Earth’s Moon has become home to Moonbase Alpha, a bustling scientific research colony nestled securely in the crater Plato. Staffed by over 300 personnel from Earth, the base serves as the operational hub for deep-space expeditions and acts as a watchdog for massive vaults of atomic waste stored on the Moon’s far side. When magnetic radiation builds up and triggers a cataclysmic explosion, the blast is so immense that it overcomes Earth’s centripetal pull.
The Moon breaks free of orbit, drifting at staggering speeds out of the Solar System and off the plane of the ecliptic. Unable to return home, the survivors of Moonbase Alpha are cast adrift into the unknown depths of space, forced to navigate alien worlds and cosmic hazards on a wandering lunar vessel. In their journey, they encounter a mysterious planet whose advanced inhabitants project a terrifying illusion of a devastating attack on the base, forcing the crew to fight for their minds and their lives.
This stars Martin Landau as Commander John Koenig, the bedrock of Moonbase Alpha, with Landau bringing fierce intelligence and gravitas to the lead role. His Mission: Impossible co-star and wife at the time, Barbara Bain, plays Dr. Helena Russel; Nick Tate is pilot Alan Carter and Barry Morse is Professor Victor Bergman.
The miniature work and optical effects, helmed by Academy Award winner Brian Johnson (who would go on to work on Alien and Star Wars), remain absolute masterclasses in practical model photography. The sleek design of the Eagle Transporter became an instant sci-fi icon, coveted by generations of model builders and toy collectors. I mean, I had the Mattel one!
Created by legendary producers Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Space: 1999 was conceived as the ultimate successor to their pioneering Supermarionation puppet series such as Thunderbirds, but was realized with live-action grandeur. Premiering in 1975, it was the most expensive television series produced in Britain up to that point.
Alien Attack wasn’t originally filmed as a standalone feature; instead, it is one of several telefilms cobbled together for syndication and home video by editing and stitching together key episodes, “Breakaway” (the pilot detailing the lunar catastrophe) and “War Games” (featuring the terrifying illusion attack).
Newly filmed material was created for this compilation, introducing the International Lunar Finance Committee’s offices and boardroom. The additional sequences were written by Dennis Spooner, known for his work on earlier Gerry Anderson productions, including UFO and were directed by Bill Lenny.
Four actors portrayed members of the committee: Patrick Allen, Weston Gavin, Marc Smith—who also provided the narration—and an unidentified fourth performer. Their characters appeared throughout the “Breakaway” portion of the story, providing periodic updates and commentary as events unfolded.
For this version of the adventure, the setting was moved forward from 1999 to the year 2100. Following the Moon’s separation from Earth, Simmonds is reported to have died, echoing the fate given to the character in E.C. Tubb’s original novelization of the episode.
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