After the success of Poltergeist , Hooper signed a three-film deal with Cannon Films. This is the first of the three. Dan O’Bannon, a screenwriter best known for the Alien series, dramatized a novel by Colin Wilson. This film is a grotesque piece, which starts out as a space science fiction but turns into a disaster film full of vampires and zombies. It remains true to the genre traditions of B movies, and shows off Hooper’s technique in combining technological and visual shocks. (John Dykstra, who worked on Star Wars (1977), won the Sitges Award for Best Special Effects for his work on this movie.) The scene where the ‘lifeforce’ is sucked out is one of the best scenes created by Hooper. This film repeatedly presents shocks and tension, and its fast-paced story sweeps the audience around, making them wonder how the story will end. Mathilda May, playing the role of ‘Space Girl’, is beautiful, sensual and intense despite her short appearance. (KIM Hyung-seok)