Conquest of the Earth (VHS)

"Conquest of the Earth" A VHS cassette compiled from both the Original and Galactica 1980 series
Studio	MCA Universal
Rating
Running Time	99 minutes
Region	USA
Format	NTSC
Released	1988
UPC	096896604132
Chronology
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Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)	Conquest of the Earth	none
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Conquest of the Earth is a VHS release, although it was also given a short theatrical release overseas. It contains edited and spliced together versions of "Galactica Discovers Earth" and "The Night the Cylons Landed," with footage from the Original Series.

Notes

• The opening sequence is composed mostly of footage from the original series.
• Adama's declaration that Earth has been found has been reedited.
• Adama's conversation with Dr. Zee about Earth being primitive is extended, giving a little more exposition about the Cylon threat (including visual images of them) and who Dr. Zee is. This was likely done for viewers who are unfamiliar with Galactica.
• In order to acknowledge two different actors playing Dr. Zee in the series, a voiceover indicates that there are two separate characters who are brothers, Dr. Zee (Robbie Rist) and Dr. Zen (Patrick Stuart), one 14 the other 16.
• There are a couple snippets of footage where we hear Robbie Rist's own voice instead of the adult dubbed voice that was used for him in the original episode.
• There is a clear romance between Dillon and Jamie Hamilton in this movie that was completely absent from the original Galactica 1980 episodes which the movie is composed of. The scenes which portray the romance are redubbed with the voice of a different actress. These scenes occur from 45:00 to 45:25, 50:00 to 54:00 and 1:34:00 to 1:35:15.
• Around 1:19:00, there is a funny moment when Centuri threatens to disintegrate Wolfman Jack. This is not in the original episode nor part of any deleted scene. It is exclusive to the movie.
• Also unique to the movie is a scene of Troy contacting the Galactica after arriving in New York, where Adama tells them the craft that's about to land is a Cylon craft. This was clearly a new shoot for the telemovie. There was no voiceover fix though when Dillon and Troy arrive at the crash site which repeats their surprise to discover it's a Cylon craft.
• In the scene where Troy and Dillon first meet Jamie, it is heavily edited to make it appear that Jamie already works for United Broadcasting whereas in the original episode she is applying for a job with them. As a result, the scene is much shorter, and several other scenes were able to be either shortened or omitted entirely.
• Another difference is that the Cylon humanoid Andromus tells Wolfman Jack that he and Centuri are federal agents from Washington.
• Footage is used of Baltar, Lucifer, and Spectre from the original series episode The Young Lords with certain parts of the dialogue redubbed. Spectre is in charge of the "communication baseship" with responsibility for making contact with the A-B patrol craft.
• Numerous scenes from the original episodes are omitted: The time travel adventure to Nazi Germany; Almost all of Xaviar's scenes; Dillon's phone call to Jamie from the police station; the attempted plane hijacking during the flight to New York; Centuri collapsing because of the microwave oven; the apartment catching fire; the muggers in Central Park confronting Troy and Dillon and then the Cylons; Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear; and most of Colonel Briggs's investigation at the police station and the hospital.
• The blurb on the back of the VHS box reads:

Far out in space, the ship Battlestar Galactica has at last found its long sought haven - Earth. Unfortunately, not far behind are their mortal enemies, the Cylons, who are determined to wipe out every Earthling in the Galaxy. The exciting action travels at warp speed through the Galaxies where life-and-death laser battles take place. Lorne Greene stars as Commander Adama in this thrilling space adventure in which the sky is literally the limit. So get ready for flying motorcyles, fabulous costumes and smashing visual effects as the Cylons and the Galacticans battle over the Conquest of the Earth.

To read a review of this telemovie, click here.

For more Galactica telemovies, see TV movies

Theatrical Poster

The theatrical poster for Conquest of the Earth.