The terrornauts
"Pulpy goodness. Low-budget British sci-fi with that unmistakable 1960s vibe. i wasn’t so sure if I should get this release so soon after getting fire maidens from outer space but im glad i did."
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) is limited to 3,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Welcome Vinegar Syndrome Labs (VSL) to the VS Sub-Label family! As with each of our sub-labels we are hoping to expand and defy expectations with the diversity of films we restore and release. As the name implies, VSL will serve as a kind of testing area for releasing genres and eras of film that one might not immediately expect to come from VS. The ultimate objective of VSL will be to see if these types of films will find an audience, and if so, pursue and release more of them…and even if not, still serve as a means of restoring more of the weird, rare, and unusual movies you might not expect from Vinegar Syndrome.
Scientist Joe Burke is determined to prove the existence of alien life and has set up a powerful radio telescope to look for signs. One night, after months of failure, he detects a clear but faint communication emerging from the deepest reaches of space. Excited by his findings, he rushes to his nearby research quarters. No sooner than arriving, the entire building, including its occupants, is lifted into space by a mysterious extraterrestrial force. After docking on a spacecraft, the frightened abductees realize that they have been selected to participate in a dangerous mission, the success of which will determine the fate and survival of Earth...
One of the strangest films to emerge from legendary British horror-focused company Amicus Productions, prolific quota-quickie director Montgomery Tully's (Fog for a Killer) penultimate film, THE TERRORNAUTS, is a delirious sci-fi fever dream of plywood spaceships and rubber & foam robots, which becomes increasingly hallucinogenic as it goes on. Featuring a cast of veteran stage and TV players, including Simon Oates (Doomwatch), Zena Marshall (Dr. No), Frank Forsyth (Tales from the Crypt), and Max Adrian (Dr. Terror's House of Horrors), Vinegar Syndrome Labs proudly brings this forgotten slice of 60s British B-movie making to Blu-ray for the first time, newly restored in 4K from its long-lost original 35mm camera negative and presented in the longest version ever featured on home video.
directed by: Montgomery Tully
starring: Simon Oates, Zena Marshall, Charles Hawtrey, Patricia Hayes, Stanley Meadows
1967 / 77 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.491124 / 5 from 169 reviews.
The Terrornauts, a newly restored 4K Blu-ray release from Vinegar Syndrome Labs, is celebrated for its excellent transfer, fantastic appearance, and engaging sci-fi classic status. Customers appreciate the great extras and picture quality, though opinions on the effects vary.
Review topics: ["colors","shipping","quality","set","looks","packaging","design","movie","film","effects","transfer","sci-fi","restoration","release","extras","terrornauts","fun","flick","artwork","features","sci fi","presentation","charm","acting","idea","scientist","amicus","title","relief","aliens"].
"Pulpy goodness. Low-budget British sci-fi with that unmistakable 1960s vibe. i wasn’t so sure if I should get this release so soon after getting fire maidens from outer space but im glad i did."
"A delightfully lo-fi sci-fi Amicus effort, that ultimately treads safely down the middle of the road. There’s a compelling mystery about scientists making contact with an alien race — and the best parts involve some fairly simple tests of character. Yet, there’s a polite British pace to it all — lots of coffee drinking and an impressively silly rubber monster. The scientists are all stern and good looking, especially raven-haired Zena Marshall. There’s also a silly accountant and salt-of-the-earth tea trolley girl (Patricia Hayes from Willow) for comedy relief. Overall, the restoration looks great —colors are vivid and flesh tones are warm. Kim Newman gives a spirited interview with an amazing bookshelf as his background"
"Big cosmic ideas, tiny sets, foam robots, and enough British politeness to survive an alien abduction. The Terrornauts is charmingly ridiculous and completely sincere, which is exactly why it works. The vivid 4K restoration makes every painted backdrop and homemade gadget look better than it has any right to."
"Even if there's too much comedy and some parts are slow, it brings back good memories. The aliens look great but have very little screen time, which is a pity. Great title!"
"I love 1960's Doctor Who and the 2 Amicus Dr. who movies, so this was right up my alley. The connective tissue between the two is producer Milton Subotsky, who was responsible for both. It's ludicrous and brilliant. Robots and aliens and tea ladies and a budget thin enough to see through. I enjoyed it, immensely."
"The Terrornauts (1967) is one of those endearingly scrappy Amicus Productions efforts where big cosmic ideas collide with shoestring resources. The story follows a group of scientists whisked away to an alien outpost, forced to prove humanity’s worth through a series of tests. It’s classic pulp: space travel, mysterious civilizations, and existential stakes delivered with wide‑eyed sincerity. The film’s limitations are obvious—minimal sets, stiff acting, and effects that look like they were assembled from leftover props—but that’s part of its charm. There’s a genuine enthusiasm in how it tackles grand sci‑fi concepts, and its earnestness makes the rough edges feel more like features than flaws. It plays like a lost episode of Doctor Who stretched to feature length, complete with quirky humor and a sense of cosmic curiosity. For fans of vintage British sci‑fi, low‑budget space adventures, or Amicus oddities, The Terrornauts is a delightful relic: imperfect, imaginative, and unmistakably of its era."
"A fun sci fi adventure from Amicus, camp as anything and reminiscent of old BBC Dr Who episodes. Charles Hawtrey is always amazing value"
"The Terrornauts is delightfully cheesy British sci-fi, following scientist Dr. Joe Burke as he makes first contact with an alien civilization and gets swept into an unexpectedly bizarre adventure. While the film's low-budget effects and campy charm won't be for everyone, they're part of what makes it so entertaining. Vinegar Syndrome's restoration looks fantastic, with vibrant colors and impressive detail that give this obscure cult film its best home video presentation to date. The release is rounded out with a strong selection of extras, including a commentary, interviews, and archival featurettes that provide excellent background on the production and its creators."
"So much cheesy Sci-fi fun. Scientists, aliens, cheesy costumes. I mean come-on, this is a late night gem. Great restoration, great slipcase art. This will go well with any other 60's B-movie Sci-fi."
"The slipcover is awesome, as always with anything VS or their awesome partner Labels release! It is a cool movie that was a lot of fun to watch! I always love the unique VS service of allowing you to stack as many movies as you like in your cart during any release period and ship them for free! The peerless VS restoration process was on full display with stellar sound and picture! Thank you, VS, for continuing to lovingly restore and release so many wonderful films from every conceivable genre! You are keeping physical media alive in this streaming world we now live in! Highly recommended!"
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