Lifepod

I like this forgotten little gem. The opening 'commercial' is reminiscent of a similar technique in Futureworld. Of course the computer-run-amok theme is not new, but a nice electronic soundtrack combined with an overall soundscape of computer voices and radio transmissions create a soothing mood piece of sci-fi escapism. Everything here is in a futuristic font with names like Arcturus, Cycloid, and two computers named FLX (Felix) and the Master Cerebral. Whole film is done very seriously with no attempts at comic relief. I did wonder how that rolling robot ('mechanical') got through the doorways though, since it would have to step up and over the portal-type entrances. I recommend closing your eyes, turning the volume way up, and floating away with this one.

I first saw this in grad school, and recently watched it on late-late-night TV. For a remake of the 1940's Hitchcock movie, with minimal early 1980's special effects and sets, the story held up surprisingly well. Worth a couple of hours to see Joe Penny and Carl Lumbly (1980's actors with mainly TV roles), and Kristine DeBell ("Meatballs" and a memorable cameo on the Harry Anderson "Night Court" TV show). Reasonably decent acting, and the "surprise ending" wasn't completely telegraphed in the plot. There was no connection to 2001, other than a talking, slightly psychotic computer. More closely related to an episode of the a Rod Serling "Twilight Zone"

First scenes of Arcturus spaceliner and interaction of passengers with ship's computer are promising, but the movie falls apart shortly thereafter. Plot is interesting, the acting and writing just aren't up to it.

They seem to have spent most of the money on the very repetitive shots of the ship moving through space.

Arcturus is a civilian spaceship on its maiden voyage to Jupiter. There are some 3000 passengers aboard. There is a mysterious distress signal and most are abandoning ship. Crew member Simmons (Joe Penny) gathers various people as he searches for a way to a lifepod.

I remember Joe Penny from 80's TV and a few of the actors seem familiar. The production designs look 70's or very early 80's. There is no action other than shaking the camera in the third act. This is no Titanic. The miniature work is fine. The story is something about computer, but it's sorta non-sense. It can't really get above its low production value.

The last of the Sandler/Emenegger sci-fi films comes as something of a relief to me as all of these movies have been poor quality, low budget science fiction efforts in which the level of imagination involved counts for nothing when so little money has gone into the production. They're also all entirely derivative, with this one tackling 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY for inspiration.

Once again the film's main antagonist is a computer, a rather open rip-off of HAL 9000 although without the same quality of the voice acting. A desperate crew are trapped aboard a space ship with time running out (just like in ALIEN) and must figure out a way to work together in order to survive and/or escape.

Like the rest of these movies, the cast is unknown, the quality of the acting is very poor, and the script is sub-par. I appreciate that this one seems to have a little higher budget than others like LABORATORY and CAPTIVE so it's a pity they picked a script that was so derivative. For a change, it's not Robert Emenegger or Allan Sandler directing; instead that job goes to first-timer Bruce Bryant, and he doesn't make much of an effort really.