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One of James Cameron‘s best movies is the 1986’s Aliens, but before Cameron riffed on Ripley and xenomorphs in that movie, he helped make another Alien ripoff — Galaxy of Terror. Unlike Aliens, a film that is filled to the brim with Cameron’s trademark touch for killer action set pieces, Galaxy leans further into the camp of Ridley Scott‘s original film. This sci-fi horror gem is dark, mysterious, and violent, a must-see for genre aficionados. While Cameron didn’t direct the film, only serving as the production designer and second unit director, his presence is felt in every frame. While Galaxy of Terror goes headfirst into its H.R. Giger influence, it is also deeply Cameron, putting on display many of his visual trademarks before the man ever officially spearheaded his own production.
What Is ‘Galaxy of Terror’ About?
Galaxy of Terror is a 1981 sci-fi horror B-movie that is an essential viewing for fans of both sci-fi and horror. Like Alien, Galaxy follows a spaceship crew as they travel to a distant planet on a rescue mission, but the films differ upon landing. On this film’s planet, the team encounters physical projections of their biggest fears, and are picked off one by one. It sports a stacked cast of B-movie legends, featuring folks like Robert Englund, Sid Haig, and Grace Zabriskie. It was also, impressively, shot on only $1.8 million. You could fool anyone that this movie was shot for millions on millions, but that’s all thanks to its crafty and resourceful production designer… more on that later.
The film was directed by Bruce D. Clark, but more importantly, produced by Roger Corman. Corman was known for shepherding filmmakers who were early on in their career, figures like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Peter Bogdonavich. Despite working with Corman, sadly, Bruce D. Clark did not come out of Galaxy of Terror with much of a career. It’s a shame, Clark’s eye for framing and setting up dim-lit, claustrophobic terror is really great in this movie. Well, that’s likely attributed to Clark at least, as he is listed as the director, but could also be indebted to the hand of this film’s production designer and second unit director – James Cameron.
How Did James Cameron Get His ‘Galaxy of Terror’ Gig?
James Cameron came on to Galaxy of Terror after spending his post-high school life working odd jobs. After seeing Star Wars, Cameron developed a fascination with filmmaking and decided to try his hand at it. His first short film, 1978’s Xenogenesis, is a 12-minute bite-sized example of what Cameron would go on to do in the sci-fi genre. It would go on to do what all short filmmakers hope for, and that is to fall into the hands of an established figure — Roger Corman. The short film was good enough to convince Corman to hire Cameron to oversee the special effects for 1980’s Battle Beyond the Stars. This experience went so well that Cameron would be carried over into another Corman production one year later, that being Galaxy of Terror.
If there was ever a shlocky low-budget movie that made the most of its utilities, it would be Galaxy of Terror. Like most other B-movies, any and all of this film’s lacking plot elements are forgiven because of how dang cool it looks. Galaxy is one of those movies that you don’t just watch and enjoy from your couch. It totally immerses the viewer, providing a world that feels deeply lived in and worn out. This movie rocks some seriously incredible sets, all at the hands of a pre-Terminator Cameron. It sports spaceship interiors, a giant ancient pyramid, bridges standing high over endless chasms, and much more, all that, if you weren’t aware of the film’s budget, you’d think had a boatload of cash behind it. It’s a testament that Cameron’s talents not only lie in conceiving movie ideas and directing them masterfully, but also in being a total pro in most on-set jobs.
Cameron was incredibly clever in creating the sets for Galaxy of Terror. Like most Corman projects, the production for Galaxy didn’t provide much money for Cameron getting his hands on high-end equipment to design his sets. Because of this, Cameron had to move fast and become inventive in his efforts. Sets were made out of burger boxes, metal scraps, electrical equipment, and more random items. You’d never guess that parts of the crew’s spaceship might be made out of McDonald’s trash, but that’s Cameron’s sly hand at play. What resulted was the nasty, grimy, haunting universe in which the film takes place.
James Cameron Found a Way to Take Charge
The Avatar filmmaker, allegedly, was unhappy with how the film was being shot. He thought his sets were shot poorly and lit in ways that didn’t make the most of their potential atmosphere. So, in true hands-on James Cameron fashion, he went to Corman about helping out behind the camera. This is where his second unit work on the film began, and while it’s unclear as to which shots Cameron filmed himself, one, in particular, has been made clear. In the middle of the film, Sid Haig’s character Quuhod cuts his arm off, and maggots soon form all over it. Like the eye removal scene in The Terminator, Cameron’s static camera that he places upon eerie bodily dismemberment is fully recognizable here. In order to get the maggots to move, Cameron connected an electrical cable to the fake arm and sent an electrical signal through it. It worked, and not only that, the shot is absolutely disgusting! But hey, that’s the kind of thing that makes Galaxy of Terror a sick horror movie.
Cameron’s experience on Galaxy of Terror was so positive that he would go on to be hired by Corman to direct Piranha II: The Spawning in 1982. He was technically fired two weeks into production, but his name remains credited as the film’s director. For years, he would refer to The Terminator as his directorial debut, but has since come back around to acknowledging Piranha’s place in his filmography. Regardless of its quality, that film came out of an invaluable partnership between Corman and Cameron, one that the now legendary filmmaker owes his entire career. Had it not been for early experiences on sets like Battle Beyond the Stars and, more importantly, Galaxy of Terror, we might not have any James Cameron movies today. Check out Galaxy of Terror, not just for its nightmare-inducing cosmic horror, but to see an early and inventive James Cameron at play.
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