Alienator
Alienator is a 1990 science fiction film directed by Fred Olen Ray, produced by Jeffrey C. Hogue, and starring Jan-Michael Vincent.
| Alienator | |
|---|---|
Home media cover | |
| Directed by | Fred Olen Ray |
| Written by | Paul Garson[1] |
| Produced by | Jeffrey C. Hogue[1] |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Gary Graver[1] |
| Edited by | Chris Roth[1] |
| Music by | Chuck Cirino[1] |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Prism Entertainment[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film was described by Leonard Maltin and confirmed by Fred Olen Ray to be a "semi-remake" of the 1957 film The Astounding She-Monster.[2] Robert Clarke, who starred in that film, also appears in Alienator.[3]
Plot
Kol, an alien criminal, escapes from a spaceship into the woods of an American suburb. The commander of the spaceship dispatches "the Alienator"—a deadly gynoid, to capture Kol. She relentlessly pursues Kol and a group of teenagers whom he meets up with.
Cast
- Jan-Michael Vincent as Commander
- John Phillip Law as Ward Armstrong
- Ross Hagen as Kol
- Teagan Clive as Alienator
- Dyana Ortelli as Orrie
- Jesse Dabson as Benny
- Dawn Wildsmith as Caroline
- P. J. Soles as Tara
- Robert Clarke as Lund
- Richard Wiley as Rick
- Leo Gordon as Col. Coburn
- Robert Quarry as Doc Burnside
- Fox Harris as Burt
- Hoke Howell as Harley
- Jay Richardson as Prison sergeant major
- Dan Golden as Electrocuted prisoner
- Joseph Pilato as Tech #2
Release
Alienator was originally set for release between May and August in 1989.[4] Prism Entertainment announced in November 1989 to release the film along with Time Troopers in late December.[5] Prism later released the film on February 8, 1990.[6][7]
On March 19, 2013, the film was released on DVD by Shout! Factory as part of a two-disc "Action-Packed Movie Marathon" set, which contains a total of four films.[8] On June 13, 2017, the film was released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory, featuring a commentary track by director Fred Olen Ray.[9]
Reception
From contemporary reviews, "Lor." of Variety reviewed the AIP video cassette on November 18, 1989.[1] "Lor." declared the film to be a "tongue-in cheek sci-fi thriller geared towards home video fans with a soft spot for the old stars and old-fashioned serials."[1] "Lor." noted the film "suffers from a weak script" that gave Jan-Michael Vincent and John Phillip Law little to do while P.J. Soles is "stuck in a rather goofy costume as an outer space technician".[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lor. 1991.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard (2015). Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965 (third ed.). Plume. ISBN 978-0147516824.
- ^ Weldon, Michael J. (1996). The Psychotronic Video Guide To Film. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0312131494.
- ^ "Mid-May through August". The Los Angeles Times. January 15, 1989. p. 12.
- ^ "When TV Mattered". New York Daily News. November 21, 1989. p. 36.
- ^ "Coming Attractions". The Chicago Tribune. January 19, 1990. p. 62 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Blowen, Michael (January 26, 1990). "Advertising Comes to the Movies". The Boston Globe. p. 47.
- ^ "Action Packed Movie Marathon (Cyclone, Alienator, Eye Of The Tiger & Exterminator 2)". Amazon.com. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Alienator [Blu-ray]". Amazon.com. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
Sources
- Lor. (1991). Variety's Film Reviews 1989-1990. Vol. 21. R. R. Bowker. There are no page numbers in this book. This entry is found under the header "December 6, 1989". ISBN 0-8352-3089-9.