B-Movie Reviews: January 1995

This month, we have a kind of mess of sci-fi thrillers with most of the thrills removed to protect the blood pressure and the mentally challenged.

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

This Roger Corman piece is quite cheap (yes that is rather redundant). but stars many great actors. Richard Thomas (John-Boy), George Peppard (A-Team), Robert Vaughn (Teenage Caveman), and Sybil Donning (Reform School Girls). The story is basically a Magnificent Seven in space. Since the keyword is Corman, the effects are poor. the costumes dull and the sets tired looking. It’s decently executed. and sorta hm to view, but a’la Corman, it’s bland and slow at times. Not completely a snoozer and if you like John-Boy’s work this is worth a peek!

Night of the Comet (1984) 

A comet rips by 1.4 Earth and disintegrates everyone exposed to the deadly discharges. Two Valley Girls (the 80’s fad) are survivors of this wild occurrence. The girls see the good in this catastrophe and head for the mall for a whole lotta shopping. The other survivors include crazed scientists who want to suck their blood for a possible antidote, and your basic been-in-every-movie zombie. This film has everything in it, including an incredibly bland script. While Comet is stale, it’s not as mind numbing as this review.

Making Mr. Right (1987)

Now here’s a movie you can really sink your teeth into, if you’re a girl. For sure! This neat little human interest story isn’t really as much a Sci-Fi piece as it’s a nutty professor comedy minus the nutty professor. But John Malkovich plays a scientist who has created an android (named Ulysses) that his corporation is trying to sell to the public. So a girl, or woman PR consultant is hired to sell the android. The PR person falls in love with Ulysses and starts sleeping with him. Kinda sick, but probably the most expensive dildo ever! The film is cute, if anything, and entertaining at times. Also, Mr. Malkovich is great in this cutesy film. 

Read more from the SLUG Archives:
B-Movie Reviews: December 1994
Movie Reviews: November 1994