Call from Space

1989 0h 29m EN

🤯

8.5

MASTERPIECE

★8.5TMDB · 2

AdventureScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A movie director and his wanna-be actor/eccentric inventor nephew are filming a low-budget sci-fi movie. Things get interesting when the nephews' bizarro invention starts bringing visitors from other times, including Napoleon, Archimedes, and people from the future and cavemen from the past. Just when they are filming what they are convinced will be one of the greatest movies ever, the same machine sends an alien visitor to their set. Also includes a last-minute cameo from James Coburn, as the infuriated head of the studio.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Charlton Heston
Alien (voice)
James Coburn
Studio Boss
Ferdy Mayne
Archimedes
Billy Campbell
Young Man
Sherrié Austin
Jacqueline
Richard Brestoff
Movie Director
Dana Gladstone
Napoleon
Brandon Stirling Baker
Cave Baby

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Fleischer
Writers: Chris Langham, Sarah Paris
Languages: English
Countries: France, 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

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 29-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 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: France, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Jack Cardiff. 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 Herb Pilhofer. 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 Walter Murch 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

Charlton Heston and James Coburn and Ferdy Mayne carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Fleischer directs. Jack Cardiff behind the camera. Herb Pilhofer scores. Walter Murch cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 29-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: France, United States of America.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Jack Cardiff. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Herb Pilhofer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Walter Murch shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Charlton Heston and James Coburn and Ferdy Mayne carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0097006 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.