Although some of the early Roger Corman productions allowed for some talented directors to obtain their first film exercises, none of the directors associated with his films of the '80s and '90s, could raise similar expectations. "GALAXY OF TERROR," made in 1981, is one of the least interesting "B" movies ever made. Sure, it had a low-budget, but there were many films with comparably lower or similar budgets from the '50s and '60s, far more successful in providing entertainment.  The plot of "GALAXY OF TERROR,"  has the 10-party crew of the spaceship "Quest," head to a planet where another ship and its crew have disappeared. After an obligatory crash-landing, the crew find remains of the ship and must do battle with an unseen force." Sure, this plot has been done over and over, but it's never been handled with such a boring outcome as it has here. Even at 82 minutes, "GALAXY OF TERROR" feels like it will never end! Characters move around the horrible-to-mediocre sets for no apparent reason and with dialogue that makes most other "B" movie dialogue feel as if they were penned by Mamet.

SHOUT FACTORY has provided a 1.78:1 aspect ratio for this AVC MPEG-4 1080p blu-ray.  While some age damage is noticeable early-on, as well as occasional artifacts, the overall image is impressive! Colors are sharp, though seldom vibrant. Detail is impressive, revealing the budget limitations and its impact on costumes and set design. As far as depth is concerned, "GALAXY OF TERROR" is consistently flat. This isn't surprising, however, and compared to every other video incarnation of this title, none look as good as this blu-ray!

SHOUT FACTORY has provided a DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix. The source elements and original budget for this 1981 film, make it challenging for any type of dynamic mix. Many films tend to veer towards the front center channel, but few have with the sense of duty, as offered here! Seldom do any side speakers kick in. Even minor special effects are delegated towards the center channel. Dialogue is free from distortion, at least, but this mix offers no advantage being heard over a great stereo, in comparison to being played through a mono tv.

Some worthwhile extras are offered, including: "TALES FROM THE LUMBER YARD, THE MAKING OF GALAXY OF TERROR," running over an hour, this 6 part documentary, is not only insightful, but truly entertaining. Corman begins the feature, by bringing one back to the film environment of production in the '70s! As it moves onward, it looks at the production process, which, even with a crappy film, such as "GALAXY OF TERROR," is still very involved. A commentary, storyboard, original screenplay and more, make this blu-ray release of "GALAXY OF TERROR," actually worth owning, in spite of the actual main attraction!