H. G. Wells The Shape of Things to Come is a 1979 Canadian science fiction film directed by George McCowan, and starring Jack Palance, Barry Morse, Nicholas Campbell, Anne-Marie Martin, Carol Lynley, and John Ireland.

Although credited as an adaptation of H. G. Wells novel of the same name, the film takes only its title and some character names from the 1933 novel. The film s plot has no relationship to the events of the book. The book and its 1936 film adaptation Things to Come predict events such as a Second World War and the collapse of social order until a world state is formed, whereas the 1979 film involves a high-tech future involving robots and spaceships.

The film was an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of such recent successes as Star Wars, and TV series such as Space: 1999 (also starring Morse) and Battlestar Galactica, although the film had only a fraction of the production budget of any of these.

Plot

In the future, Earth is recovering from the devastating Robot Wars. Most of humanity lives on the Moon in a domed city called New Washington. They depend on the anti-radiation drug Raddic-Q2 from the distant planet Delta 3. A cargo ship carrying the drug crashes into the dome with disastrous results. Colony leader, Senator Smedley, and science advisor Dr. John Caball, try to contact Nikki, the leader of Delta 3. They find that Omus, the Robot Master (also Caball s former apprentice), has declared himself emperor. Having crashed the cargo ship on purpose, Omus demands the colony s obedience or else he will invade with robots.

Smedley refuses to comply. Caball suggests launching an armed advanced starship called the Starstreak against Omus. Smedley says that the ship has yet to be tested. Caball boards regardless and, before, launch, exposes himself to deadly radiation from the ship s reactor room. With no time left to obtain radiation drugs, Caball calls for his son Jason to help him pilot the ship. Tagging along are Smeldey s daughter Kim, and Sparks, a teleporting pilot robot from the cargo ship. They will steal the Starstreak and head to Delta 3.

While in space, a malfunction forces the Starstreak to stop at Earth. While Caball conducts repairs, Jason and Kim explore in hopes of locating Caball s friend Charley. Small figures that stalk them in the woods. Jason finds Charley dead. Kim has disappeared. Jason and Sparks find her with a group of harmless children who survived the Robot Wars. With more pressing matters to attend to, Jason leave the kids behind with food, but promises to return once their mission is complete.

On Delta 3, Nikki has formed a resistance force. They will try to retake the planet s Citadel from Omus and his robots. The Starstreak enters a dangerous gravity vortex in space. The crew escape the storm. Delta 3 conveniently appears before them. On the planet, the crew finds Nikki and her people. Robots surround the heroes. A hologram of Omus appears. He has Caball brought before him. Jason and the others sneak inside the Citadel.

Omus shows off his latest achievements to his old mentor. He turned the mining robots into shock troopers. Unimpressed, Caball tries to talk Omus into giving up his plan to control humanity. Omus refuses to listen. He dons a transparent helmet where he shows Caball another creation: a spinning disco ball-like device that drives Caball mad with pain and then kills him.

At Omus chambers, Jason finds his father murdered. Kim reveals that Caball had severe radiation sickness and was terminally ill anyway. Furious, Jason confronts Omus, whose robots take him prisoner. Thanks to Sparks, all the robots turn on their master and run out of control. Jason and the others flee the control room. Sparks has teleported to one of Omus cargo ships and taken over the main computer system. The robot frenzy overloads critical systems and explosions rip through the Citadel. Sparks escapes in the cargo ship. The others make it back to the Starstreak and lift off. Omus sits in his control room as his citadel explodes around him. The destruction of the Citadel causes the whole planet to explode. The last scene shows the two ships returning to Earth, with the cargo ship hauling a supply of Raddic-Q2.

Cast

• Jack Palance as Omus
• Barry Morse as Dr. John Caball
• Nicholas Campbell as Jason Caball
• Anne-Marie Martin as Kim Smedley
• Carol Lynley as Nikki
• John Ireland as Senator Smedley
• Greg Swanson as Sparks (voice)
• William Hutt as Lomax (voice)
• Mark Parr as Sparks
• Ardon Bess as Merrick

Critical reception

G. Noel Gross of DVD Talk said, Released in 1979, the sets and FX look more akin to 1959 with the aptly named Sparks and his robo-ilk who precariously teeter along like oversized popcorn poppers with great big salad tongs for arms.

Legacy

Mystery Science Theater 3000 spiritual successor RiffTrax did a comedic commentary of the film in early 2020. It will be featured on MST3K itself as part of Season 13, set to be released on March 4, 2022.

Year	1979
RuntimeMins	98
RuntimeStr	1h 38min
Plot	Some time in the future, man has set up colonies on the Moon, when Earth becomes uninhabitable. A madman decides to destroy the Moon colonies with his robots and automated ships, and only three people and their robot can stop him.
Directors	George McCowan
Writers	H.G. Wells, Martin Lager
Stars	Jack Palance, Carol Lynley, Barry Morse
Produced by	John Danylkiw,William Davidson,Harry Alan Towers
Music by	Paul Hoffert
Cinematography by	Reginald H. Morris
Film Editing by	Stan Cole
Casting By	Maria Armstrong,Ali Karnick
Art Direction by	Gerry Holmes
Set Decoration by	Earle Fiset
Costume Design by	Larry S. Wells
Makeup Department	James Keeler,Bill Morgan
Production Management	Marilyn Stonehouse
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director	Michael MacDonald,Gord Robinson,David Shepherd
Art Department	Wilf Culley,Fred Geringer,John Harper,Kenny Porter,Maido Sims,Ralph Tillack
Sound Department	David Appleby,Michael Asti-Rose,Fred Brennan,Steven Cole,Dennis Drummond,Patrick Drummond,Herb Heritage,Karl Scherer,Lydia Wazana,Don White
Special Effects by	Bill Wood
Visual Effects by	Wally Gentleman,John F. Gross,Tim Donahue
Stunts	Robert Hannah
Camera and Electrical Department	Michael Beer,Anthony Bliss,Gordon Eldridge,Tom Finnen,Chris Holmes,Gordon Langevin,Steve Sheridan,Matt Tundo,Cliff West
Costume and Wardrobe Department	Mary E. McLeod
Editorial Department	Bruce Lange,Michael O Farrell
Location Management	Tony Lucibello
Music Department	David Greene,Paul Hoffert,Jack Richardson,Lawrence Shragge
Script and Continuity Department	Mike Cheda,Joseph Glazner,Blanche McDermaid
Additional Crew	Kristine M. Gilbert,Joan Hounsell,Barry Leyland,Henry Piersig
Genres	Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Companies	SOTTC Film Productions Ltd., CFI Investments
Countries	Canada
Languages	English
ContentRating	PG
ImDbRating	3.2
ImDbRatingVotes	1022
Keywords	computer,resistance,robot sci fi,the future,robot