Space Connection

This movie is the first "government conspiracy" flicks I ever saw and frankly it spooked me at the time. The story about the accidental encounter with aliens and the consequent cover-up and framing of the astronauts was as eerie as any later X-Files show. Remember this movie came out in 1980, the only other movie with the concept of government cover-ups at the time was Capricorn One. I'm glad it was made in 1980, if it was done today it wouldn't have had the same punch.

Consider some of the flying saucer films we have seen over the years. The occupants speak perfect English, often with American accents to boot.

In this film we never get to see the aliens; they have a kind of Satanic presence. Instead we have a control panel that displays photographs of military and civilian installations, weird hieroglyphics, and a synthesised voice that speaks an unknown language. Now that is much better than a couple of humanoids with detectable Boston accents who carry away chloroformed females to father the next generation when they get them home.

Robert Vaughn sheds his affable Man from UNCLE image and makes a vicious government agent.

This is the only UFO film that I have ever taken seriously.

Classic TV-style movie about a crashed flying saucer and a government cover-up. Gary Collins and James Hampton (how's that for two names from the illustrious past?) are two astronauts who witness the saucer from their space shuttle. On their return to Earth, they find all evidence of the saucer's existence are gone. So they go on a trek to find out what happened. Darren McGavin (yes, the Night Stalker himself!) is a government man in charge of studying the saucer, which crash landed on Earth after being struck by a satellite. It now sits in good old Hangar 18. Joe Campanella and Rober Vaughn (this just keeps getting better) are the government bad guys, intent on eliminating anyone who might know something or discover the saucer's existence. It's an election year, after all. Hokey plot, hammy acting and a great-looking saucer add up to an enjoyable hour an a half of thrills and unintentional laughs. The hairdos alone will keep you in stitches, especially Collins' Beatle bangs. No special effects to speak of, but entertaining nonetheless. And this is light years away from flying saucer films from the 1950s and early 60s.

I was flipping through, looking for something to watch & I came across this movie.I'm not normally into movies about outer space, UFO's & stuff like that but after seeing all the names that were in it, Gary Collins, Robert Vaughn, Joseph Campanella but most of all, Darren McGavin (Sorry if I forgot anybody else) I knew I had to check it out.Hangar 18 turned out to be pretty good (Kinda makes you wonder, what do they know that they don't want us to know? Know what I'm saying?) It was interesting to see the outside & inside of the ship, everybody trying to figure out how & what made it work, the 2 astronauts who were accused of causing the accident trying to clear their names & the officials doing everything they can to keep the UFO under wraps.The best part of the movie had to be the ending, the twist within a twist.I also read on IMDb that in 1983 Hangar 18 was released under the name Invasion Force which had an alternate ending.I wouldn't mind seeing the alternate ending but if I don't, no bother.Hangar 18 isn't a movie I'd buy but it is worth watching, if you're a fan of extraterrestrial movies or not

This film was made in my hometown of Big Spring, Texas....my father is in the movie as an extra..he is one of the guys in the hanger around the ship ..look for the white dude with an afro...lol..I was going to get to be in the movie but they decided to scrap that scene for a night crash instead. If you visit the hanger on the old air base it still has the 18 on it. I love the movie. Its pretty good for being such a low budget film but its cool. The ship was sold to one of the rich people in town back then for his kid to have to have fun in. I always remember my parents telling me about Robert Vaughn, they told me that he thought he was this big time actor from Hollywood and he thought he was the coolest thing walking the earth. The other actors and a lot of the higher up towns people would have parties all get together...it was interesting.

Some parts of the film were done in Midland, Texas and Odessa, Texas...so when watching the film its like looking in my back yard.