Vegas in space

I watched this movie because, if I recall correctly, it was on a worst 100 movies list somewhere. It was my hope that it would be soooo bad, it would be good. As it turned out, I almost couldn't get through it.

I've enjoyed other movies with drag queens (eg. Priscilla), and was hoping that the campiness alone would be the redeeming quality of Vegas In Space. As it turns out, the story about the making of the movie, which is both a triumph and a tragedy, is what is interesting.

In that respect, I am pleased that Doris and crew finished their apartment-made movie. It did provide a few laughs. I especially liked the 'set' where they landed their space ship. That, and the fact that I was able to endure the whole thing gives it 2/10.

This is a film about which people tend to feel strongly: either very good, or very bad (just check out the voting summary for evidence of this). In my opinion, it's very good, but I stumbled into it at a gay film festival, so my first viewing was perhaps in just the right place at just the right time. Overall, I would have difficulty recommending this film to anyone but fans of the bizarre, fans of drag and fans of bad sci-fi. There is some very (intentionally) hilarious dialogue in this, much of which is made better by the effective delivery -- the cast doesn't do much nudge-nudge, wink-winking of the audience, which would have made the high camp and innuendo too heavy-handed to be funny. Instead, this comes off as a sort of drag homage to the campy formative years of modern science fiction, the same era during which both drag and gay rights came into their own. An attentive viewer will find nods to Star Trek, Lost in Space, Space: 1999, Battlestar Galactica, Red Dwarf and even the original Buck Rogers serials. Unfortunately, some terrible sound editing and not-so-hot line delivery requires the viewer to pay close attention or they miss what important plot-points there are (such as the women-only restriction on the planet, something a previous reviewer clearly missed as he criticized the crew's gender-change as having no storyline cause). Overall, this movie gets serious props for the costuming and the creative use of an obviously limited budget, the turning-on-their-ear of many of the sexist conventions of early sci-fi and for being in many spots a carefully crafted spoof of a genre. While it's definitely bad, it has fun being bad, and I have fun watching it. The song over the closing credits is fantastic.

There are basically two types of b-movies. Some of the aforementioned film you never want to see in life...EVER! Then there are the rare exceptions, the ones that are so bad they're actually entertaining. "Vegas In Space" fits into the latter category. Sure, the effects aren't exactly CGI-produced, and the dialogue isn't really Oscar-worthy, but who cares? It is a fun little movie that I would like to see over and over again. It has that "Barbarella"-"Valley of the Dolls" vibe to this film, which I absolutely love. It doesn't try to change the world or solve any problems; it just tells you sit down, relax, and look fabulous doing it.

Well, not surprisingly, this movie was a smash hit in gay/drag circles throughout the U.S., maybe even the world. All I know is that it sucks. It's intentionally bad, but bad nonetheless, and so, it being my sworn, solemn duty to watch the worst crap I can, I watched it. Futuristic cities made out of fingernail polish bottles. Earthquakes caused by violently shaking the camera, which appears to be handheld. Men inexplicably change into women for no other apparent reason than to just do it. No real reason for it written into the plot. It's as though it's a must-do thing before you beam down to a planet, change your sex. Who knew. All this, thrown in there with intensely gaudy sets, neon everything, and a bit of drag psychedelia too, this movie is good for just about anyone, gay, straight, drag, whatever, who loves bad movies. My friend has had his copy that he rented for almost 2 years. He doesn't like it, he just wants to keep people from destroying themselves through watching it. (I think he secretly enjoys the movie and that's why he's had it for so long) That, and it's funny to keep a movie you rented for 2 years, evading various court summons and arrest warrants.

Very cute film, with possibly the lowest budget ever. Many B movies try to make their low budget as realistic as possible, with Vegas In Space the idea was to make it look as campy as possible. Paper spaceships flying on strings over a table of perfume bottles which is supposed to represent the city of Vegas on the planet Clitoris.

The highlight is Queen Veneer (queen of Clitorian police.) This wicked little draq queen has all the other queens of Vegas shaking in fear every time she gives them the evil eye. "The only real crimes here are crimes of fashion, enough to keep me offended....and busy!"

Queen Veneer and Space Core's finest must find the thief who stole the jewels which keeps the planet's orbit stable. Who in Vegas could it be?? You also get a lesson in the history of "drag," dating back to the first dragladyke who thawed out during the "facial" age. Funny lines and wonderful dialogue make Vegas In Space one spacey, camped out funny movie!

"glamour first!, glamour last!, glamour ALWAYS!!!"