Lifeforce

"In the blink of an eye, the terror begins."

1985 1h 42m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 784

HorrorScience FictionActionMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, commencing an apocalyptic descent into chaos.

“In the blink of an eye, the terror begins.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon Prime VideoSubscription

MGM Plus Roku Premium ChannelSubscription

MGM PlusSubscription

Amazon Prime Video with AdsSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Steve Railsback
Col. Tom Carlsen
Peter Firth
Col. Colin Caine
Frank Finlay
Dr. Hans Fallada
Mathilda May
Space Girl
Patrick Stewart
Dr. Armstrong
Michael Gothard
Dr. Bukovsky
Nicholas Ball
Roger Derebridge
Aubrey Morris
Sir Percy Heseltine

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tobe Hooper
Writers: Olaf Pooley, Dan O'Bannon, Don Jakoby
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 46% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

41 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CAST

Did you know

342+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tobe Hooper, shot by Alan Hume. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Henry Mancini. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Grover shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Steve Railsback and Peter Firth and Frank Finlay carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tobe Hooper directs. Alan Hume behind the camera. Henry Mancini scores. John Grover cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 46% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
241 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4342+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
5Directed by Tobe Hooper, shot by Alan Hume. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Henry Mancini. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor John Grover shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Steve Railsback and Peter Firth and Frank Finlay carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "In the blink of an eye, the terror begins.".
10IMDB entry: tt0089489 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 8 themes, including "space marine", "flying saucer", "based on novel or book", "vampire".
12Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Alan Hume
Original score: Henry Mancini
Editing: John Grover
Costume design: Carin Hooper
Makeup / hair: Patricia Kirkman
VFX supervisor: Grant McCune
Sound: Vernon Messenger
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $11,603,545
Return: 46% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Lifeforce (1985)

Also by

Tobe Hooper

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

teix2016-01-04
Great sci-fi flick. The story is very good, and the production and the actors did a great job. I don't think this movie is outdated, just more campy and enjoyable. A must see sci-fi classic.
Gimly2018-09-07
★ 5/10
The promise of 1980s, practical effects, and energy vampires with no clothes on is apparently all it takes to get me to watch a movie. Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole.
adorablepanic2020-05-04
★ 7/10
LIFEFORCE (1985) - By the mid '80s, Cannon Films was looking to move away from low-budget, disposable fare like HOSPITAL MASSACRE (1981) and BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (1984). Owners Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus had loftier ambitions: They wanted a blockbuster; a big-budget smash that they could call their own. To this end, they signed director Tobe Hooper to a three-picture deal and turned him loose with $25,000,000 and free reign to create the movie he wanted. Working with a stellar, mostly British cast (save token American star Steve Railsback, who apparently misplaced his charisma at Heathrow; and startlingly uninhibited French goddess Mathilda May); legendary composer Henry Mancini; and a screenplay co-written by the man who wrote ALIEN (1979), Hooper unleashed a wonderfully unwieldy miasma of genres. What starts out as a science fiction mystery gradually morphs into full blown, zombie apocalypse horror - played with square-jawed seriousness by all involved. Unfortunately, this film got lost among that years' heavy-hitters like BACK TO THE FUTURE and the second RAMBO film, and earned back less than half its budget. Cannon Films ceased operations in 1994, but their ambitious attempt to stand amongst the major studios keeps giving back to its growing cult audience via home video. Sometimes success takes a few decades.