Review: Alien Trespass (2009)

[Steve Rhodes]

ALIEN TRESPASS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ***

While it never rises to the level of GALAXY QUEST, my gold standard for 
funny sci-fi films, ALIEN TRESPASS consistently delights and amuses.  As 
director R.W. Goodwin pointed out at our screening, the makers of the sci-fi 
films of the 1950s never thought they were making comedies.  It's just that 
the films became funny to viewers after our science evolved, as did our 
ability to construct more and more convincing special effects.  There are 
certain inherent limitations in what one can do when your monsters are men 
in rubber suits.

As ALIEN TRESPASS begins, a pair of young lovers is necking at "The Point." 
While they might be named Ashley and Ethan today, their names instead are 
Penny (Sarah Smyth) and Dick (Andrew Dunbar), classic names from 1957, when 
the story is set.  Actually, the movie is preceded by a mostly real newsreel 
from November 21, 1957, which nicely sets the timeframe.

The love-making in this would-be G-rated movie is as circumspect as any 
sci-fi, or other most other, film from the 1950s would show it.  And before 
Penny and Dick's kissing gets too hot and heavy, it is interrupted by the 
landing of a flying saucer.  Of course, Officer Vernon (Robert Patrick, the 
T-1000 in TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY) doesn't believe a thing the teenagers 
tell him about monsters from outer space.

Meanwhile back in the Lewis household, uber-wife Lana (Jody Thompson, "THE 
4400") is fixing a meal for her pipe-smoking husband Ted (Eric McCormack, 
Will from "Will & Grace").  Ultra-suave and looking a bit like Hugh Heffner 
with the pajamas, Ted soon runs into difficulty as his body gets 
expropriated by an alien named Urp, a marshal on the flying saucer who is in 
charge of a pair of nefarious Ghotas.  Get the joke, right?  He's Marshal 
Urp.  Both Ghotas are played by Jovan Nenadic, who is the man inside the 
silly suit, which looks like -- well I won't give that away, but I will say 
that it has one big eye and some creepy looking tentacles.

The best movies are those that get the little things right and then go on to 
make use of those details.  The role of the girlfriend from the 1950s is 
perfectly captured by such details.  You'll notice that Penny has a class 
ring around her neck, which means that she is going steady with Dick.  And, 
being a girl in that era means that her main role in the relationship is to 
say "no," early and often.  This is best observed in the movie's best scene 
by far.

A bunch of amorous teens go to the local movie theater to see THE BLOB, 
starring Steve McQueen.  The canonical scene from that movie is one in which 
a group of teens are watching a scary movie when the Blob comes oozing after 
them from the projection booth behind them.  As the teens in ALIEN TRESPASS 
watch this scene from THE BLOB, a Ghota appears behind them.  When it places 
one of its tentacles on the shoulder of a girl in the back row, she keeps it 
flicking it away, assuming that it's her boyfriend's hand.  Her purpose in 
the relationship is the stopping of hanky-panky in its tracks.  She has no 
idea that she is inadvertently trying to stop a monster.

As always, the real question in these stories is how the monster will be 
killed or at least immobilized.  If they can't stop it, the whole town will 
turn into puddles of ooze, which is what happens to humans who tangle with a 
Ghota.  Will a "biogenic phase disrupter" be enough to put a Ghota down? 
Stay tuned.

Actually, it's too bad that there is no longer a market for serials at the 
theater.  It would be a hoot to see a ten minute episode every week of ALIEN 
TRESPASS, but, since that's no longer a possibility, you'll have to enjoy 
this single and self-contained episode.  You'll be smiling for weeks 
afterwards.

ALIEN TRESPASS runs a fast 1:30.  It is not rated but would probably be 
rated G and would be acceptable for all ages.

The film opens in limited release in the United States on Friday April 3, 
2009.  The movie was shown in February at the Camera Cinema Club 
(http://www.cameracinemas.com) of Campbell and San Jose.

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