The Shape of Things to Come

1979
PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

3.2/10

1.4K

YOUR RATING

Home Video Trailer from Blue Underground, Inc

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Adventure Sci-Fi Thriller

Some time in the future, man has set up colonies on the Moon, when Earth becomes uninhabitable. A madman decides to destroy the Moon colonies with his robots and automated ships, and only th... Read allSome time in the future, man has set up colonies on the Moon, when Earth becomes uninhabitable. A madman decides to destroy the Moon colonies with his robots and automated ships, and only three people and their robot can stop him.Some time in the future, man has set up colonies on the Moon, when Earth becomes uninhabitable. A madman decides to destroy the Moon colonies with his robots and automated ships, and only three people and their robot can stop him.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

3.2/10

1.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 0:30

The Shape of Things to Come

Photos34

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Despite being credited as such, the film has nothing to do with the HG Wells novel other than the names of a couple of characters.

Goofs
Near the end of the film when the base is collapsing around Jack Palance what appears to be a girder of some sort hits him on the head and judging by his reaction it wasn't supposed to happen.

Quotes
Dr. John Caball: You spoke to us of a new technology, of peace, not war.
Omus: Don't you understand? Once you accept me as ruler, there will be no acts of aggression, only peace. Under my rule, the people will want for nothing.
Dr. John Caball: Except, freedom! Well, the Moon Colony will never accept a dictator. That's one thing we've learned at least from the history of the planet Earth.
Omus: You insult me, Doctor.
Omus: You are the one who inspired me, taught me to place science above all else.
Dr. John Caball: But not above humanity! If I didn't teach you that, then I failed you miserably. Omus, give up; give up this insane plan of yours.
Omus: But I am Omus! Emperor of Delta Three! I don't want to hear any more. I don't think I even know you; you're some sentimental old fool who doesn't understand anything. I, I am the world of the future, you're back in some dark past. People are no longer necessary. Even I someday may no longer be necessary. And you, poor Dr. Caball are certainly no longer necessary.
Dr. John Caball: Omus, you're a sick man. Let me help you.
Omus: No, Doctor. Let me help you. Let me give you your last lesson on the power of science.

Crazy credits
[Prologue] The time is the tomorrow after tomorrow. Earth has been polluted and devastated by the great robot wars and is all but deserted. Man has moved onto the moon, colonised its surface and erected vast cities in what was once wasteland. Ranging further out into deep space he has embarked on an even greater era of adventure and discovery. But the survival of mankind is dependent on a continuing supply of the miracle drug RADIC-Q-2.....And RADIC-Q-2 is produced only on the distant planet DELTA THREE.

Connections
Edited into RiffTrax: Rifftrax: The Shape of Things to Come (2020)

User reviews40

Review

Featured review

Hilariously awful space dreck

What's most striking about this hilariously awful film is that someone actually thought that it was worth putting up money to make it. Two years after Star Wars and Close Encounters, someone actually felt that terrible dialogue and direction foisted upon decent actors like Jack Palance and Barry Morse, special effects out of a high school film class, a cheesily overwrought synthesizer score, and clunky 50's toy-robot villains would make for a worthwhile movie.

I recently saw it with the benefit of fast forward (as another commenter said, the only way to watch this film) and have to wonder if it's really a parody. Everything about it is so stereotypically and perfectly awful, one wonders if the director was pulling a stunt like Princeton physicist Alan Sokal's hoax "postmodern physics" article in a doofy po-mo "science" journal.

But Carol Lynley looks great, as does the Canadian National Exhibition complex in Toronto lit from behind.