Kinji Fukasaku's MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) from Shout Factory 4/16

bruce h · 01-04-2013, 01:38 PM

Kinji Fukasaku's ridiculous Japanese STAR WARS rip-off MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) is coming from Shout! Fun stuff, starring Vic Morrow and Sonny Chiba! Expanded post coming later.

DVD: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B00AWHDFLC

X-human · 01-04-2013, 10:49 PM

Sonny Chiba makes anything worth seeing but if this is anything at all like The War in Space then I'm all in. War in Space is a Japanese delight that's a huge rip off of Star Wars in its own right.

Erick H. · 01-05-2013, 05:44 AM

I prefer MESSAGE to THE WAR IN SPACE.It's kind of a combo of STAR WARS and THE SEVEN SAMURAI (as was the later Corman produced BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS) and was loosely based on a Japanese myth.The same director did a wide range of pictures,from cheesy fun like THE GREEN SLIME,to classy epics (he directed the Japanese segments of TORA,TORA,TORA) to late cult favorites like BATTLE ROYALE.MESSAGE boasts some pretty snazzy model work,a good score and a plot/settings that give it the feel of an old animae like SPACE CRUISER YAMATO (aka STAR BLAZERS).

A label had offered the film on DVD a couple of years back,is this a different mastering ?

bruce h · 05-17-2013, 06:06 PM

Review over at DVD Drive-In:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i...romspace78.htm

crikan · 05-17-2013, 07:13 PM

Sonny Chiba and Etsuko Shihomi make any film worth seeing at least once. The sets and costume design in MESSAGE FROM SPACE are a real hoot as well. Its a shame the film is such an incoherent mess. It happened far too often that I had no idea what was going on. Oh well, at least it makes for an awesome trailer.

01-04-2013, 01:38 PM	#1
bruce h Editor - CINEMA ARCANA Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: MD Posts: 1,448	Kinji Fukasaku's MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) from Shout Factory 4/16 Kinji Fukasaku's ridiculous Japanese STAR WARS rip-off MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) is coming from Shout! Fun stuff, starring Vic Morrow and Sonny Chiba! Expanded post coming later. DVD: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B00AWHDFLC __________________ Bruce Holecheck Cinema Arcana: Knee-Deep in Cinemuck! The 'Net's Best Upcoming DVD & Blu-Ray List

01-04-2013, 10:49 PM	#2
X-human I ate my keys Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 6,320	Sonny Chiba makes anything worth seeing but if this is anything at all like The War in Space then I'm all in. War in Space is a Japanese delight that's a huge rip off of Star Wars in its own right. __________________ The combined weight of the horrors I have authored wrought would crush your carbon hearts into perfect diamonds of terror! A Few Ants Short. And what the hell, check out my DVD Collection won't you?

05-17-2013, 06:06 PM	#4
bruce h Editor - CINEMA ARCANA Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: MD Posts: 1,448	Review over at DVD Drive-In: http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i...romspace78.htm __________________ Bruce Holecheck Cinema Arcana: Knee-Deep in Cinemuck! The 'Net's Best Upcoming DVD & Blu-Ray List

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01-05-2013, 05:44 AM	#3
Erick H. HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7,444	I prefer MESSAGE to THE WAR IN SPACE.It's kind of a combo of STAR WARS and THE SEVEN SAMURAI (as was the later Corman produced BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS) and was loosely based on a Japanese myth.The same director did a wide range of pictures,from cheesy fun like THE GREEN SLIME,to classy epics (he directed the Japanese segments of TORA,TORA,TORA) to late cult favorites like BATTLE ROYALE.MESSAGE boasts some pretty snazzy model work,a good score and a plot/settings that give it the feel of an old animae like SPACE CRUISER YAMATO (aka STAR BLAZERS). A label had offered the film on DVD a couple of years back,is this a different mastering ?

05-17-2013, 07:13 PM	#5
crikan HackMaster Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,165	Sonny Chiba and Etsuko Shihomi make any film worth seeing at least once. The sets and costume design in MESSAGE FROM SPACE are a real hoot as well. Its a shame the film is such an incoherent mess. It happened far too often that I had no idea what was going on. Oh well, at least it makes for an awesome trailer.