Apparently, regular vampires weren't enough of a threat for 1980s horror filmmakers. Why settle for creepy castles, wooden stakes, and garlic when you can send an entire spaceship full of naked space vampires to Earth and let them destroy civilization? That's the basic idea behind Lifeforce (1985), Tobe Hooper's spectacularly weird science-fiction horror adventure, a movie that throws together extraterrestrial life, psychic powers, human energy vampires, exploding buildings, and enough nudity to make a biology textbook blush.
The story begins when a joint British-American space mission discovers an enormous alien spacecraft hidden inside Halley's Comet. Because apparently nobody involved has ever watched a science-fiction movie, the crew decides that investigating a mysterious alien ship is an excellent idea. Inside, they discover three humanoid bodies suspended in glass containers, including a particularly attractive woman who looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine.
Naturally, they bring the mysterious occupants back to Earth. What could possibly go wrong?
The answer arrives rather quickly when the female alien awakens and begins draining the life energy from anyone unfortunate enough to get close to her. Played by Mathilda May, the mysterious space vampire spends much of the movie wandering around completely naked, which raises some interesting questions about the priorities of the production team. Apparently, saving humanity is important, but wardrobe decisions are optional.
Steve Railsback stars as Colonel Tom Carlsen, the astronaut who becomes personally involved in the alien encounter. He's joined by Peter Firth as Colonel Colin Caine, a British military officer who gets dragged into the increasingly ridiculous situation. Patrick Stewart also appears as Dr. Hans Fallada, a scientist attempting to understand the creatures and their bizarre abilities.
Yes, that's Patrick Stewart, several years before becoming Captain Picard, investigating extraterrestrial vampires who suck people's souls out through their mouths. It's difficult to imagine a more unusual entry on a résumé.
The plot becomes increasingly ridiculous as the alien creatures escape containment and spread their influence throughout London. People start behaving strangely, bodies pile up, and the authorities struggle to understand what they're dealing with. Eventually, the situation escalates into a full-blown supernatural apocalypse involving zombies, psychic connections, and enormous explosions.
Subtlety is not exactly the movie's strongest quality.
The special effects, however, are spectacular. Lifeforce features impressive practical makeup, elaborate creature effects, elaborate sets, and some genuinely memorable sequences. The destruction of London is particularly ambitious, with the production embracing the kind of extravagant spectacle that made 1980s science-fiction movies so entertaining.
The movie's biggest problem is that it can't quite decide what it wants to be. One minute it's a serious science-fiction mystery, the next it's a vampire horror film, and then suddenly it's a supernatural disaster movie. The different elements don't always fit together particularly smoothly, and some of the dialogue sounds like it was written during a particularly exhausting brainstorming session.
Still, there's something wonderfully entertaining about a movie that commits so enthusiastically to such an absurd premise. Director Tobe Hooper clearly isn't interested in making a conventional science-fiction thriller. He's aiming for something bigger, stranger, and considerably more ridiculous.
Final Verdict: Lifeforce is an outrageous 1980s science-fiction horror spectacle that combines space exploration, vampires, nudity, zombies, and the destruction of London into one gloriously overstuffed package. It's uneven, occasionally confusing, and completely bonkers, but it's also difficult to look away.
Forget the little green men. The real danger from outer space apparently comes in the form of attractive naked vampires who want to steal your life force. At least the movie gives us a compelling reason to be suspicious of anything discovered inside Halley's Comet.
The story begins when a joint British-American space mission discovers an enormous alien spacecraft hidden inside Halley's Comet. Because apparently nobody involved has ever watched a science-fiction movie, the crew decides that investigating a mysterious alien ship is an excellent idea. Inside, they discover three humanoid bodies suspended in glass containers, including a particularly attractive woman who looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine.
Naturally, they bring the mysterious occupants back to Earth. What could possibly go wrong?
The answer arrives rather quickly when the female alien awakens and begins draining the life energy from anyone unfortunate enough to get close to her. Played by Mathilda May, the mysterious space vampire spends much of the movie wandering around completely naked, which raises some interesting questions about the priorities of the production team. Apparently, saving humanity is important, but wardrobe decisions are optional.
Steve Railsback stars as Colonel Tom Carlsen, the astronaut who becomes personally involved in the alien encounter. He's joined by Peter Firth as Colonel Colin Caine, a British military officer who gets dragged into the increasingly ridiculous situation. Patrick Stewart also appears as Dr. Hans Fallada, a scientist attempting to understand the creatures and their bizarre abilities.
Yes, that's Patrick Stewart, several years before becoming Captain Picard, investigating extraterrestrial vampires who suck people's souls out through their mouths. It's difficult to imagine a more unusual entry on a résumé.
The plot becomes increasingly ridiculous as the alien creatures escape containment and spread their influence throughout London. People start behaving strangely, bodies pile up, and the authorities struggle to understand what they're dealing with. Eventually, the situation escalates into a full-blown supernatural apocalypse involving zombies, psychic connections, and enormous explosions.
Subtlety is not exactly the movie's strongest quality.
The special effects, however, are spectacular. Lifeforce features impressive practical makeup, elaborate creature effects, elaborate sets, and some genuinely memorable sequences. The destruction of London is particularly ambitious, with the production embracing the kind of extravagant spectacle that made 1980s science-fiction movies so entertaining.
The movie's biggest problem is that it can't quite decide what it wants to be. One minute it's a serious science-fiction mystery, the next it's a vampire horror film, and then suddenly it's a supernatural disaster movie. The different elements don't always fit together particularly smoothly, and some of the dialogue sounds like it was written during a particularly exhausting brainstorming session.
Still, there's something wonderfully entertaining about a movie that commits so enthusiastically to such an absurd premise. Director Tobe Hooper clearly isn't interested in making a conventional science-fiction thriller. He's aiming for something bigger, stranger, and considerably more ridiculous.
Final Verdict: Lifeforce is an outrageous 1980s science-fiction horror spectacle that combines space exploration, vampires, nudity, zombies, and the destruction of London into one gloriously overstuffed package. It's uneven, occasionally confusing, and completely bonkers, but it's also difficult to look away.
Forget the little green men. The real danger from outer space apparently comes in the form of attractive naked vampires who want to steal your life force. At least the movie gives us a compelling reason to be suspicious of anything discovered inside Halley's Comet.
Review posted
October 30, 2026