company: ITC and
Transcontinental Films
year: 1980
runtime: 88′
country: United Kingdom
director: Stanly Donen
cast: Farrah Fawcett,
Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel
writers: John Barry
and Martin Amis
music: Elmer Bernstein
cinematographer: Billy Williams
out of print in the USA
order this film on DVD
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Plot: An isolated food research station operated by two lovers (Fawcett and Douglas) on Saturn’s third moon is visited by a disturbed and murderous flunky (Keitel) and his 8 foot tall cyborg companion, Hector.
Yet another film I remember staring at me from the video store shelves when I was younger, even though I didn’t see it until years later. Panned critically when released and issued in subpar home video incarnations the world over, Saturn 3 was finally given proper DVD treatment (albeit in France) in 2005. While inarguably imperfect, this off-kilter and artfully produced bit of space-bound sci-fi horror is worth a second look for those keen on the genre.
Conceived as an epic genre piece to capitalize on the space-horror popularized by Ridley Scott’s Alien the year before, resources for Saturn 3‘s were drastically cut when ITC’s Raise the Titanic went over schedule and over budget. John Barry (production designer on A Clockwork Orange, Star Wars, and Superman and art director for Saul Bass’ Phase IV), who had begun the project as both writer and director, was eventually removed from the production and replaced by producer and director Stanly Donen (Singin’ in the Rain, The Little Prince). Originally intended to be far more exploitative, Donen’s final cut of the picture toned down the more horrific and salacious elements of the narrative and left ITC with a film that was, in spite of a name cast (albeit with Keitel overdubbed by Roy Dotrice), almost impossible to market.
The film concerns the murderous and under-achieving technocrat Benson (Keitel), who kills a captain and takes over his mission after failing his psychological examination. From there he flies to one of Saturn’s moons, to a hydroponics research facility run by two lovers trying to squeak out a monogamous existence on the periphery of the freewheeling and pill-popping culture of the future. Benson’s mission is to increase the pace of research at the facility (as he says, “Earth is hungry”) by programming the latest in cyborg technology to take over operations there.
Named Hector, the cyborg would be benign in the hands of a skilled and psychologically sound operator – unfortunately its programming here (literally a brain-to-brain ordeal) is overseen by a mentally unstable egomaniacal jerk who wants little more than to take Farrah Fawcett for himself. Problems arise quickly after Hector is activated, with Benson’s multitude of psychoses now programmed into a super-human 8 foot monster. Hector wastes no time in wasting Benson, then does what the man couldn’t do – takes over the research station and its two surviving occupants . . .
There’s certainly a lot wrong with Saturn 3, and one can’t shake the feeling that it was the kind of film that no amount of time in the cutting room could right. The narrative is floaty and unfocused, drifting laxidaisically from point to point with little in the way of forward momentum. The original running time, prior to extensive pre-release editing, was reporteldy 103 minutes, though I can’t imagine that 20 minutes tacked on to Saturn 3‘s runtime would help much – it already feels labored at under an hour and a half.
Perhaps the biggest problem rests with Donen, who appears unwilling to delve deeply enough into the twisted sexuality and horror the script hints at. The result is a claustrophobic scare film all but void of tension and suspense. Complicating matters is the construction of Hector, who is handsome in design but awkward and ungainly in execution. Fear isn’t exactly the emotion evoked when one sees him chasing Douglas and Fawcett on his beefy legs, with wiry arms sticking out of his Michaelangeloic torso like hydraulic twigs.
In the end there are only two real saving graces for the picture – its arresting production design (by Stuart Craig, The Elephant Man) and the phenomenal score by Elmer Bernstein (Robot Monster, Ghostbusters). Lacking as the action within the sets may be, one can’t fault their design. The techno-organic construction of the tunnels that weave through the research station are neat enough, and the opening visage of sillouetted space men preparing a ship for take off is as stunning as it is absurd. Bernstein’s scored roughly an hour’s worth of music for the picture, though much of it went unused. What is here is exceptional, and the composer transitions effortlessly from the twitterings of electric guitars and synths to sweeping orchestral movements. At least one of the unused themes would make its way to another of his scores, reworked for the final episode of 1981′s Heavy Metal.
Previously available on pan-and-scanned videos and DVDs mastered from transfers nearly as old as the film itself, French outfit Elephant Films (elephantfilms.com) is to be commended for their efforts here. Now available in its original theatrical aspect ratio, Saturn 3 finally looks like the competently-produced (if incompetently conceived) film it is. The new transfer is anamorphic and progressive, with decent detail and great color, and contrast. Damage crops up from time to time, but is limited to dust and speckling and isn’t prevalent enough to detract from the visuals. Audio is available in both English (Dolby Digital 2.0) and French (Dolby Digital 5.1), with removable French subtitles available. Supplements are limited to a trailer for the film (and a vast collection of other Elephant Films offerings), cast and crew filmographies, and a brief gallery of photos.
Mark Saturn 3 down as a failure, but an interesting one. The Elephant Films DVD does proper justice to the great visuals and Bernstein’s winner of a score sounds fantastic as presented here. I’m tepid about recommending the film to anyone but devout sci-fi enthusiasts (lest it be a complete waste of their time), but fans would be Bensons not to pick up the French DVD.
