….and a merry Et Al. to you all
In this issue of Et Al., we have a visitor from Outer Space, and a visitor from Down Below; two different Bulldog Drummonds, and two different Dick Tracys; an all-black cast, a distinguished white actor in brownface, and a lot of extremely pale-skinned Arabs. Enjoy!
And here’s this issue’s visual clue:
Assuming we’re done with new reviews before the holidays… »
Comments
Comment from Zack Handlen
Time: December 24, 2007, 3:00 pm
Ahhh, Mr. Frost. After years of hearing about it, I finally managed to buy a copy of the out of print VHS tape, with the somewhat mixed results you describe. Jeff Goldblum was excellent, but everything else… Bleah. It also suffered from some painfully heavy-handed direction, more appropriate to a mid-eighties erotic thriller than a supposed theological horror film.
Comment from lyzard
Time: December 24, 2007, 4:37 pm
Yes, I was disappointed, too; they could have done so much better with that premise.
Comment from The Rev. D.D.
Time: December 26, 2007, 4:11 pm
I rented Lifeform/Invader years ago, and had much the same reaction you and Greywizard did…a surprisingly intelligent and enjoyable low-budget film with an ending that ruins the whole experience. I felt better after reading the explanation for it, although I’d love to find out what the original ending was to entail.
Probably one of my favorite alien critter designs ever, that one. I don’t know how practical it’d be on a planet like Mars, but definitely original and interesting.
Comment from lyzard
Time: December 26, 2007, 7:57 pm
I felt better after reading the explanation for it, although I’d love to find out what the original ending was to entail.
That’s exactly what I thought, too. And I did wonder whether Keith might still have that guy’s e-mail address, so that we could find out. (Although it would probably be a case of I’m sorry I asked!)
Looking at that alien, particularly its hands, I thought they might have worked it up using the Martian in the original War Of The Worlds as a starting point. The amount of time the film spends debating/explaining its biology was just music to me!
Comment from blake Matthews
Time: December 27, 2007, 6:29 am
I’ve wanted to see “Lifeform” ever since it started coming on cable. Blast! I wonder if it’s available in any shape or form down here. I also always wanted to watch Creepazoids, so what does that say about me? 
Comment from lyzard
Time: December 27, 2007, 3:23 pm
That you’ve come to the right place.
Comment from The Rev. D.D.
Time: December 27, 2007, 4:19 pm
You might be right about the hands. I don’t think I picked up on that before, but it’s been years, so I forgive me.
I don’t think we’d be sorry we asked…whatever that original ending was, I’m betting it was more satisfying than what they were forced to go with, considering how intelligent and enjoyable the rest of the movie was.
[i]Creepazoids[/i]? Meh. You’re really not missing much. The cover art is easily the best part of the movie (and, naturally, depicts a critter that looks nothing like the one in the movie. Not to say that I didn’t like the design in the movie, though.) Pretty slow going, with not much pay-off.
Comment from Blake Matthews
Time: December 27, 2007, 4:45 pm
Back in ‘96 or ‘97, I went through a period in which I wanted to see all of the Alien rip-offs. I made it as far as “Creature” and “Galaxy of Terror” before stopping. I have almost watched “DNA” on several occasions. I think it’s only a matter of time before I finally sit down and watch it.
Comment from sssss
Time: February 2, 2008, 10:52 am
sssssssssssssssssssssssssss ffffffffffffffffffff
Comment from Blake Matthews
Time: December 24, 2007, 6:55 am
“Cueball himself is about as sharp as the anatomical feature he’s named for – his idea of a cunning disguise is to put on a hat…”
Hey, it worked for the Ninja Turtles.