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Test Pilot Pirx

1979 1h 44m Sci-Fi List
Reviews 69% Audience Score 50+ Ratings Cmdr. Pirx (Sergei Desnitsky) is ordered to lead five astronauts on a space mission to Saturn. But his orders also entail his identifying which one of the crew members is secretly a humanoid. Problems arise when one of the astronauts, Harry Brown (Vladimir Ivashov), claims that he can help spot the artificial being, which confuses Pirx. A serious accident occurs during the trip and they return to Earth. Now Pirx, who is blamed for almost killing his crew, must clear his name at a tribunal. Read More Read Less

Critics Reviews

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Mark R. Leeper Mark Leeper's Reviews This Eastern European co-production has engaging ideas floating around, but feels off-balance through the entire story. Rated: 6/10 Jul 22, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member This is a very interesting film. Though dated (it's a scifi film from 1979 what would you expect) it does have all the elements that fans of the era will enjoy. The model space ships are fab and fun, the story is intelligent and engaging and the film has elements of a thriller/horror film on top of the standard scifi storyline. Like any good science fiction story/film, in my mind at least, this film has you leaving the theatre with plenty of questions. Whether it was poor filmmaking, something lost in translation or deliberate, the film doesn't give you all the answers you might be looking for. In fact, I think it's a combination of all three but with the later making up the most of it as even the main character Pirx ends the film asking questions and being unsure about the events that had taken place previously in the film. Worth checking out if you are a fan of classic science fiction films. If you are expecting great FX and space battles, look elsewhere. Test Pilot Pirx is intellectual and engaging first and foremost but gives enough corny scifi elements to satisfy. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Good movie based on a story by Stanislaw Lem, but even better is the soundtrack. Music that fits the scenes very well and sound at times like proto versions of both US industrial music (Ministry and friends) and early UK jungle. Before his time, Arvo Pärt. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member I have to admit, though it is more psychological then sci-fi. it was quite enjoyable to see some sci-fi coming from Polish studios. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Polish sci-fi: mustaches in space. Worth seeing for the space disco scene and vintage special effects but otherwise feels like a budget Star Trek episode. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Test Pilot Pirx

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Movie Info

Synopsis Cmdr. Pirx (Sergei Desnitsky) is ordered to lead five astronauts on a space mission to Saturn. But his orders also entail his identifying which one of the crew members is secretly a humanoid. Problems arise when one of the astronauts, Harry Brown (Vladimir Ivashov), claims that he can help spot the artificial being, which confuses Pirx. A serious accident occurs during the trip and they return to Earth. Now Pirx, who is blamed for almost killing his crew, must clear his name at a tribunal.
Director
Marek Piestrak
Screenwriter
Marek Piestrak
Genre
Sci-Fi
Original Language
Polish
Runtime
1h 44m