The Green Slime is a campy 1968 Sci-Fi flick written by Ivan Reiner (story), Bill Finger, Tom Rowe and Charles Sinclair  (screenplay), directed by Kinji Fukasaku, and starring Robert Horton, Luciana Paluzzi, and Richard Jaeckel (See full cast and crew).

Green Slime: The Premise

A large asteroid threatens collision with the Earth.  Commander Jack Rankin is sent up from earth to an orbital platform to take command of a spacecraft and crew who will attempt to destroy the asteroid with nuclear charges.  For some inexplicable reason, Rankin is also taking command of the orbital platform, currently under the command of Cmdr. Vince Elliot.  Of course these men have a history.  Part of that history is Dr. Liza Benson, who serves aboard the platform with Commander Elliot.

The ball of space rock threatening Earth is infested by globs of green goo that interfere with the mission by disabling equipment.  The spaceship must attempt to outrun the nuclear blast by accelerating beyond its designed capacity.  The mission to the asteroid is successful in blowing up the asteroid, the ship and crew survive, but a miniscule glob of the green goo hitches a ride along in a fold of a crew member’s space suit.

Rather than killing the slime bit, the space station’s decontamination process spurs its growth and it transforms into a tentacled monster that feeds on all forms of energy and spews electricity.  The crew quickly learns that the monster’s spilled blood replicates into more monsters and the station is overrun.

Crew members are dying, an explosion damages the station, the two Commanders vie for control, and Dr. Liza isn’t sure who she really loves.

The Good, the Bad, and the Humorous

The story line is pretty good.  The Japanese model making is good as well.  The acting is stiff and stereotypical.  Some of the sets are a bit too obviously cardboard and plywood.  The monsters are people in rubber suits.  But this is all absolutely expected of B-grade sci-fi: it adds to the charm and the humor.

Dr. Liza and a couple of her nurses are quite attractive as they scamper about in their mini-skirts and peek-a-boo tops. However, there is no nudity or sexual content. Other than some Sci-Fi violence as several crew members are electrocuted by the monsters (which may be unsuitable for the youngest viewers), this movie remains family friendly.I found it particularly funny that this futuristic platform in space uses curly-corded telephones and hospital beds that would have been right at home in Father Knows Best.  There are several instances of inconsistency between ships inside the station’s bays and the same ships exiting the station’s bays but, again, “looking for the strings” is part of the fun.  If you want cutting edge special effects, this one won’t satisfy.  If you want a clever, cheesy romp through space with an overly heroic hero, pretty girls and horrible monsters; The Green Slime will provide a pleasant evening of entertainment.  Pop up some corn, grab a soda, settle in, and enjoy.