Lifeforce

Lifeforce (1985)

Lifeforce is a 1985 sci-fi horror film directed by Tobe Hooper starring Steve Railsback, Peter Firth and Mathilda May. Director Hooper was coming off several successful movies, such as the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as well as Poltergeist, so he was given a budget of $25 million from Cannon Films. Much of the budget went into the special effects devised by John Dykstra, who had worked on the first Star Wars film, as well as the first Star Trek film and the original Battlestar Galactica series, while very little of the budget went into costumes for actress Mathilda May, who spent nearly the entire film completely nude in her role as the lead female vampire. The original US release had 15 minutes cut from it, mainly some of the aforementioned nudity and some violence, but home video releases have the restored the full 116 minute international cut.

The following weapons were used in the film Lifeforce:

Steyr AUG A1

The Steyr AUG A1 is shown as the standard issue rifle of the British Army in this film. "First Soldier" (Milton Cadman) and "Second Soldier" (Rupert Baker) open fire on the male vampires when they awaken. There is a continuity break as they start out with AUG carbines, but switch to full sized rifles immediately afterwards.

Steyr AUG with black stock and 16" barrel - 5.56x45mm.

Steyr AUG - Austrian Army Version 5.56x45mm

"Second Soldier" (left) and "First Soldier" chamber rounds into their AUG carbines when they see the male vampires approach.

A closeup of one of the AUG carbines.

When they see that the guns are ineffective at stopping the vampires, the soldiers retreat up the stairs. Notice the change to full size AUGs.

Browning Hi-Power pistol

SAS Col. Colin Caine (Peter Firth) commandeers a car and a Browning Hi-Power from the army to chase down Col. Carlsen (Steve Railsback) when he goes off on his own.

Classic Commercial Browning Hi Power (Belgian Mfg) - 9x19mm

Col. Caine puts down a vampire-zombie.

Col. Caine is about to shoot a zombie in the head.

Sterling L2A3 submachine gun

The Sterling submachine gun is used by the British paras in the lobby of the European Space Agency Space Research Centre building. They are not fired in the film.

Sterling Submachine Gun - 9x19mm

The Sterling can be seen slung on the soldier on the right. The stock is fully extended.

Harrington & Richardson Mark VI flare gun

When leaving White Hall, a vampire-zombie tries to climb aboard. Having no other weapons available to defend themselves, the pilot gives Col. Caine what appears to be a Harrington & Richardson Mark VI Flare Gun.

Harrington & Richardson Mark VI Flare Gun - 26.5mm

Col. Caine aims the Harrington & Richardson Mark VI. Col. Carlsen is obviously terrified.

Miscellaneous

Despite using AUGs instead of SLRs or SA-80's, it's obvious the production got some help from the British Army, as the character are ferried around in a real army Westland Lynx helicopter.

What are presumably mockups of English Electric Thunderbird surface-to-air missiles are shown, ready to enforce the no-fly zone above London. Unfortunately, all Thunderbirds were removed from service years before in 1977, so their appearance is an anachronism.