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| August 1980 |
The Final Countdown
No, not the bombastic song by the band with a continent for a name, but the not-very-good 1980 film starring Kirk Douglas. As a financially struggling 15 year old I needed to ration my film viewing for more exciting things in the pipeline so I avoided this one. Loved the poster though.
On the back of the clipping: Church of Scientology grand opening, Aker Bilk and Basil's Seafood Restaurant. Ah, Melbourne...
Prophecy
Anyone remember this one? It came hot on the heels of Alien and was directed by John Frankenheimer. I never saw it and still haven't but I cut out the clipping anyway as I really liked the image (an obvious 'Alien egg' rip off)
On the back of the clipping: before cutting my Dad's newspaper to pieces, I would always read the 'Rap Around' music news column.
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| September 15 1979 |
Battle Beyond The Stars
Another highly enjoyable Star Wars rip off, Battle Beyond The Stars was basically The Magnificent Seven in space.
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| Battle Beyond the Stars Dec 25 1980 |
On the back of the clipping:
The Empire Strikes back
Words can't describe the excitement and anticipation I felt leading up to the release of this. I cut out every article and mention of it in magazines and newspapers. I recorded (on cassettes) every interview and promo piece on TV shows (The Don Lane show in particular) and radio. The movie did not disappoint and in my opinion remains the best of the entire series.
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| August 9 1980 |
On the back of the clipping: more fabulously unsubtle Melbourne restaurants.
The Muppet Movie
Through years of watching Sesame St and later the Muppet Show TV series, the Muppets were well ingrained in my DNA by the time this movie came along. Seeing it was probably an uncool thing to do as an early teenager, but I felt I was never too old to enjoy the Muppets.
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| From The Herald December 1979 |
On the back of the clipping: you don't see many too many in-depth record reviews for classical music these days.
The Humanoid
Another highly entertaining Italian Star Wars rip off. The byline says "the most imaginative film of its kind since Star Wars" Exactly. Check out the Darth Vader look-a-like on the bottom right of the poster.
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| The Humanoid Aug 23 1979 |
On the back of the clipping:
Star Trek The Motion Picture
After Star Wars this film was the biggest movie event of the 1970s for me. What a mind blowing trip it was with stunning special effects and a majestic soundtrack. Pity about the plodding story, but back then it didn't bother me.
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| Star Trek The Motion Picture December 20 1979 |
On the back of the clipping: an eclectic collection of films on offer in December 1979
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century
This poster promised more than the film (basically some TV episodes edited together) could deliver but I still enjoyed it. It was from the production team behind Battlestar Galactica and the sound effects, music and special effects were embarrassingly similar.
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| The Herald Aug 8 1979 |
On the back of the clipping:
The Black Hole
The Black Hole, shown in glorious 70mm, was one of the most spectacular films I'd ever seen and the special effects were refreshingly dark and moody. Pity about everything else in the film.
This clipping is from The Sun, May 28 1980
On the back of the clipping: they don't make jobs like these any more...
Alien
I was enthralled and terrified by Alien in 1979. I knew when the 'chest burster' scene was going to happen but it still gave me an electrifying jolt. I cut this clipping out of The Sun newspaper 20 December 1979.
The other side of it reveals a mixed bag of movies showing at the time. I avoided Meteor but saw Kiss Attack of the Phantoms at least three times.
Warlords of Atlantis
I never saw this film but that didn't stop me cutting out the ad. I love that 'Are You Being Served?' is the second movie. Guess they thought let's shove on any old mismatched film, no one's going to turn up anyway. And they didn't ...in droves.
Warlords of Atlantis (AKA Warlords of the Deep) clipping from the Melbourne Herald, Aug 10, 1979
The back of the clipping is far more interesting. You can buy a Bay gelding for $500, very handsome and great for kids.
2001: A Space Odyssey
The ad trumpets "Before Star Wars there was and there will always be 2001: A Space Odyssey." It didn't really need to say that - there was always an audience for 2001. But for a brief period in the post-Star Wars world everything in science fiction had to have a link to that most successful film.
26 August 1978, The Melbourne Herald newspaper.
On the back of the clipping: who remembers the Swagman restaurant with "the floorshow we are famous for"
Starcrash
The greatest Star Wars rip-off of all was the completely ridiculous and insanely enjoyable Starcrash. I really wanted to see this at the time but yet again my mother and her overactive rip-off radar prevented me.
Starcrash. Clipping from August 23 1979
On the back of the clipping. Anyone remember Waltons stores?
Monster (AKA Humanoids From The Deep)
Late 1970's shocker from producer Roger Corman about fishy monsters from the deep. With a character called Miss Salmon. Even as an impressionable fifteen year old I knew this one was a turkey. Still, the poster got my attention (the monster).
On the back: now this is much more interesting. The Casiotone M-10 back then was considered more or less a kids toy. Now it one of those semi-revered keyboards searched out for by vintage music gear fans and synth geeks. I had one for a while and recorded a few songs with it in the early 1980s.
Starship Invasions
Starship Invasions was another film considered to be a Star Wars rip-off, although it was probably more of a Close Encounters rip-off and actually had more in common with an Ed Wood film. I never saw it at the time - my mother wouldn't let me. She said it was a Star Wars rip off and I'd be wasting my money. Smart mum.
April 26 1979
On the back is a bunch of 1970s restaurants with bad names. I can die happy knowing there was a restaurant in this world called "Amorous Prawn"
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