Angie B's 31 Horror Films in 31 Days Continues With... ALIEN TRESPASS.
ALIEN TRESPASS
(2009)
STARRING: , Jenni Baird, Robert Patrick, Andrew Dunbar, Sage Brocklebank.
DIRECTED BY: R.W. Goodwin.
RATED: PG
The premise for this movie is deliciously meta: Apparently 's grandfather -- known affectionately as Merrick to his fans -- filmed what was dubbed the BEST ALIEN MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!! back in 1957. But due to a disastrous falling out with the head of the studio, all copies of Alien Trespass were to be destroyed. Fast forward to 2009, and some construction workers demolishing an old studio lot uncover a canister containing the sole surviving copy of that infamous film. Now we can finally watch the BEST ALIEN MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!! Oh God, it's brilliant.
A spaceship crash-lands on Earth, and a tentacled monster called the Ghota escapes from "interstellar federal marshal" Urp. The Ghota begins to run amok in a sleepy California town, and Urp must borrow the body of astronomer Dr. Ted Lewis (McCormack) in order to stop the creature before it dissolves the entire town. Teaming up with the plucky waitress Tammy (Baird), Urp sets out to recapture the wayward monster, which soon tries to attack fresh-faced teen Dick (Dunbar) and his girlfriend Penny before terrorizing the local police force headed by Vern (Patrick) and his rookie partner Stu (Brocklebank).
LOOK OUT, PENNY! IT'S GOT IT'S EYE ON YOU!
THIS FILM IS SUCH A RIOT. Oh God, I didn't stop smiling from start to finish. This is easily one of the best and sweetest parodies/spoofs/homages to the alien invasion films of the 40s and 50s. They managed to hit every note perfect, from the fashions to the slang-heavy dialogue to the slightly hammy over-acting and downright adorable special effects. The first time I got a good look at the Ghota, with its plastic tentacles and awkward shuffling gate, I about cracked a rib with laughter. The guy inside that suit must have had a BLAST.
You've got your standard box set of characters, too. There's the dashingly handsome but slightly useless astronomer Ted, who always has a pipe in his mouth and horn-rimmed glasses. The plucky waitress with dreams far bigger than her little town. The good girl with her powder blue dress and square boyfriend, and the boyfriend's "bad boy" greaser best friend who denounces every cop as an "egg-sucker". There's the devoted housewife, the oblivious cops, and the alien protector who talks robotically and doesn't understand the concept of physical attraction. To put it simply, this film is an absolute hoot.
Urp's laser gun doesn't even kill -- it only stuns.
I just adore everything this film chooses to be. It would be part of a great double feature alongside Fido, which lovingly spoofs the same era if only with just a bit more bite. It's just so colorful, so silly, and so fun. And the performances are simply perfect. I've never been a huge fan of Eric McCormack, but damn if he isn't the best thing ever as Ted/Urp. He plays them each as completely distinct characters in the same body, and it's wonderful. He delivers the stereotypical spaceman lingo with nary a blink and no sign of his tongue in his cheek -- his earnestness as Urp is perfect. I also absolutely love his ineptness with the women in the picture (he constantly says, "Ted wants you safe!" to which they reply, "Okay, sweetie, just sit down now, I think you hit your head.") and his constant mentions of the "polarity" between the genders -- something he absolutely does not understand but would like to.
If you're in the mood for a really fun and silly film that will make you grin like a lunatic, please do yourself a favor and check this gem out. It's streaming free on , and is barely an hour and a half long. It's about as close to perfect as a parody/homage can get, and is sure to charm just about anyone who doesn't have a heart made of stone. I also highly recommend checking out the official website before you watch, as it only adds to the fun. :D
FINAL SCORE: I simply have to give this a 9 out of 10 for sheer delight. :D
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