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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gore galore in low budget space shocker, November 26, 2001
This review is from: Inseminoid (aka Horror Planet) (DVD)
INSEMINOID
(UK - 1980)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (J-D-C Scope)
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono
Whilst exploring a series of caves beneath the surface of the Jupiter moon Xeno, a small team of archeologists accidentally unleash a long-buried alien creature which promptly impregnates one of the female memebers of the crew (Judy Geeson). With the subsequent pregnancy developing at an alarming rate, Geeson is compelled to protect her unborn 'children' from scientific scrutiny and begins to massacre her colleagues, one by one...
Responding to the worldwide appetite for overblown space operas established by STAR WARS in 1977, yet remaining true to his roots as a purveyor of exploitation-horror movies (SATAN'S SLAVE, PREY, etc.), British director Norman J. Warren developed the script for INSEMINOID with writers Nick and Gloria Maley, a team of special effects technicians who were looking for a vehicle in which to showcase their talents. With funding from British and Hong Kong sources, the film went into production at Chislehurst caves (a grim but picturesque location just outside London) shortly after Ridley Scott's ALIEN (1979) wrapped principal photography, though INSEMINOID was completed and released after Scott's film had already debuted, and almost inevitably suffered from less-than-flattering comparisons.
The main problem with INSEMINOID is that the modest £1 million budget undermines its lofty ambitions from the outset, yielding a range of sets, costumes and visual effects which are more reminiscent of "Blake's 7" and "Doctor Who" than STAR WARS, and the cheapskate production values sometimes provoke unintentional laughter. Faced with some fairly amateurish dialogue, most of the cast can't help but sink to the occasion, though Geeason is remarkably good in the leading role, transforming herself from terrified victim to monstrous avenger with scene-stealing glee (unfortunately, she later bad-mouthed the film, saying it was the worst thing she had ever done). Elsewhere, Stephanie Beacham (THE NIGHTCOMERS, TV's "The Colby's") plays the material with earnest conviction, while Victoria Tennant (THE WINDS OF WAR) makes no impression at all as one of the early victims of Geeson's rampage.
For all its drawbacks, however, the film is fast-moving and well-constructed, and benefits enormously from expansive anamorphic photography by John Metcalfe (XTRO, RAWHEAD REX). A longtime fan of the scope format, Warren uses the wide frame to evoke a sense of scale which belies the movie's financial limitations, and to maintain a strong visual dynamic, even during quiet scenes, through careful lighting and composition. There's plenty of gory violence on offer, too, though Warren was forced to make a few cosmetic trims to some of the more explicit sequences, courtesy of the British censor, and that version has prevailed on home video ever since.
Sadly, theough the film was modestly successful all over the world (including America, where a slightly truncated print originally played under the title HORROR PLANET), the director was unable to finance another venture for several years afterward, and his final film to date, BLOODY NEW YEAR (1987) went straight to video. His long-cherished ambition to remake FIEND WITHOUT A FACE (1957) in glorious color has yet to happen, which is particularly regrettable - the genre has always needed talented mavericks like Warren, now more than ever.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Alien Who Loved Me, February 19, 2004
This review is from: Inseminoid (aka Horror Planet) (DVD)
In 1979, director Ridley Scott unleashed the film Alien on an unsuspecting viewing public, pretty much making his career as a director. Of all the great things to come from that frightening, entertaining and highly successful movie, sequels, comic books, novels, toys, etc., the one thing he probably didn't foresee was the slew of really poor imitations that were to follow, including, but certainly not limited to, Inseminoid, AKA Horror Planet (1981). Written by Nick and Gloria Maley, Nick being most notable for make up and special effects on such movies as Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, and Gloria's claim to fame being a nominal actress in movies like And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) and Satan's Slave (1976), Inseminoid doesn't look promising. And it isn't. Okay, so who's directing? Norman J. Warren? The same Norman J. Warren who directed Satan's Slave, Alien Prey (1978) and Spaced Out (1979)? Oh man, we're in trouble...
This English production starts out with a view of some planet and voice over talking about various failed expeditions to said planet. There is currently a third one in progress, and we soon get to seen some people in space suits walking around caves. One of the explorers finds a strange looking pod, and it starts to glow, and then explodes. Whoops...some other stuff happens, and the gist of the thing is one of the female crew members gets impregnated (ick) by an alien who we see for like two minutes and then never see again. I know what you're thinking, "Did the alien copulate with the woman?" From the trailer you'd think so, but that wasn't the case. The alien actually sedated the woman and inserted a long, clear, plastic tube between her legs and some gooey, green, lumpy fluid flowed through (double ick). So anyway, the woman is now knocked up, and it turns out the fetus starts messing with her mind. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The actress, Judy Geeson, playing the character that gets the space bun in the oven seemed so familiar to me, but I could not place her. Turns out she was in the much better film To Sir, With Love (1967). Poor Judy...oh well...as I was saying, the woman laden with alien spore starts tearing up the rest of the crew, and her gestation period develops rather quickly as in subsequent scenes, her belly gets bigger and bigger. There was a rather revolting scene where two crewmembers get into a fight with the pregnant woman, where the male crewmember basically stomps on the engorged belly of the expectant mother to be while she was laying on the ground. I know she has an evil space baby inside her, but still, the visual was disturbing and, in my opinion, unnecessary.
Things I liked about the movie...the production values where surprisingly decent, especially for a movie like this. The sets were fairly expansive and almost realistic. I guess when you have really low expectations, it's easy to please. Also, Judy Geeson does appear nekkid, during the insemination scene, and a couple of other female cast members are see in skimpy outfits that clearly mimic Ripley's outfit near the end of Alien. Both of the actresses who appear this way may be easily recognized as one was Stephanie Beacham, who was on TV's Dallas, and the other being Victoria Tennant, from the Steve Martin movies All of Me (1984) and L.A. Story (1991). Things I didn't like about the movie...well, the actors kept stepping on each other's lines. I understand film is expensive and shooting schedules are tight, more so in these types of movies, so there may not have been an opportunity to correct these things. It happens pretty often in this movie, and it's quite funny. Also, the music...arrrgh...couldn't they afford someone whose main instrument wasn't a Casio keyboard? Another thing, there were too many characters, and it soon became apparent the only reason for this was fodder for various kill scenes. One last main point was of a tactical nature. These noodle heads had absolutely no concept of even the most basic, common sense tactical abilities when dealing with the murderous mother. They outnumbered her and had various weapons available at their disposal, but their course of action always involved running away, even when they have the advantage. Really, the characters that met with grisly ends deserved to die, as they were so utterly incompetent and stupid.
I give credit to Elite Entertainment for an exceptional print of the film. It was clear and without visual flaws. Same thing couldn't be said of the script. The audio was also excellent, providing crispness that allowed us to hear every bit of inane dialog, cheesy electronic musical note, and odd, sometimes-inappropriate sound effect. My overall view of the film? Good for a few cheap thrills and unintentional laughs, but not much else.
Cookieman108
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Aliens with a big sharp toothed ..., September 25, 2002
This review is from: Inseminoid (aka Horror Planet) (DVD)
Pretty bad, but it moves along well enough that it works for a Bad Movie Night. If you like to sit around with friends and laugh at how bad a movie can be then this is a good contender. My favorite part is that the captain is a perfectly ineffectual middle manager. He sits in his "office" and sends one person after another to go investigate and then broadcasts [weak] suggestions to them as they walk to their deaths.
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