Contrary? Or considered? Matty pinpoints the good in a much-maligned sci-fi horror caper from the Empire stable.

Tied with the entire oeuvre of Tim Kincaid as one of the most reviled titles in the Empire library, sci-shocker TRANSFORMATIONS was the second in a two picture deal between Charles Band and the Dove Corporation. Initially scheduled for distribution at the back end of 1988 by New World Pictures (who’d issued its Empire/Dove stablemate, Cellar Dweller (1987)), the film was among the many late-era flicks caught up in Empire’s collapse. Debuting on cassette in Japan in early ’89, Transformations surfaced on U.K. video via CBS/Fox in March 1990 — the same month Band’s final(ish) Empire romp, Robot Jox (1989), and his first Full Moon production, Puppet Master (1989), hit British shelves — and landed on U.S. tape in 1991 through bargain bin outfit Starmaker; a label that specialised in budget releases of New World’s catalogue, as it happens. Hardly prestigious but an infinitely better result than the workaround once suggested by the film’s director, Jay Kamen. An editor by trade, he wanted to comedically re-dub the project a la What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) and flog it to Empire’s rival-cum-monopoliser, Trans World Entertainment. Seriously. [1]   

A $300,000 cheapie designed to be shot in nine days, the bulk of Transformations’ props, FX and locations are recycled from other Band pics of the period. Scripter Mitch Brian was even given the blueprints to Robot Jox’s sets in order to tailor the story accordingly. That said, the repurposed bits and pieces look good and are well served by Sergio Salvati’s colourful photography. Indeed, despite its reputation as a stinker, Transformations is – whisper it – actually pretty cool and features some arresting narrative licks. Accentuated by Giovanni Natalucci’s chunky art direction, Kamen crafts an interesting and believable sci-fi world – part pop art, part tech industrial, part neo-fascist fetishism. Brian, meanwhile, somehow manages to homage Alien (1978), Aliens (1986) and The Fly (1986), and preempt the plots and themes of Alien 3 (1991), Species (1995) and Starship Troopers (1997).

However, it’s the film’s topical elements that grip. Hellbent on downplaying the flesh-warping plague and mounting death toll caused by randy spaceman Rex Smith as he shags his way around a mixed gender prison planet, the space slammer’s warden – essayed by spaghetti western regular Benito  Stefanelli – is the embodiment of the bureaucrats and politicians guilty of minimising the AIDS pandemic in real life, imbuing Transformations with the same timely, socially conscious edge as fellow ‘80s body benders Rejuvenator (1988) and Street Trash (1987). Alas, the satirical bite is lessened due to junky dialogue; the over simplistic moralising about sexual wants and needs; and the inclusion of a superfluous escape subplot that, alongside a couple of better, Ken Russell-lite pokes at faith and religious hypocrisy, at least facilitate the hammy posturing of cult favs Christopher Neame and Patrick Macnee. The sheer blandness of Smith – cast just prior to his turn as Daredevil in TV movie/backdoor pilot, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989), fact fans – also veers close to patience testing [2].

USA/Italy ● 1988 ● Sci-Fi, Horror ● 80mins

Rex Smith, Lisa Langlois, Patrick Macnee, Christopher Neame ● Dir. Jay Kamen ● Wri. Mitch Brian

[1] Weirdly, Trans World boss Moshe Diamant reportedly loved the idea. The mogul only passed on it when he discovered Band had already sold Transformations’ rights to other international territories.
[2] Incidentally, Kamen and Smith clashed during the first few days of shooting because of the star’s refusal to take direction. According to legend, Smith started cooperating after Kamen threatened to tell the former teen idol’s pregnant wife about an affair he was having. A tempestuous production, Kamen and the film’s Italian crew didn’t see eye to eye either. The technicians declared war on the rookie director for reasons still not quite known.