Inseminoid DVD Review | Digital Retribution

Inseminoid (1981)

By: J.R. McNamara on January 5, 2006

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Umbrella Entertainment (Australia). All Regions, PAL. 2.35:1 (16:9 enhanced). English DD 2.0. 90 minutes

The Movie

Cover Art

Credits

Director: Norman J. Warren
Starring: Robin Clarke, Jennifer Ashley, Stephanie Beacham, Steven Grives
Screenplay: Gloria Maley, Nick Maley
Country: UK
AKA: Horror Planet

After years of Hammer Horror's reworking of Universal's horror classics, British filmmaker Norman J. Warren made a small series of films that offered alternatives to the gothic horror set that they had so firmly established, amongst these films was the sci-fi horror piece Inseminoid. At times like an eighties slasher, and other times like an Alien rip-off, Inseminoid works on so many levels, probably due to the smart way in which it is filmed, and the likable cast.

In the future, a group of archeologists, while working on a cold alien planet, start excavating what seems to be a tomb. After an accident within the tomb, one of the crew goes mad and becomes murderous until eventually he is stopped. Soon after, a female crew member becomes impregnated by an alien being, which changes her, causing her to go on a bloody rampage through her remaining crew mates.

Inseminoid was actually nominated for two awards in 1982, winning best special effects at the Italian Fantafestival. Even though this film is over twenty years old, it is still fairly entertaining today. It is well paced, has some pretty good acting, a decent script and some great gore and special effects…well, as long as you don't count the hand puppet aliens anyway. All in all, watching this movie is an OK way to waste 90 odd minutes.

Video

Given the age of this film, you should expect that it does not have the greatest picture ever offered. Presented in 16:9 widescreen, the image of the film is average, suffering, at times, from some low level noise, and a small amount of posterization. The colors do remain bright, though, and the imperfections, if anything, add to the film's panache. But remember ladies and gentlemen, this ain't Speilberg!!

Audio

Just a Dolby digital 2.0 soundtrack, but everything is clear and audible.

Extra Features

The director's commentary is by director Norman Warren and assistant director Garry White and is incredibly informative as between these two fellows; they seem to have a total recall of the filming of Inseminoid.

Subterranean Universe (44 minutes 45 seconds) is a fairly thorough retrospective documentary about the production of the film. Some great interviews with cast and crew giving individual recollections, although some stories from Warren and White are duplicated from the commentary.

Inseminoid Girl (11 minutes 47 seconds) is an interview with Judy Geeson, basically covering her career and her recollections of the filming of Inseminoid. Particularly amusing in these musings if the fact that she did not know there was any nudity in the film, even though the nude scene in it was performed by her. She remains adamant it was not her though.

This disc also has the original theatrical trailer for Inseminoid as well as trailers for Fiend Without a Face, Eaten Alive, Horror Hospital and The Asphyx, the last two being other members of Umbrella Entertainment's 'Bloody Best of British' line.

The Verdict

Even though the sets look like an episode of Doctor Who at times, Inseminoid is a pretty good film. Crossing from horror, to sci-fi, and sub-genre crossing from alien abduction, to cannibalism, Inseminoid has something for fans of horror and sci-fi to enjoy. Not essential to every collection, but certainly worth a look.