Message from Space

[Swamprat]

It's Ultraman meets the Jedi! Sushi burners without giant fire squirting lizards just ain't worth a sqaut. I saw this on cable a long-long time ago, in a galaxy far-far away. The glowing walnuts, without a doubt, were highly symbolic of something...I guess one has to be Japanese to know what the hell it was. I always feel a twinge of pain for American actors like ol' Vic Morrow who find themselves in these ripoff foreign films in quest of a buck...This film needed a lizard, or at least something in a rubber suit besides the common astrojaps spouting comic relief lines. I know I've seen this film at least a half dozen times, not counting all the times I've caught bits and pieces of it...I still can't comprehend the plot, or even most of the individual scenes. With a giant lizard you know what's going on...he's big, he's p**sed, he's radioactive, he's p**sed, he's on his way, he's p**sed, and for some reason he seems to hate the Japanese...Tokyo residents inparticular...and he is p**sed. The Japanese are small and polite...and they run like hell as thier plastic tanks and aircraft go up in smoke. Now that's a Sushi burner! Message from space is far below par for even the lowest of the Jap-Sci-Fi efforts. If you like the usual example of these movies, you may be amused...or disappointed...I for one, can watch it if I have someone there with me who hasn't seen it before...just to do the MST treatment along the way.

[Gutter]

I cannot bring myself to dislike this movie. Sure it has many downsides (including the cheese factor) but having Vic Morrow there (even if its a sign of HASBEEN) and the mix of Star Wars and 7 Samurai  just brought it together. Hate me all you like for liking this movie but Id take it any day to the horrendous EPISODE's I-III.

[Hiker]

Notice the spherical structures with the guns coming out of the sides?  

Do they remind you of anything from, say, "Attack of the Clones?"

Hmmm....

[Squishy]

George Lucas also showed his characters bogging about in the vacuum of space with only respirators, in "Empire"...

[polly]

This movie is on all the pay channels right now it seems so i've watched it some . And my opinion is this : this movie is like star wars in more than visuals . When u 1st see it you're like "wow " . Then the 2nd time you're thinking "hmmmm" . 3rd time you're going "errr what the..." just like most people did with star wars . I realize i'm gonna get flamed for saying that about star wars but i don't care . The movies just aren't that great.

[Dodes]

Geez, I remember dad taping War of the Worlds at the start of a video, and then this at the end... must have watched it like 5000 times... when i was that young, i didn't even consider that it was anything like star wars... no wonder i couldn't stop watching it...

[Anything goes]

I haven't seen this movie.  But I still remember the spinoff serie, San Ku Kai, somewhat (I say somewhat) popular in Quebec in the 80's.  I enjoyed it quite a lot, it was all about people fighting each others and a giant cristal ship.  Silly, but enjoyable.  

[Matt]

I ruined my tv by throwing up on it after seeing this movie (yes, the movie made me sick). God, what an awful piece of work. A wannabe Star-Wars from Japan, made a year after, with a $100,000 budget.

[BoyScoutKevin]

How interesting that the film features a sailing ship in outer space, as 15 years previous to this, I remember that in "Planet of the Apes" by Pierre Boulle, there is a sailing ship in outer space.
And almost 15 years after this, on "Star Trek: Deep Space 9," Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and his son would build a sailing ship and sail it through outer space from Bajor to Cardassia.
And there is a sailing ship in "Treasure Planet." Enjoy!

[Andrew]

Is this movie also called "ACORNS FROM SPACE"??? Cause I remember borrowing a video called that, which sounds exactly the same as this.. Weird

[Brian D]

i have loved this movie for years, and haven't been able to get a good clear copy of it yet...

If, by chance, anyone out there happens to have digital cable and wants to make a few bucks by selling me a copy of it, i'd be more than happy to oblige... Drop me a line!

[Matt Petty]

There was an old puppet series called StarFleet, which had a bad guy dressed exactly like the one here. Plus a princess, sailing ship, ape-like bodyguard, converting ship,  etc etc.
Top stuff.

[a human]

brilliant, compelling, magical , love the  giant hovering ship ,anyone got the soundtrack?!

[James Perry]

This is fun stuff.  IF...you are a fan of the Japanese movie episodes of MST3K like Fugitive Alien and Godzilla VS MegaGodzilla.  It's actually a lot of fun when it's not a bit boring.  I was interested in how Vic Morrow ended up in it...?

[Liz]

This movie is a hoot. Great special effects for '78, excellent costumes and even a plot. The dialog is hilarious. I can't wait to own a copy of this. I think there should be an "Ed Wood" award given.