Capricorn One

DVD review (region 1)
Directed by Peter Hyams
Starring Elliott Gould, James Brolin, OJ Simpson, Karen Black, Hal Halbrook
Release date Out now

When NASA fakes a landing on Mars, three astronauts are forced to flee for their lives…

This ludicrously exciting sci-fi thriller from 1978 follows in the tradition of the conspiracy theory flicks that became popular in the late 60s/early 70s with the likes of The Conversation, The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor. But Peter Hyams’ film is a far less bleak affair, placing an emphasis on fast-paced fun and happy endings. In fact, the horrible slo-mo finale is one of the few weak spots in an otherwise timeless nailbiter.

The narrative flips between the story of three astronauts (central hero James Brolin, ably supported by Sam Waterson and a post-football/pre-jail OJ Simpson) and a nosey reporter trying to separate fact from fiction, played with the perfect combination of cheeky humour and tenacity by Elliott Gould.

Hyams might have subsequently forged a name for himself as something of a workmanlike director, but here he doesn’t let the tension ebb for a second. And, of course, he’s helped by a wonderfully simple premise that playfully taps into persistent rumours that the moon landings were faked.

Not that Hyams believes the hoax stories. Along with other talking heads, the director stresses that the evidence is too strong for the conspiracy murmurs to be taken seriously, and Capricorn One was just intended as pure entertainment. But you still can’t help but walk about from the movie wondering ‘what if…?’ Matt McAllister