ALIEN TRESPASS

Directed By R.W. Goodwin

Review By Kim Jindra

Technically ALIEN TRESPASS is the classic 1950's science fiction adventure.  It is lovingly crafted with the right, feel look, and storyline.  Even Louis Febre's score gets it right with the pitch perfect performance of thereminist Rob Schwimmer.

It is 1957, and more than steaks are sizzling at the desert home of astronomer Dr. Ted Lewis (Eric McCormack) and his wife, Lana (Jody Thompson).   The fire works caused by the meteor shower, is eclipsed by the anniversary celebration Lana has planned for her spouse, until, a giant flaming ball lights up the night sky.  Ted is intrigued and wants to investigate but sexy Lana has a different agenda.

Across town waitress Tammy (Jody Thompson) is dreaming of a life painting pictures on the California coast.  She makes a wish on a shooting star.

Things are getting hot out on lover's lane with high schoolers Penny (Sarah Smyth) and Dick (Andrew Dunbar) when the fiery orb bursts across the night sky and plunges to the desert floor.  The mood is broken. Poor Dick. Penny doesn't even want to investigate.   

But Ted does.  In the middle of the night he extricates himself from Lana and goes on a fact finding mission.  He enters the downed space ship and is immediately eviscerated - or so it seems.  Urp, re-emerges in Ted's body.  Urp is on a mission to retrieve the one-eyed Ghota who escaped during the crash.  The Ghota's insatiable appetite threatens mankind.

Urp returns to the Lewis' home to enlist Lana's aid but she is freaked out by her husband's strange behavior so he takes off in the family car.   Soon everyone notices Dr. Lewis is not normal but then a lot of weird things are happening. People begin disappearing.  The local law enforcement is skeptical until one of its own is puddled.  Tammy realizes she must step up to protect the town.  She befriends Urp and they track the Ghota together.  Having a woman heroine is a bit of a twist.

This movie left me questioning its target audience.  Instead of getting involved in the plot I found myself admiring the costumes, the sets and even the authentic hair styles.  I was disappointed because I thought this was a spoof. There were only a handful of chuckles.  I got all the references to the great sci fi classics but I'm not sure that's enough for this film to find a following.  For me, this period piece was more about show than entertainment.