American International Pictures, 1965

starring: Barry Sullivan, Angel Aranda, Norma Bengell, and Alberto Cevenini

directed by: Mario Bava

the plot: Somewhere in a nearby galaxy, two ships, the Argos and the Galliot, pick up a distress signal from the planet Aura. Mark Markary (Sullivan), captain of the Argos, decides to respond to the signal. But, instead of landing, the ships crash due to atmospheric disturbances. Things get worse when Markary wakes up and is attacked by Wes (Aranda), Sanya (Bengell) and the rest of his crew. Markary overpowers them and deduces that they’re under telepathic control. Soon enough, they explore the planet and find the wreckage of the Galliot and the body of Markary’s brother Toby (Cevenini). Strange things begin to happen: glowing lights flash around the planet’s surface, the bodies of dead Galliot crew members are found in odd places, and the ill-fated astronauts feel as if they’re under the influence of some strange power. The enemy remains invisible, however, and as Wes struggles to repair the damaged Argos, Markary and the others explore Aura. They find other wrecked ships and soon realize that what they thought was a distress signal was really a lure into a trap.

why it’s good: In space, no one can hear you scream, so it’s important to look good. “Planet of the Vampires” has all of the visual flair and atmosphere that director Mario Bava was known for and, as a result, it’s a damn fine looking film. Everything, from the costumes to the sets, snaps and pops. Bava’s astronauts are clad in slick leather jumpsuits with collars that go up to their ears and bright yellow space helmets, an ensemble that works just as well on alien planets as it does during jaunts on a Vespa. The ships, meanwhile, look like they were copied straight off the cover of a 1930s sci-fi pulp magazine, with lots of blinking lights, aerodynamic architecture, and giant video monitors. The space deco aesthetic will bring joy to the heart of any retro-futurist, but what really makes “Planet” work is the atmosphere. In the hands of any other director, the movie’s inherent campiness would’ve been played up, but what might have been goofy on the page becomes chilling with Bava’s touch. When the buried members of the Galliot’s crew climb from their hastily-prepared graves, the film slows down and Bava lingers on the image of the crew wrapped in plastic and rising wraith-like from the ground. It’s creepy stuff, all done with a minimal amount of makeup, some fog, and a few camera tricks. “Planet” excels at atmosphere and visual panache; however, the story is weak and the characters are so interchangeable that you’ll barely know when someone is a zombie or isn’t. It doesn’t matter, though: “Planet” is engaging enough for repeated shallow explorations.

why you should own it: “Planet” is available on DVD as part of MGM’s “Midnite Movies” label. Though it features no vampires, it’s full of pulpy sci-fi goodness and is the clear predecessor of “Alien,” “Event Horizon,” and dozens of other horror/sci-fi hybrids.