V (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Kenneth Johnson

Writer:

Kenneth Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

30 July 1984 (UK)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Humankind's last stand.

Plot:

When aliens come to Earth to ask for our help, a few suspicious humans discover their horrific true intentions and prepare to resist.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Resistance | Reptilian | Spacecraft | Freedom Fighter

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Jane Badler	...	Diana
Michael Durrell	...	Robert Maxwell
Faye Grant	...	Juliet Parrish
Peter Nelson	...	Brian
David Packer	...	Daniel Bernstein
Neva Patterson	...	Eleanor Dupres
Tommy Petersen	...	Josh Brooks (as Tommy Peterson)
Marc Singer	...	Mike Donovan
Blair Tefkin	...	Robin Maxwell
Michael Wright	...	Elias Taylor
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Lynn Bernstein
Leonardo Cimino	...	Abraham Bernstein
Richard Herd	...	John
Evan C. Kim	...	Tony Wah Chong Leonetti (as Evan Kim)
Richard Lawson	...	Dr. Ben Taylor

Also Known As:

Storm Warnings (USA) (original script title)
V: The Original Mini Series (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

197 min | Finland:189 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 (video premiere) | Iceland:16 | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (VHS version) | USA:TV-14 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Kenneth Johnson Productions

Trivia:

In a massive media campaign before the series aired, posters with the line "The Visitors Are Our Friends" appeared in subways around the United States--just as they did in the first part of the mini-series. Days before the first episode aired, each poster was spray-painted with a bright red "V" exactly as was done in the show.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the people watch a live broadcast of "John", the alien leader, film speckles and scratches appear on their televisions - revealing that they are clearly not watching "live" television.

Quotes:

[Abraham is hiding the Maxwell family in the pool house]
Stanley Bernstein: I really don't believe you brought them here.
Abraham Bernstein: They have nowhere to go. Their house is being watched now.
Stanley Bernstein: And so is ours! By Daniel! Tell them that we're sorry...
Abraham Bernstein: Stanley, you don't understand. They have to stay. They need a place to hide!
Stanley Bernstein: And why is that?
Abraham Bernstein: Because the father is a scientist.
Stanley Bernstein: And therefore suspect! And a fugitive, I take it, which would make them doubly dangerous.
Abraham Bernstein: They have to stay.
Stanley Bernstein: And I'm telling you to get them out, before I...
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Soundtrack:

Theme

Reptilian Invasion

The main cities of Earth are surprisingly visited by fifty-one huge alien spacecrafts, and their leader introduces themselves as a friend people looking for cooperation with earthlings. Sooner, they blame the scientists of sabotage and uprising against the visitors. The journalist Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) discloses the real intentions and the reptile appearance of the aliens, while groups of people organize resistance against the invaders.

"V" was a successful miniseries broadcasted in the 80's in Brazil. However, it has never been released on video or DVD in my country. I recently bought the imported DVD and after watching it, I still like this film a lot. The good story is an adaptation of a masquerade alien invasion with the Nazi actions and people reaction and resistance in Europe before and along World War II. After twenty-three years, this dramatic and full of action movie has not aged and is still one of the best science-fiction for TV. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Not Available"