A huge asteroid is hurtling towards planet Earth, and the only way to stop it is to blow it up. But when astronauts land on the asteroid's surface, they discover a menacing green substance that threatens the lives of everyone on their space station...
This gaudy pulp science fiction was a co-production between the U.S.A. and Japan and scripted by Tom Rowe and Charles Sinclair. The green slime of the title starts out pulsating, glowing and generally slithering around, and when it reaches the space station it evolves into tentacle-waving men in rubber suits that electrocute the cast and make noises like Sweep from the Sooty Show.
The special effects are far from convincing, but there are a lot of them. They're more on a level with an episode of Star Trek than an episode of Thunderbirds, and the filmmakers certainly used up their fair share of washing-up liquid bottles. It's hard to believe this was made in the same year as 2001: A Space Odyssey.
There are a few human interest clichés to pad out the action, chiefly the love triangle between the two commanders (Robert Horton and Richard Jaeckel) and the station's doctor (Luciana Paluzzi). Horton has been brought onto the asteroid project against the station commander Jaeckel's wishes, but we know that the rugged Horton's the real hero. Jaeckel has always reminded me of a tough Elisha Cook Jr, so it's no surprise how he ends up here.
The film resembles 90's blockbuster Armageddon for the first half hour, and I don't know about you, but I think some green slime monsters would have really livened that film up a bit. I like the way the camera tilts at a 45 degree angle after part of the station has exploded. Good fun all round. Also with: a groovy theme song, and some "futuristic" dancing at the party. Music by Charles Fox and Toshiaki Tsushima.
Japanese director whose long career took in science fiction such as The Green Slime, Message From Space and Virus and gangster movies such as Yakuza Graveyard, Street Mobster and Graveyard of Honour. He also co-directed Tora! Tora! Tora! In 2000 scored a big international hit with the savage satire Battle Royale. Died whilst making a sequel, which was completed by his son Kenta.
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