MovieMonday.com - Outland with Sean Connery, Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen

Space Aventure Films

Outland (A)

STARS...
Sean Connery, Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, Steven Berkoff, and James B. Sikking.

PLOT SUMMARY...
The new marshal at a space mining operation discovers the workers are taking deadly drugs to improve their productivity.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "High Noon". Sean Connery delivers a commanding performance as the space marshal. Production Designer, Philip Harrison (Blade Runner), and Art Director, Malcom Middleton, deliver a fascinating mining camp environment.

DIRECTOR: Peter Hyams
YEAR & RATING: 1981 (R)

BEST BETS:

Zardoz

Highlander 2
SYNOPSIS...
In the future on Io, a moon of Jupiter, suicides start taking place among the workers at a mining camp. The new marshal investigates. He encounters resistance from the workers AND the camp manager.

The marshal discovers a deadly drug operation at the camp, linked to the suicides. He arrests the drug dealer, who is later found dead. The marshal discovers links between the drug dealer and the camp manager.

The camp manager has several professional killers brought in to eliminate the marshal. The marshal battles and kills them, punches out the camp manager, and then quits.

Review:

Writer/Director Peter Hyam's OUTLAND is a believable, no nonsense look at life at a space mining camp.

OUTLAND takes place on Io, Jupiter's third moon. Sean Connery, ("Time Bandits"), is the new marshal, who's only been on the assignment for two weeks. When two mine workers commit suicide, and a third goes violently crazy, Connery investigates, discovering corruption at the highest levels of the mining administration.

Sean Connery, with a closely trimmed beard and short hair toupee, looks totally at home as a career marshal whose big mouth has landed him this crappy job on Jupiter's moon. He brings great believability to lines like, "There's a whole machine that works because everybody does what they're supposed to. I found out I was supposed to be something I didn't like."

Peter Boyle, ("Young Frankenstein"), is a perfect antagonist for Connery. Plump, where Connery is lean, and corrupt, where Connery is rigid and by the book, Boyle, who spends most of his time golfing against projected backgrounds, seems the perfect embodiment of the corrupt establishment, determined to maintain the status quo at all costs.

Frances Sternhagen, ("Doc Hollywood"), offers fine support as Dr. Lazarus, the mining camp medico. She's a crusty type, kind of like Dr. McCoy of Star Trek, but with breasts. Her brusque exchanges with Connery bring to mind Hepburn and Bogart in "The African Queen". When Connery asks her why she hasn't brought a certain important report to his office, she snaps, "I don't make house calls." Connery shoots back, "You do now!" Naturally, these two end up respecting and liking each other.

Production Designer, Philip Harrison, ("Blade Runner"), and Art Director, Malcom Middleton ,have created a fascinating mining camp environment. Multi-story, with low ceilings and "2001"-like octagonal hallways, the mining camp living/working quarters are both claustrophobic and highly realistic. Director of Photography, Stephen Goldblatt, makes great use of this well thought out environment, delivering consistently interesting visuals.

The film offers impressive shots of the huge mining base on Io, with Jupiter looming huge in the sky. The Special Effects are by John Stears, with Special Optical Effects, Supervised by Roy Field. Martin Bower and Bill Pearson were Supervising Model Makers.

My favorite scene takes place after Connery's wife and child have left him. Lonely, and in need of human contact, Connery replays his wife's videotaped goodbye message.

The Music, by Jerry Goldsmith, is dramatic, bold, and ominous. It provides just the right accent to the film's stark visuals.

OUTLAND should be highly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Fans of Sean Connery will be jazzed. OUTLAND is OUTstanding!

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Outland (A)
	STARS... Sean Connery, Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, Steven Berkoff, and James B. Sikking. PLOT SUMMARY... The new marshal at a space mining operation discovers the workers are taking deadly drugs to improve their productivity. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "High Noon". Sean Connery delivers a commanding performance as the space marshal. Production Designer, Philip Harrison (Blade Runner), and Art Director, Malcom Middleton, deliver a fascinating mining camp environment.
DIRECTOR: Peter Hyams YEAR & RATING: 1981 (R) BEST BETS: Zardoz Highlander 2	SYNOPSIS... In the future on Io, a moon of Jupiter, suicides start taking place among the workers at a mining camp. The new marshal investigates. He encounters resistance from the workers AND the camp manager. The marshal discovers a deadly drug operation at the camp, linked to the suicides. He arrests the drug dealer, who is later found dead. The marshal discovers links between the drug dealer and the camp manager. The camp manager has several professional killers brought in to eliminate the marshal. The marshal battles and kills them, punches out the camp manager, and then quits.
Review: Writer/Director Peter Hyam's OUTLAND is a believable, no nonsense look at life at a space mining camp. OUTLAND takes place on Io, Jupiter's third moon. Sean Connery, ("Time Bandits"), is the new marshal, who's only been on the assignment for two weeks. When two mine workers commit suicide, and a third goes violently crazy, Connery investigates, discovering corruption at the highest levels of the mining administration. Sean Connery, with a closely trimmed beard and short hair toupee, looks totally at home as a career marshal whose big mouth has landed him this crappy job on Jupiter's moon. He brings great believability to lines like, "There's a whole machine that works because everybody does what they're supposed to. I found out I was supposed to be something I didn't like." Peter Boyle, ("Young Frankenstein"), is a perfect antagonist for Connery. Plump, where Connery is lean, and corrupt, where Connery is rigid and by the book, Boyle, who spends most of his time golfing against projected backgrounds, seems the perfect embodiment of the corrupt establishment, determined to maintain the status quo at all costs. Frances Sternhagen, ("Doc Hollywood"), offers fine support as Dr. Lazarus, the mining camp medico. She's a crusty type, kind of like Dr. McCoy of Star Trek, but with breasts. Her brusque exchanges with Connery bring to mind Hepburn and Bogart in "The African Queen". When Connery asks her why she hasn't brought a certain important report to his office, she snaps, "I don't make house calls." Connery shoots back, "You do now!" Naturally, these two end up respecting and liking each other. Production Designer, Philip Harrison, ("Blade Runner"), and Art Director, Malcom Middleton ,have created a fascinating mining camp environment. Multi-story, with low ceilings and "2001"-like octagonal hallways, the mining camp living/working quarters are both claustrophobic and highly realistic. Director of Photography, Stephen Goldblatt, makes great use of this well thought out environment, delivering consistently interesting visuals. The film offers impressive shots of the huge mining base on Io, with Jupiter looming huge in the sky. The Special Effects are by John Stears, with Special Optical Effects, Supervised by Roy Field. Martin Bower and Bill Pearson were Supervising Model Makers. My favorite scene takes place after Connery's wife and child have left him. Lonely, and in need of human contact, Connery replays his wife's videotaped goodbye message. The Music, by Jerry Goldsmith, is dramatic, bold, and ominous. It provides just the right accent to the film's stark visuals. OUTLAND should be highly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Fans of Sean Connery will be jazzed. OUTLAND is OUTstanding! MovieMonday.com * Super Star Index * Award Winners * CelebrityFrame.com