Incidents in an Expanding Universe (1985) User Reviews

An interesting, if rough around the edges dry run for "Hardware"

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 27 November 2009]

2037. Rugged soldier Max and weary sculptress Nicky try to sustain a relationship in a bleak totalitarian future plagued by war, nuclear fall-out, and overpopulation. Flashbacks show Max and Nicky's doomed romance throughout the years as things get worse and the world deteriorates around them. Moreover, we also see Max's various harrowing combat experiences which include a nerve-wracking encounter with a band of grotesquely disfigured mutants and a fling with perky nurse Mandy. Writer/director Richard Stanley's low-budget Super 8 short shows off his obvious talent for striking visuals while making for an interesting dry run for Stanley's more flashy and polished debut theatrical feature "Hardware." The basic ingredients for the latter picture are clearly evident here: worn and depressed characters who have given up on hope, streets populated by poor sickly people, an eclectic soundtrack that encompasses everything from blaring rock to melancholy blues, Max's friendship with his more upbeat and chatty pal Shades, and even bitter and profane disc jockey Angry Bob rudely broadcasting grim news over the radio. The images of gloomy rain-streaked city streets are highly reminiscent of "Blade Runner." Greg Copeland's rough, grainy cinematography and crude, but acceptable special effects may lack the glossy slickness of "Hardware," but they get the job done just the same. While its ambition exceeds its grasp to a fair extent and the paltry budget is never completely surmounted (the warbly sound in particular is a tad hard on the ears), this short is nonetheless well worth checking out for all you "Hardware" fans out there.

Who needs a no-budget, home-made version of Bladerunner when we have the real thing?

[BA_Harrison · 14 September 2011]

An extra on the Hardware Special Edition DVD, Incidents in an Expanding Universe is an early 8mm effort from Richard Stanley that acts as a dry run for his cult cyberpunk sci/fi horror, featuring many of the elements that would eventually make it into that film (there's no shonky killer robot, but we do get a struggling female scrap-metal artist, a DJ called Angry Bob, an irritating pillock called Shades, big hydraulic doors, a character with a metal hand etc.,).

For fans of the director and his work, this 'short' from his amateur movie-making days will no doubt prove fascinating stuff, but for those who believe Stanley to be a plagiaristic hack and Hardware an over-rated, highly derivative mess, this home-made dystopic vision of the future will do nothing to change their minds.

Incidents in an Expanding Universe makes it clear to me that, right from the start, Stanley wasn't averse to stealing from the work of others, with many scenes uncannily reminiscent of Bladerunner (flying cars in rainy streets; smoky rooms with sunlight filtering through slatted blinds) and assorted details pilfered from the pages of 2000AD (muties, weather control etc). With the film being incredibly boring to boot, it easily qualifies as one of the worst DVD extras I've ever bothered to watch.