Product Details

• Actors: Vic Morrow, Sonny Chiba, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tetsuro Tanba
• Directors: Kinji Fukasaku
• Format: Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Eastern Star HK/Toei Co.
• DVD Release Date: March 30, 2010
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003DWS04U
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,975 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Message From Space" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest STAR WARS rip-off EVER! I want JAPANESE "Star Wars"!, April 16, 2010

By 

J. Bradley (Charleston, WV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Message From Space (DVD)

This movie came out in Japan within a year of "Star Wars" release in '78 and was released throughout the U.S. shortly thereafter and on television shortly AFTER THAT. I've read it was made into a tv series in Europe. There are so many familiar elements - spacehips, robots, space pirates, spunky princesses in distress - all elements well known to Star Wars fans, just done the Japanese way. Story? I don't remember the story and I don't care - something about finding these seeds. The main thing is just seeing how "Star Wars" was mainlined into this production and how it's stylistically translated. It's neat to watch this and think how Lucas might've done his epic if he couldn't have got a movie deal in the U.S. and instead went to Japan and made it. That's the fun of it, and nothing else did it like this. There were a number of things that came out on tv and in the movies right after Star Wars, from Saturday morning kid shows like "Jason of Star Command" primetime stuff like the original "Battlestar Galactica" and movies like "Battle Beyond the Stars", all of which tried to capture the fire started by "Star Wars". "Message From Space" is one from that period that has eluded release for all this time and it's GREAT to see it finally out there in a quality form. One question - Where is it Amazon? Are you just takin' orders to see what the demand is before they press any copies and fill any of them. Is this REALLY available? I'm planning to keep my order in place until it is. As a movie that measures the impact of Star Wars in the late 70's, this is one I don't want to get away from my collection.
(Update 4/20/10: Yay! It's finally, now in stock! A-ma-zon!)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beats the pants off "Turkish Star Wars!", August 4, 2010

By 

Curtis G (Surf City USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Message From Space (DVD)

I've been in love with this movie since I saw it on "Star Channel" (IIRC) back in 1979 or so, and ordered the DVD as soon as I saw that it was available. I expected a mediocre transfer from a dirty, scratched print; what I got was a great-looking transfer from a great-looking (if not pristine) print. From the crisp menu screen to the end credits, this DVD is glorious. It looks fantastic on my Panasonic LCD TV.

The story is but a minor tweaking of "Star Wars" (that is, the inanely retitled "Episode IV: A New Hope"): Earth people team up with a space princess to save the universe from a bad guy in a helmet and cape. Spaceship models on wires zoom around; space samurai fight with electric swords; lots of stuff blows up real good. What I find endlessly fascinating is that the designers of "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" borrowed elements (action scenes, ship designs) right back.

The performances are just what you'd expect: completely over the top. (Fans of Lost might enjoy seeing a very young Hiroyuki "Henry" Sanada as a freewheeling pilot turned reluctant hero.) Vic Morrow chews the garish scenery like the grizzled pro he was. When he gets maudlin over the "death" of his faithful servant robot, it's as touching as it is silly. And speaking of silly, while "Star Wars" rises above the fashion sense of the mid-1970s, "Message" celebrates it. "Disco Space Wars" would be a more on-the-nose title.

My only gripe is that there's not a "comprehensive" or blended language version. The English-language version features the American actors' voices, but the Japanese actors are overdubbed by the same crew who did all the imported 70s/80s kung fu movies. The Japanese-language version may feature the Japanese actors' voices (it seems to, but I wouldn't really know), but the American actors have all been dubbed into Japanese. I'd really love to have a version where all the actors spoke in their own voices/languages, like they did with Gunhed.

Guilty pleasure? I don't feel guilty at all!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Star Wars 1970s Cash-In/Rip-Off that delivers!, June 14, 2010

By 

D. T. Miyashiro - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Message From Space (DVD)

From War of the Robots... Star Crash... Finally, a Star Wars 1970s Cash-In/Rip-Off that delivers! At least til Battle Beyond the Stars. Very little photographic effects as they literally "flew" the model ships in traditional Gojira fashion. Also blowing them up with on the set pyrotechnics. The final fiery crash of the large Gavanas battle cruiser that destroys Julita is the most coolest thing ever. Also adds to the term "sea of stars" with the star ship looking like an old sailing vessel. Having an international cast really works well in these Japanese films. Complete with Sonny Chiba ass-kicking action. Some hammy acting, dialogue, and super "feel good" touchy storyline is forgivable. I'm finally happy to own this DVD release that contains both language tracks with subtitles. Still the film hungers for a 5.1 remastered soundtrack. Also it gives some memories of the classic laserdisc arcade game Astron Belt.