brokehorrorfan:

Planet of the Vampires is most notable for being an apparent influence on Alien. The 1965 science fiction horror film not only shares a set-up but also some key imagery with the 1979 classic. Although Alien director Ridley Scott claims to have not seen Planet of the Vampires, writer Dan O'Bannon has admitted its inspiration. But even if the similarities were mere coincidence, any movie with Mario Bava (Black Sunday, A Bay of Blood) in the director’s chair is worth discussing.

Known internationally as Terror in Space, Planet of the Vampires finds Bava applying his Gothic horror sensibilities to a space opera, written by Ib Melchior (Death Race 2000) and Louis M. Heyward (Witchfinder General) and based an Italian short story by Renato Pestriniero. The result feels like a unique blend of Hammer’s signature Gothic horror with ‘50s sci-fi in the vein of Forbidden Planet and This Island Earth.

Keep reading