It swaggered into 1979 promising to outgun Star Wars, then drifted into the black. With Ennio Morricone on the score and a towering Bond henchman on screen, how did it vanish almost without a trace?
In 1979, an Italian space opera hit screens with Ennio Morricone’s score and director Aldo Lado tucked behind the cheeky pseudonym George B. Lewis. It tracks Graal’s bid to unseat his brother on the planet Metropolis, aided by Dr. Kraspin’s serum that turns the mild Golob into an indestructible brute. Despite a cast led by Richard Kiel alongside Corinne Cléry and Barbara Bach, its costumes and opening crawl echoed Star Wars a little too closely. Four and a half decades later, a 1.9 out of 5 on Allociné marks the legacy it couldn’t claim.
A bold challenge: from Metropolis to obscurity
When The Humanoid (L’Humanoïde) reached theaters in 1979, its ambition was clear: topple the juggernaut Star Wars. Arriving just two years after A New Hope, this Italian science fiction film tried to ride the global wave. The result was obscurity, with a score of 1.9/5 on Allociné, a telling snapshot of critical and public response.
Borrowed stars and clunky storylines
The plot revolves around the tyrant Graal, who seeks to overthrow his brother on the planet Metropolis. Assisted by Dr. Kraspin, a quintessential mad scientist, Graal develops a potion capable of turning people into super soldiers. Enter Golob, an innocent soul reshaped into an indestructible warrior as part of their scheme. If that setup seems familiar, it is because the film echoes Star Wars, including an opening text crawl.
The execution lacked the magic of George Lucas’ work. Costumes and spacecraft leaned toward excess, the pacing faltered, and promising characters never fully captivated audiences. Even a bid for grandeur, crediting Aldo Lado under the pseudonym George B. Lewis, came across as mimicry rather than homage.
Familiar faces, unfamiliar success
The Humanoid did parade faces recognizable to keen film buffs. Richard Kiel, famous as Jaws in the James Bond saga, played Golob with imposing physicality. Ivan Rassimov, Corinne Cléry, Barbara Bach, and Venantino Venantini rounded out the ensemble, yet the film could not rise above its derivative script and design.
Notably, the score was composed by Ennio Morricone, whose breathtaking music shaped many classics. Even his touch could not lift The Humanoid to memorable heights. The production, led by Aldo Lado as director and co-writer, struggled to balance imitation and originality.
A cinematic afterthought
Public reaction was tepid. Critics panned it, audiences stayed away, and its place in cinema history slipped into footnotes. Websites like nanarland.com have since archived it as an example of blatant plagiarism, offering biting commentary on its lack of creativity. Still, for devoted genre fans, the film has gained a peculiar cult status, remembered for its campy visuals and earnest ambitions.
Then and now: a forgotten dream
While Star Wars continues to inspire generations and expand its universe, The Humanoid remains a relic of a moment when sci-fi often chose to replicate instead of innovate. A glance at production stills online reveals costumes and effects shimmering with nostalgia, yet the film itself feels parked far from true cinematic impact.