Saturn 3 (1980)
In the future, Earth is overcrowded and the population relies on distant bases to be fed. In the Saturn 3 station, Major Adam and the scientist Alex, who is also his lover and has never been on Earth, have been researching hydroponics for three years in the base alone with their dog Sally. Captain Benson arrives Saturn 3 with Hector, incapable to controlling his emotions he transfers his homicidal tendency and insanity to Hector. Now Major Adam and Alex are trapped in the station with a dangerous psychopath robot.
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Don't listen to the negative reviews
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
What were they thinking? This isn't even one of those "it is so bad it is good" kind of films. And it is honestly (and thankfully) forgettable.
The picture "Saturn 3" is important picture; it was one of ten movies nominated for price "Razzie Awards" for the year 1981. The performance of the main actress, Farrah Fawcett, was the subject of interest at proposal for price "The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards" for the year 1980 and for price "Razzie Awards" for the year 1981.They are said that are three degrees of weakness: debility, characterized weakness of mind, imbecility, characterized feeble-mindedness, plus finally idiotism, signifying obtuseness and idiotism. This picture is according to mine lay opinion - I'm not a doctor - third grade of the degree scale. Suitable for the audience that watch in a similar excesses.
The aging Major Adam (an able and robust performance by Kirk Douglas) and his much younger distaff partner Alex (sweetly played with charming naiveté by Farrah Fawcett) are stationed on a lone station located on one of Saturn's moons where they are working on ways to grow food for the starving masses back on Earth. Their idyllic existence gets ripped asunder by the intrusive presence of the depraved and unhinged Captain Benson (Harvey Keitel in fine menacing form) and his equally dangerous robot helper Hector.Director Stanley Donen offers a chilling vision of a cold, grim, and hedonistic future, relates the dark and compelling story at a steady pace, and generates some real nerve-wracking tension in the harrowing last third. The intelligent script by Martin Amis addresses such pertinent issues as overpopulation, depletion of precious resources, invasion of privacy, and the dehumanizing impact of advanced technology on mankind's soul in a thoughtful and provocative manner. Moreover, this film makes a valid point that technology is only as good or bad as the purpose it's put to use for. The lavish set design and snazzy special effects are pretty impressive (the towering Hector in particular comes across as genuinely imposing and frightening). The fact that Keitel's trademark New York accent was dubbed by Roy Dotrice with a more "continental" voice adds to the character of Benson's overall creepiness. Elmer Bernstein's spare pulsating score hits the moody spot. The glossy cinematography by Billy Williams provides a pleasing polished look. A neat and unjustly maligned movie.
From its first shot of the underside of a space cruiser flying into the frame towards a planet, you feel the influences of "Alien," "Star Wars," and every other genre film of its type put out in the 1970s. The only difference is in the lower budget the studio had to spend on models, props, and other special effects.Scientist Adam (Kirk Douglas) and his colleague/lover Alex are stationed on an experimental hydroponics research station on one of the moons of Saturn. Their peaceful existence is interrupted by the arrival of Captain Benson (Harvey Keitel). He's been sent to assemble a robot named Hector who will likely replace Adam in the hopes of making the station run more efficiently. It slowly becomes obvious the robot has a mind of its own. It will stop at nothing to take over the station and liberate itself from the control of any humans."Saturn 3" is rated R for violence, language, adult situations, drug use, and brief nudity. The brief nudity is basically a flash of Farah Fawcett's breasts and the butt of Kirk Douglas. Both are unnecessary and add nothing to the story. Harvey Keitel and Hector both lust over the scantily-clad Fawcett. Keitel tells her that on Earth, everyone is promiscuous in the future. They've come to all just enjoy each other sexually with no inhibitions.To common everyday movie audiences, "Saturn 3" will come across as just another misstep for any of the actors and filmmakers involved. Cult classic enthusiasts will understand it for what it is. It's an overlooked and slightly damaged gemstone worthy of its place next to "Meteor," "Outland," "Lifeforce" and other forgotten treasures of the era.