The Green Slime Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Astronauts blow up an asteroid but accidentally bring back space snot that turns into multiplying, electric, rubber monsters, forcing everyone on the space station to fight them off while dealing with a super awkward love triangle.

🍿 The Green Slime: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Averting Global Disaster

Earth faces imminent destruction from a giant asteroid named Flora on a collision course. The United Nations Space Command dispatches a team from the Gamma 3 space station for a desperate mission. Led by the capable Commander Jack Rankin, the crew must land on the asteroid and plant nuclear charges to blow it up.

Return to Gamma 3

The mission is a success, and Earth is saved from the asteroid impact. However, during their time on Flora, one crew member unknowingly picks up a sample of a strange green, gooey substance on his spacesuit. Back on the space station, the substance begins to grow and pulsate in the decontamination chamber.

The Slime Mutates

The green substance rapidly mutates into mobile, tentacled monsters with a single red eye. These creatures feed on energy, including electricity, and reproduce rapidly, particularly when attacked. Their touch is lethal, electrocuting humans instantly.

Infestation of the Space Station

As the creatures multiply, they quickly overrun sections of the Gamma 3 space station. The human crew, led by Commander Rankin and Space Station Commander Vince Elliott (Rankin’s former friend and romantic rival), attempts to fight the monsters using laser guns, but discovering that injuring them only causes them to multiply further complicates their efforts.

Desperate Measures and Rivalries

Amidst the chaos, tensions rise between Rankin and Elliott, complicated by their shared history and feelings for Dr. Lisa Benson. The crew tries various strategies to contain or destroy the creatures, but their rapid reproduction and energy-absorbing abilities make the situation increasingly dire. They realize the space station itself is becoming unsustainable.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Commander Jack Rankin (Robert Horton): The skilled commander called out of retirement to destroy an asteroid who must lead the fight against the alien invaders.
• Commander Vince Elliott (Richard Jaeckel): The space station commander and former friend of Rankin who vies for leadership and the doctor’s affection while battling the alien threat.
• Dr. Lisa Benson (Luciana Paluzzi): The space station’s head doctor caught between the rival commanders while they face a deadly alien threat.
• The Green Slime Creatures (N/A): The rapidly multiplying, energy-absorbing alien creatures that spawn from green slime and overrun the space station.
• General Jonathan B. Thompson (Bud Widham): The Earth-based general who assigns Commander Rankin the mission to destroy the asteroid.
• Dr. Hans Halvorsen (Ted Gunther): The space station scientist whose fascination with the alien substance puts the crew in danger.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Dr. Halvorsen: “Stop! Don’t kill it! This is the most magnificent discovery mankind has ever made!” – Said by the scientist when other crew members try to destroy the newly formed creature, prioritizing study over safety.
• Commander Elliott: “Their growth rate is incredible… in fact, it’s frightening.” – Observing how quickly the green slime creatures are multiplying and spreading throughout the station.
• Commander Rankin: “You’ll believe it when you’re dead!” – A grim retort emphasizing the deadly reality of the threat they face.
• Commander Elliott: “Commander, this is my ship! I am in command here!” – Said during a heated argument with Commander Rankin, asserting his authority over the space station.
• Technician: “Every time we shoot one, two more take its place!” – Realizing the horrifying truth that destroying the creatures causes them to multiply rapidly from their ‘blood’.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $400,000
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 The Green Slime Reviews

Personal Review

Oh man, ‘The Green Slime’ is exactly the kind of gloriously bad sci-fi that hits the spot. I mean, astronauts go to blow up an asteroid and just casually bring back glowing green goo? And it turns into THESE monsters? Priceless. Watching those rubbery, one-eyed things stumble around the cardboard sets is pure entertainment. And the constant drama between Robert Horton and Richard Jaeckel over Luciana Paluzzi? It’s hilariously shoehorned in and adds to the charm. You just have to see the scene where someone tries to answer a phone with a full motorcycle helmet on. But honestly, the real star is that theme song. It gets stuck in your head for days! This movie is the perfect rainy day watch or group viewing experience for anyone who loves cheesy effects and unintended comedy. It’s got heart, even if that heart is encased in cheap rubber.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of classic 1960s science fiction”
  • “Viewers who appreciate B-movies and camp cinema”
  • “Followers of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K)”
  • “Those interested in monster movies with practical effects”
  • “People looking for a fun, action-packed vintage sci-fi experience (without strict scientific accuracy)”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Sci-fi monster violence (electrocution, characters attacked by creatures)”
  • “Creature designs may be unsettling or silly depending on viewer”
  • “Dated special effects and production values”
  • “Intense situations for younger viewers”
  • “Portrayals and dialogue characteristic of the 1960s (including treatment of female characters)”

