The Planet (UK-2006; dir. Mark Stirton)
The Planet is an independent sci-fi/horror film that involves space battles, a strange planet inhabited by something dangerous and a small band of soldiers struggling to survive on it. Despite the stated 2006 release date, it has undergone further development since first being aired and will finally be available on DVD on 10 June 2008.
A mercenary spaceship ferrying a convict is attacked by a horde of unidentified fighter craft. Forced to abandon their crippled ship the survivors land on “The Planet”. Soon they discover that they are not alone, as they battle to survive they begin to fall prey to a malevolent force. A force which turns the souls of their fallen comrades against them. Forming a rescue plan the survivors race to carry it out while they still can.
Unknown to the team, the prisoner is also on the planet and his presence there could change the universe as they know it, forever…..
I hope to be able to review the film sometime in the near future, but in the meantime, here’s a view of its giant monster (you knew it had to have one, didn’t you?), obtained exclusively from the director, Mark Stirton, by Kaiju Search-Robot Avery. It is a creature formed from the restless souls of the dead (click on the image to see it full size):
- See the trailer here.
- IMDB entry
- Official website.
Hello! Many thanks for the interest in my film. I shall send a copy ASAP. Cheers. MS
THANK YOU Mr. Stirton for making such a cool looking film for us!! We can’t wait to see this one!!
“A mercenary spaceship ferrying a convict is attacked by a horde of unidentified fighter craft. Forced to abandon their crippled ship the survivors land on “The Planet”. Soon they discover that they are not alone…”
The intro sounds a little like the plot to ‘Pitch Black’. Sure Vin Diesel isn’t making a cameo?
It think it gets more complicated than that, but, yes, the base similarity did cross my mind. I think Vin Diesel is playing the invisible giant monster (and no, it’s not a Krel Id Monster).
Hi, I’ve just put a link in my production blog to your site. Thank’s again for featuring The Planet, I’m a big monster fan myself so I’ve had a good wander round your blog.
Any comparison to Pitch Black would be to do The Planet a dis-service (and I truly liked P.B.) What Mark and his team did is amazing (and not just because it was shot on a shoestring budget but looks like a big screen gig) because the story line was so original. After the crash that occurs in the first part of the movie, the rest is fantastically unpredictable. Glad to see The Planet on you site here! I’ll have to check out more of it.
Thanks, Mike, I appreciate the effort you went to to satisfy our giant monster addition… 🙂 Your design work looks truly excellent and the planet pics and spaceships you highlight on your production blog look terrific. Both confirm that this is definitely one independent film worth seeking out. I recommend that anyone reading this should take a look:
http://ive-seen.blogspot.com/
I’m really looking forward to seeing it.
Allen, think the comments regarding “Pitch Black” were mere asides, purely superficial. It’s pretty clear that the two films bear little similarity beyond the fact of a group stuck on a planet, one of them being a crim. This was only a starting point for “Pitch Black” as I’m sure the same can be said for “The Planet”. Thanks for your kind words on the Backbrain.
Agreed re: the similarities at the start. Both are fun movies. I spent a bit of time on your collection of images and fun stuff. Very enjoyable site. I’ll check in regularly.