientists by surprise. And makes the Government nervous. At the same time, two of the shuttle astronauts who witnessed the incident in space, are "blamed" for the other astronaut's death, and try to clear up the situation, by hunting for the UFO. The government tries to prevent the two from locating the UFO, but to little or no avail. That situation leads to something even more drastic made by the CIA and The Department Of Defense.

Like the classic film Capricorn One, Hanger 18 does a remarkable job of playing on the government conspiracy angle, and at the same time, deals with the ancient astronaut theory. The subplot involving the two astronauts trying to clear their names is also good, as is the storyline about the scientists trying to unlock whatever secrets are in the flying saucer.

And it also had a wonderful cats of veterans. Darren McGavin, Gary Collins, James Hampton, Pamela Bellwood, Robert Vaughn, William Schallert, Joseph Campenella, and Bill Zuckert among others. Though one wishes that James Brolin, Roy Thinnes, or Tom Berenger had been in the role played by Collins. Collins did a good job, however, if I had been the casting director, I would have picked one of those three.

Overall, a very good and entertaining film. One of the best in the hall of science fiction. If you enjoy watching the X-Files and other films about flying saucers, then you will definately enjoy this film.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very well made little thriller about ufo's,cover ups,and what aliens may be doind here, May 23, 2006

By 

John D. Page "movie fan" (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hangar 18 (DVD)

this little thriller(from sunn classic studio) is a great little movie that can also be watched by your kids.
while on a mission to launch something into orbit,a space shuttle sees a ufo.when the object is launched it hits the ufo and sends it crashing to earth and kills the man outside the shuttle.
to cover up, the pilot,and co-pilot are blamed for the death and a team is sent to find and study the ship.
this is low-buget but the action and drama to come are all well handled and this is a fun and thought provokeing thriller.