Product Details

• Actors: Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda, Evi Marandi, Stelio Candelli
• Directors: Mario Bava
• Writers: Mario Bava, Alberto Bevilacqua, Antonio Román, Callisto Cosulich, Ib Melchior
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001
• Run Time: 86 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005K3OF
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,648 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Planet of the Vampires" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Italian horror master Mario Bava brought his considerable skills to bear on this hypnotic genre hybrid, creating one of the most eerily atmospheric science fiction films ever made. A spaceship is lured to a mysterious planet, where members of its crew are slaughtered, and their bodies possessed by a near-extinct alien race--a minimalist plot, to be sure, but in the hands of Bava and cinematographer Antonio Rinaldi, Planet of the Vampires (the best-known of this film's many titles) is a near-masterpiece of style over substance. The simplest sets and backdrops are composed with a perfect eye for perspective and color, with sensible spaceship design and memorable costumes that look like they sprang from the futuristic fantasies of an S&M biker gang. Performances are secondary but effectively low-key, serving to enhance Bava's painterly use of matte work and miniatures. With a surprise twist ending, POTV is an essential addition to anyone's sci-fi collection. --Jeff Shannon

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome italian sci fi/horror flick -- reminds me of Alien November 2, 2001

By David Koski VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great old sci fi/horror flick by that master Mario Bava. This movie starts out with two ships in orbit around a planet. You are treated to some really cool electronic sound effects/music and the best technobabble I have ever heard -- Star Trek has nothing on these guys. The ships are sucked in to the planet at 60 G's -- only the heroic captain is able to withstand that kind of force. The movie goes on to deal with what they encounter on the surface as they search for the other ship.

The special effects are a bit cheesy by today's standard, but not bad for a film of its time. They are not overused to ill effect either. The overall atmosphere of the film is properly chilling.

Some of the visuals, plot elements, and even music remind so much of Alien. I have to suspect that Ridley Scott has seen this movie at least once.

I rate this film excellent and highly recommend it!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Juicy and scary planet -- great Sci-Fi entertainment! February 12, 2002

By Jim K.

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Well, I believe it now. When I was in film school, one of my instructors told me that all the stories that could possibly be told were done prior to the 70's; anything else is just a re-make. Ridley Scott ripped off Mario Bava, John Carpenter ripped off Mario Bava, and I'm sure there are plenty more! I have 7-8 Bava films now in my collection, and it's so obvious that modern filmmakers have stolen ideas and scenes directly from Bava's films.

"Alien", no doubt in my mind, was conceived using "Planet of the Vampires" as a basis. All they had to do was create a frightening, living alien for that film series -- everthing else was written for them here!

But on to reviewing the DVD: You won't notice them right away, but as the film progresses you'll enjoy the beautiful women featured. They are Evi Marandi and Norma Bengell. As they change costumes or remove parts of their opening wardrobe, they will become more visible. They are your typically juicy, delicious women in a Bava film but in this movie there's no reason for them to be sensual. They're still fine to look at, and it was great that Bava used more than one woman in the crew back then.

The DVD picture is rather nice -- beautiful and strange colors and the film is rather sharp for its' date. All colors, mist, bubbling, etc. are rendered nicely from this old film.

The soundtrack is the real treat. This is a mono soundtrack, but it again has the enveloping sound like "Blood and Black Lace", so if you have multiple speakers different sounds will come from different places. The unusual spaceship, planet, and space sounds are quite effective. The only problem with sound here is that during obvious loud parts the sound fades away.

I'd say this film will appeal to science fiction fans more than the horror/gore fans.... But if you insist on building your Mario Bava collection like I have, then you will want to own this remarkable DVD that holds up today as a very nice space epic. Surprise ending -- something that "Alien" did not have.

There is no DVD insert booklet nor chapter list. Read more ›

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrore Nello Spazio!!!! January 15, 2005

By TBlack

Format:DVD

I like this film alot. Planet of the Vampires has some cool sci-fi(for it's time)futuristic dialog and gadgets. In one scene a female character actually SCANS a document with a scanner next to a computer monitor, and THIS IS IN 1965!!!! Also this was a year before Star Trek came out, so you can't accuse of copycat. It's similar to Star Trek but much darker and sinister. The colors are really cool but when I seen it in black and white when I was a kid on "Monster Movie Matinee" I thought it was more eerie. They have neat weapons and cool black leather suits. At one point the captain and a hot chick Italian actress find a derelict ship with some ancient giant skeletons in it. By the way this movie has tons o titles but I think the original Italian one is Terrore Nello Spazio, which means Terror in Space. Even though this is always accredited as totally Italian, Barry Sullivan the star is American, I believe and the film company is American International. I would recommend this to anyone who likes older sci-fi.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing SCI-FI Horror (Inspiration for "LIFEFORCE"?) September 13, 2001

By A Customer

Format:DVD

For those of you who have seen James Cameron's "ALIENS," don't expect the same amount of high-energy excitement; however, I wouldn't call this film "boring."

Director Mario Bava is probably best known as a "visual director," or an "artist," since the film is a showcase for his surreal use of multi-colored sets and lighting gels, making it look absolutely unique--like no other sci-fi you've ever seen. I think I might even prefer "PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES" to "FORBIDDEN PLANET," believe it or not--"FORBIDDEN" was, to me, somewhat slow and dragging.

This film at least keeps your interest. There is a constant, non-stop eerieness throughout, with ghostly planetary sounds (of unknown origin), with a feeling of foreboding evil; some chills may overwhelm you...some hairs may be raised. It's not scary (i.e., jump-outta-your-seat), but haunting in both its conception & presentation...some concepts in the storyline may have even inspired the 1985 film, "LIFEFORCE."

It's only 87 minutes long, beautifully presented in 1:85 Widescreen, and the film print is as crisp and physically flawless as it no doubt looked during its premier in 1965. I once owned this on VHS...full-screen (1:33), and the images were murky and "squashed" like a Godzilla movie. Is the DVD worth the money? Of course, it is...perhaps even a little MORE. If you'd rather rent it first...please do so; either way, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.