Customer Reviews

Message From Space

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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!)

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!

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.

In the wake of the unprecedented box office bounty of George Lucas' seminal STAR WARS in 1977, filmmakers around the world raced to unveil their own epic space operas, all hoping to strike gold mining the same cosmic vein. Among the most prominent of these international productions was Toei Studios' MESSAGE FROM SPACE (UCHU KARA NO MESSEJI), released in the United States in the Autumn of 1978 by United Artists.

The planet Jillucia has been conquered by the Gavanas Empire, its natural beauty devastated after years of war. The few survivors call upon their gods and are given eight magic seeds (that look like walnuts), which they send out into the universe to find eight champions to help Jillucia overthrow its conquerors. The seeds end up in the hands of a motley crew - including a disgraced Earth general Garuda (Vic Morrow, COMBAT!) and his robot, a couple of young "space hot rodders" (Philip Casnoff, DOLLHOUSE, and Hiroyuki Sanada, LOST), a thrill-seeking heiress (Peggy Lee Brennan), and an exiled Gavanas prince (Sonny Chiba, STREETFIGHTER, KILL BILL). Ultimately, these individuals embrace their destiny and unite to face the evil Empire and save Earth from destruction.

Fast-paced, absurd and fun, MESSAGE FROM SPACE is a giddily insane interplanetary samurai fantasy, loaded with space dogfights, laser battles, swordplay and explosions. The miniature effects are extraordinarily well-crafted, and the production design is lavish. The cast is pretty good, too; I really like Morrow as the noble, drunken Garuda, and, of course, Sonny Chiba rocks as the ronin-like Prince Hans. Etsuko Shihomi - better known to cult film fans as "Sue Shiomi" of the SISTER STREETFIGHTER films - makes a lovely space princess, even if her character is sadly under-used and she never gets to demonstrate any of her legendary ass-kicking skills.

The story owes as much to traditional Japanese chambara (samurai cinema) as it does to George Lucas' space opera, and while Western audiences might find it both convoluted and juvenile (especially the magic, glowing walnuts!), I actually find it to be a rather charming outer space fairy tale.

Like Toho's THE WAR IN SPACE of the year before, MESSAGE exhibits a distinctively Japanese aesthetic, with many striking images, including a schooner-like starship with solar sails. Interestingly, a number of scenes and images from this film were echoed in later American sci-fi films, like Roger Corman's BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (1980), and even by Lucas' STAR WARS sequels, especially MESSAGE's climax, which is uncannily similar to the climax of RETURN OF THE JEDI, released five or six years later!

Personally, I never imagined that MESSAGE FROM SPACE would ever be released on DVD in the U.S., and definitely not in widescreen, but, much to my surprise, the original Japanese/International cut is now available on an NTSC format, region-free import disc from Eastern Star. Presented in a nearly flawless, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, MESSAGE looks terrific! Both the original Japanese language track and the English dub are included, both in 2.0 stereo, although the English track is somewhat muffled and has a soft background hiss. English and Chinese subtitles are available. Special features include a still gallery, several original Japanese trailers for the film, and trailers for a couple other Eastern Star titles.

If you enjoy Asian fantasy films or 70s space opera, you owe it to yourself to check out MESSAGE FROM SPACE. If you're already a fan of the movie, I can't recommend the Eastern Star release more highly.

Yes--MESSAGE FROM SPACE is a fantastic, well made Space Opera which obviously was intended to capitalize on George Lucas' INSANELY popular STAR WARS. That said, MESSAGE FROM SPACE holds it's own against other quality, cult classic 'rip-offs' such as Italy's 'so bad there good' 'War of the Robots' & Luigi Cozzi's 'STAR CRASH', U.S.A.'s Roger Corman classic 'BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS', and of course our own T.V. series 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.' However, in my humble opinion, 'Message' has that extra "Ummmph!!!" the previously mentioned films lacked--that 'devil may care' over the top acting, and amazing Japanese special effects topped only by the multi-million dollar budget of 'Battlestar.' While I DO own a dvd copy of 'Message' (that is only decent at best), I was shocked and excited to see the name of the film pop up on Amazon's search engine. FINALLY! A proper copy for me! I was prepared to even shell out as much as $30 + shipping to get it--but imagine my HORROR at the PRICE--$999??? Yes--NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE DOLLARS!!! Sellers-how DARE you? And Amazon-you should be ashamed to even list it. Is ANY film worth a THOUSAND dollars? Nope. I assure you that no matter HOW cool of a hard to find film this is, NOONE but some rich Sci-Fi geek who hit the LOTTERY would pay that price. And THAT is stretching it. You'll be holding onto your copies for a long, LONG time at that price. I'll be content with my sub-par version until Tokyo Shock gets enough fan letters to properly release the film in all it's remastered glory. So PLEASE--if you ARE a fan of 'Message' like me, --write to Media Blasters (who own Tokyo Shock) and tell them WE WANT MESSAGE FROM SPACE!!! And again--SHAME ON YOU sellers...I hope your thousand dollar copy deteriorates with age as you wait for a 'sucker' to come along...

Absolutely horrible, even with Vic Morrow in it. That's the only reason I bought it. Would not even give it a one star rating, but a rating is required to process review, so had to give it a one. Would not recommend at all -- even if you are a huge Vic Morrow fan.

very poor sound and picture quality. the only reason I am keeping it is that it brings back pleasant memories.