Professional Reviews

• Synthesized from user reviews: “Kinji Fukasaku’s ‘The Green Slime’ is a delightfully cheesy relic of late 60s sci-fi. While technically limited with wobbly sets and visible wires, its energetic pace and sheer conviction make it surprisingly engaging. The rubber-suited monsters are goofy fun, the dialogue is ripe with B-movie clichés, and the infamous theme song is an absolute earworm. It’s best enjoyed with friends and a generous dose of popcorn, appreciating its campy charm and unintentional humor.
• Synthesized from user reviews: “This Japanese-American-Italian co-production is a vibrant slice of space opera that, while dated, served as potential inspiration for later classics like ‘Alien’. The central conflict and monster concept are solid, if let down by the production values of the era. Robert Horton and Richard Jaeckel deliver surprisingly straight-faced performances amidst the chaos. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that, despite its flaws, holds a certain primitive charm and delivers on its promise of sci-fi thrills.
• Synthesized from user reviews: “‘The Green Slime’ is a prime example of ‘so bad it’s good’ cinema. From the absurdly perfect hair of the leading man to the gasoline-powered carts on a space station, the goofs are plentiful and hilarious. The monsters are hilariously unthreatening, lumbering around in rubber suits, multiplying via electric zaps and green blood. It’s a non-stop barrage of unintentional comedy and low-budget spectacle, anchored by that unforgettable, psychedelic theme song. Pure, unadulterated camp.

Audience Reactions

Everyone loves the incredibly catchy and ridiculous theme song.: Many find the movie hilariously bad and enjoyable for its camp value, especially the low-budget special effects and rubber-suited monsters.

The monsters, while cheesy, are often cited as memorable and unique.: The unintentional comedy, wooden acting, and absurd plot points contribute heavily to its cult status and rewatchability for bad movie fans.

Some appreciate the film’s fast pace and action sequences despite technical limitations.: Viewers often compare it positively (or humorously) to other B-movies or even note potential influence on ‘Alien’ due to the creature-on-a-space-station premise.

Overall Consensus: Widely regarded as a beloved ‘so bad it’s good’ sci-fi cult classic, celebrated for its cheesy effects, rubber monsters, unintentional humor, and iconic theme song, despite poor acting and production values.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The green slime creatures were played by Japanese children inside bulky monster suits.”
• “The film was a co-production between Japan, the United States, and Italy, filmed at Toei Tokyo Studios.”
• “Many of the background cast members were American military personnel and dependents stationed in Japan at the time.”
• “Director Kinji Fukasaku created a shorter, more militaristic version for the Japanese market that cut the romantic subplot and used different music.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Green Slime?

Discover where to watch the classic 1968 sci-fi film ‘The Green Slime’. While availability varies by region, this cult favorite is often featured on streaming services specializing in vintage science fiction and B-movies. Check major platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, and others for digital rental or purchase options. Its status as a Mystery Science Theater 3000 subject (MST3K) also means it might appear on platforms hosting that series. Look for deals to own this unique slice of 60s sci-fi history.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Green Slime, you might like these similar films:

• It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958): Features a very similar plot where a single organism is brought back to a spaceship from an expedition and proceeds to hunt the crew in a confined space.
• Alien (1979): While higher budget and more serious, it shares the core premise of a deadly extraterrestrial organism brought aboard a spaceship that hunts the crew.
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Released the same year, providing a stark contrast in budget, special effects sophistication, and thematic depth within the sci-fi genre.
• Life (2017): A modern take on the theme of scientists on a space station discovering and bringing aboard a rapidly growing, dangerous extraterrestrial life form.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Green Slime (1988): The film was famously featured in the first episode of MST3K, solidifying its status as a beloved cult classic for its campy nature and flaws.

🛒 The Green Slime Related Products

• The Green Slime Special Edition Blu-ray: Experience the cult classic ‘The Green Slime’ in a restored high-definition transfer. Features bonus content exploring the film’s production history and lasting legacy.
• The Green Slime Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Vinyl: Own a piece of cinematic history with the psychedelic rock theme song from ‘The Green Slime’ on limited edition vinyl. Includes the main title track and maybe some groovy incidental music.
• The Green Slime Monster Retro T-Shirt: Show your appreciation for low-budget sci-fi with a vintage-style t-shirt featuring the one-eyed, tentacled Green Slime monster.
• Retro Space Monster Collectible Figure (Inspired by Green Slime): A stylized collectible figure paying homage to the design of classic rubber-suited sci-fi monsters, perfect for display.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Green Slime features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Green Slime” – performed by Sherry Gaden, Arranged by Richard Delvy

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Dark Corners – The Green Slime: Review

Want to hear what someone else thinks about those rubbery green monsters? This review from Dark Corners dives into The Green Slime and gives you the lowdown – is it a cheesy classic or just plain slimey?

✨ Rate