Inspiration is something that is naturally key to filmmaking. Some directors are inspired by stories culled from books and newspapers. Others are inspired from their own lives and relationships. Then there is that special kind of inspiration – the kind that comes from a mega-successful movie. Some might use the word “rip-off,” but I prefer to think of it as monetary inspiration. The Italians in particular are great at serving up monetarily induced releases. Case in point, the insane STAR WARS (1977) inspired film, THE HUMANOID.

Right off the bat, the film opens with a space scene to rival NOVA and scrolling text that properly sets up the storyline. Planet Earth is now known as Metropolis and is run by the peace loving Great Brother (Massimo Serato). All is well until his evil brother, Lord Graal (cult film legend Ivan Rassimov), escapes from exile. Since his exile was courtesy of his brother, Graal’s out for bloody vengeance. This is this the main plot, which is your simple familial revenge tale. However, the real fun begins with the subplots. Graal soon joins forces with the beautiful but evil Lady Agatha (Barbara Bach) and her right hand man, Dr.Kraspin (Arthur Kennedy). Did I mention that Agatha is a futuristic version of notorious serial killer Elizabeth Bathory? Kraspin used to work under Great Brother, alongside Barbara Gibson (Corinne Clery) until she discovered some of his highly dangerous research and reported him. So, he has an evil megalomaniacal axe to grind as well. But that’s not all. In addition to vague scientific research, Barbara also tutors kids in her spare time. Her most prized pupil is Tom Tom (Marco Yeh), a disturbingly wise and mystically gifted child with strange eyebrows. Why a wunderkind would need a tutor is anyone’s guess. Anyway, cue in a stranded space pilot named Golob (Richard Kiel, who gets top billing, which is just one of many cool things about this film) and his Robodog. Kraspin sees the ship and notices that Golob is the perfect, strapping figure for his experiment. With a little bit of magnetic power and a special bomb that turns people into Humanoids, he wheels Golob in and tries to utilize him as a weapon of mass power. Well, maybe more of a weapon that is really good at deflecting lasers and pushing men off of really high buildings, ledges and bridges.

This film is so gonzo that there are times where you don’t know if this it is really cheesy, hokey, beautiful or flat out surreal. For starters, there is the cast, which is a virtual B-movie fan’s dream. The biggest standout is Richard Kiel. Not because of his size, but due to the fact that for part of the movie, he actually plays a good guy. For a man that has become well known by playing monsters and misunderstood giants, it is nice to see him given a role that allows him to show a sweeter, less menacing side (well, until the Humanoid bomb shows up). I only wish that we could have seen more of Kiel as the pre-Humanoid Golob, complete with his reddish beard. Corinne Clery, who is best known for her work in HISTOIRE D’O (aka THE STORY OF O), makes an appealing heroine and an interesting sidekick to the mysterious and powerful Tom Tom (think THE GOLDEN CHILD but without Charles Dance and that nasty bowl of bloody oatmeal). Rassimov is woefully underused as Graal, given little to do other than stomp around menacingly in a big, Darth Vader-lite helmet.

Visually, this is one of the strangest films I have ever covered, simply because it runs the gamut from strikingly impressive to strikingly awful, albeit in a really funny way. The outer space scenes, minus the spaceships, are beautifully done and really show the eerie serenity of outer space. Some of the set and costume designs, at least for Graal’s army, are also seriously good. This makes the movie all the stranger, since everything else is reminiscent of what DOCTOR WHO would have looked like if Luigi Cozzi had directed it. The special effects range from passable to outright goofy. The highlight being Graal’s blue, glowing hands of death. Trust me, you have not lived until you have seen these blue, glowing hands of death. George Lucas only wishes he could have come up with something half as cool as that. There is also a really cool face melting into a skull scene that looks like something taken straight out of an Italian pulp fumetti (that’s “comic” for you non-geeks out there). The music is fantastic, which is par for the course, given that the composer is the legendary Ennio Morricone. The following statement is probably heresy, but I think Morricone gives John Williams a run for his money. Instead of an overblown space opera score, we get an overblown space opera score that sounds like something Wendy Carlos would have come up with. It’s good and fitting for this wacky production.

Digital Conquest has done a great job of releasing this insane film. The print looks very good, which is important for a movie as colorful and visual heavy as this one. Now, hardcore sci-fi purists might run from this movie shrieking, but it is a fun, insanely goofy film that absolutely fulfills it main duty to entertain.