[Ted Cunterblast]

Outland - 1981. Peter Hyam's 'space western', with Sean Connery as the new marshall in town, cleaning up corruption and taking on the baddies.



The difference is that the 'town' is a mining colony on the moon of IO, and the villain of the piece is a corrupt corporation turning a blind eye to a dangerous new drug that has a tendency to induce some of the workers to commit suicide.

Connery basically carries the movie, though his playful banter with doctor Frances Sternhagen is a highlight. James (Hill St Blues; Howard) is also very good, and almost unrecognisable under a bushy beard...as is the ever dependable Peter Boyle as the corrupt station manager.

It's a very slight, simple plot, though you have to admire the production design - the claustrophobic, dirty and lived-in look of the mining station is very well done...and indeed the look of the movie makes you think it could inhabit the same world as the Alien movies.



The blu ray is pretty decent, in fact it's fair to say it's never looked better...considering it's pretty dark with lots of shadows, and its one of the few movies to use the Introvision effects system, a sort of enhanced greenscreen/forced perspective effect that never really took off. Sound is ok, can't say there is a great deal of surround action, but it's clear and fairly punchy when it needs to be.

[a_c_g_t]

I went to see this film back in 1981 when it 1st came out. Highnoon on IO.

Although I haven't seen it on BR I really did think the film in general. The thing that stood out for me was the digitalclock counting down the the arrival of the shuttle.

I enjoyed it, yet has been slated a bit.

[Eddie Badger]

Been a long time since I saw it but I liked it. Frances Sternhagen was great and a refreshing change from the usual bimbo you'd expect to find in a Hollywood movie.

[ocox]

Been a long time since I saw it, must dig out my “old” DVD copy.