The Beast in Space – Peekarama (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1980
Director: Al Bradley (Alfonso Brescia)
Writer: Alfonso Brescia
Cast: Sirpa Lane, Vassilli Karis, Lucio Rosato, Robert Hundar, Venantino Venantini

Release Date: January 31st, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.98

"In the distant future, Captain Larry Madison, the most heroic leader of the space fleet, has been sent on a mission to Lorigon, a far off planet known to be the galaxy’s greatest resource for Antalium, a precious metal needed to create weaponry. However, when they reach the planet, they discover that it’s overseen by a powerful computer which is capable of forcing all those near it to engage in mindless debauchery. Determined to overcome its effects, Madison and his crew wade through jungles and valleys in search of Antalium…but why does Lt. Sondra Richardson keep having strange sexual nightmares involving a well endowed beast?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 16mm original camera negative."

The Beast in Space comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.3 GB

Feature: 25.2 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, black levels are strong, the image generally looks crisp (there are some soft focus moments where the image is not as crisp), there are no issues with compression, and though grain remains intact, it is noticeably thicker at some moments.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, and included are removable English subtitles. Though the audio sounds clear and balanced, range-wise, things sound limited. Also, there are some sibilance-related issues.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actor Vassili Karis titled Space Amnesia (10 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Lucio Rosato titled Space Lover (22 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Venantino Venantini titled Space Oddity (9 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), reversible cover art, and an spot gloss slipcover limited to 4,000 units.

Summary:

Though Italian genre cinema cycles were inspired by whatever was popular in Hollywood, these films were always low-budget compared to the Hollywood they tried to replicate. That said, what Italian genre cinema cycles lacked in budget, they more than made up for in ingenuity.

The Beast in Space is part of a cycle of Italian films that were inspired by Star Wars' success. There is even a brief nod to Star Wars when Captain Larry fights some blonde robot drones with swords that look like lightsabers.

The Beast in Space was directed by Alfonso Brescia, a filmmaker who was in high demand during the late 1970s Italian sci-fi cinema boom. He also directed War of the Robots, War of the Planets, Space Odyssey, and Battle of the Stars. If you have seen any of Alfonso Brescia’s other films, then you have an idea of what to expect from The Beast in Space.

The cast is mostly made up of performers who never really became stars, and many of them also worked on director Alfonso Brescia's other sci-fi films. The only cast member of note is actress Sirpa Lane, whose character is tormented by a beast-like creature that resembles the monster in Walerian Borowczyk’s film The Beast. On the surface, it would appear that the producers added a similar-looking beast to The Beast in Space in hopes of capitalizing on its connection with Sirpa Lane. There are too many similarities to pass this one off as a coincidence.

The Beast in Space is equal parts space opera and sex film. The narrative feels drawn out, the sex scenes are not erotic, and the sets and costumes look cheap. Oddly enough, The Beast in Space’s strongest asset is Marcello Giombini’s (Knife of Ice) score. That said, when all is said and done, The Beast in Space is bad cinema taken to another level that defies categorization.

The Beast in Space gets a first-rate release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative extras. This release is recommended for fans of bad cinema.

Written by Michael Den Boer