The Astro-Zombies, aka Space Zombies aka The Space Vampires, is a 1968 science fiction

Science fiction film

Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...

 horror film

Horror film

Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...

 starring John Carradine

John Carradine

John Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...

, Wendell Corey

Wendell Corey

Wendell Reid Corey was an American actor and politician.He was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the son of Milton Rothwell Corey and Julia Etta McKenney . His father was a Congregationalist clergyman...

 (in his final film appearance) and Tura Satana

Tura Satana

Tura Satana was an American actress and former exotic dancer. She was best known for her role as "Varla" in Russ Meyer's 1965 cult film, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.-Early life:...

. It was written, directed, and produced by Ted V. Mikels

Ted V. Mikels

Ted V. Mikels is an American filmmaker of independent cult films. Mikels was also known for his home life, as he once lived with a harem in a Glendale, California castle that contained secret passageways....

. The plot follows a disgruntled scientist who, having been fired by the space agency, decides to create superhuman monsters from the body parts of innocent murder victims. The creatures eventually escape and go on a killing spree, attracting the attention of both an international spy ring and the CIA.

The low budget movie has gained cult status along with many of Ted V. Mikels other works, inspiring him to write and direct a sequel. Mark of the Astro-Zombies was released direct-to-video

Direct-to-video

Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

 in 2002 with Tura Satana reprising her role of Satana from the original film.

During a showing of the film on KTVU

KTVU

KTVU, virtual channel 2 , is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Licensed to Oakland, California, the station has been owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises since 1964, making it the largest Fox affiliate by market size that is not owned and operated by the...

's Creature Features

Creature Features

Creature Features was a generic title for a genre of horror TV format shows broadcast on local U.S. television stations throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s...

, it was noted that much of the film was shot on property owned by actor Wayne Rogers

Wayne Rogers

William Wayne McMillan Rogers III is an American film and television actor, best known for playing the role of 'Trapper John' McIntyre in the U.S...

.

American horror punk

Horror punk

Horror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...

 band the Misfits recorded a song entitled "Astro Zombies", released on their 1982 album, Walk Among Us

Walk Among Us

-Band:* Glenn Danzig – vocals, guitar on "Vampira", "Devils Whorehouse", "Astro Zombies", overdubbed guitar on all tracks except "Mommy Can I Go Out & Kill Tonight?"* Jerry Only – bass, background vocals...

.

Cast

Actor	Role
Wendell Corey Wendell Corey Wendell Reid Corey was an American actor and politician.He was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the son of Milton Rothwell Corey and Julia Etta McKenney . His father was a Congregationalist clergyman...	Holman
John Carradine John Carradine John Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...	Dr. DeMarco
Tom Pace	Eric Porter
Joan Patrick	Janine Norwalk
Tura Satana Tura Satana Tura Satana was an American actress and former exotic dancer. She was best known for her role as "Varla" in Russ Meyer's 1965 cult film, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.-Early life:...	Satana
Rafael Campos	Juan
Joe Hoover	Chuck Edwards
Victor Izay	Dr. Petrovich
William Bagdad	Franchot
Vincent Barbi	Tyros
Egon Sirany	Sergio Demozhenin
Jean Pirie	Woman killed in garage
John Hopkins	Det. Thompson
Janis Saul	Lynn
Wally K. Berns
Vic Lance	Chauffeur
Lynette Lantz	Ginger
Rod Wilmoth	Astro-Zombie
Barbara Richards	Girl strapped to table
Wally Moon (uncredited)	Det. Mike Webber

Sequel

With Mark of the Astro-Zombies was 2002 the second movie released, the third and last movie of the Trilogy will be released 2010 under the working title Astro Zombies M3: Cloned.

External links

• The Astro-Zombies theatrical trailer