Strange Invaders (1983)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Michael Laughlin

Writers:

Bill Condon (story) &
Michael Laughlin (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

25 Years Ago They Arrived From Another Galaxy. Surprise--They're Still Here.

Plot:

Charlie's ex-wife disappears, and he goes to where she grew up--a rural town in the midwest--to look for her...

Plot Keywords:

Alien | UFO | Alien Abduction | Return | Invasion

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Paul Le Mat	...	Charles Bigelow
Nancy Allen	...	Betty Walker
Diana Scarwid	...	Margaret
Michael Lerner	...	Willie Collins
Louise Fletcher	...	Mrs. Benjamin
Wallace Shawn	...	Earl
Fiona Lewis	...	Waitress / Avon Lady
Kenneth Tobey	...	Arthur Newman
June Lockhart	...	Mrs. Bigelow
Charles Lane	...	Prof. Hollister
Lulu Sylbert	...	Elizabeth
Joel Cohen	...	Tim
Dan Shor	...	Teen Boy in Prologue
Dey Young	...	Teen Girl in Prologue
Jack Kehler	...	Gas Station Attendant
Mark Goddard	...	Detective
Thomas Kopache	...	State Trooper
Bobby Pickett	...	Editor
Connie Kellers	...	Connie
Nancy Johnson	...	Stewardess #1
Betsy Pickering	...	Stewardess #2
Jonathan Ulmer	...	Room Service Waiter
Ron Gillham	...	First Alien
Al Roberts	...	Man in Dark Glasses
Edwina Follows	...	Nurse
Patti Medwid	...	Room Service Waitress
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Condon	...	(uncredited)
George Hollo	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Laughlin

Writing credits
Bill Condon		(story) (as William Condon) &
Michael Laughlin		(story) and
Walter Halsey Davis		(story) (as Walter Davis)
Bill Condon		(screenplay) (as William Condon) &
Michael Laughlin		(screenplay)

Produced by
Walter Coblenz	....	producer
Richard Moore	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Addison

Cinematography by
Louis Horvath

Film Editing by
John W. Wheeler

Production Design by
Susanna Moore

Art Direction by
Emad Helmy
Mischa Petrow

Set Decoration by
Gustave Meunier		(as Gus Meunier)

Costume Design by
Susanna Moore

Makeup Department
Ken Brooke	....	makeup artist
James Cummins	....	special makeup effects designer
Barbara Guedel	....	makeup artist: Nancy Allen
James Keeler	....	hair stylist
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Marilyn Stonehouse	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Cummins	....	second unit director
Edwina Follows	....	third assistant director
David McLeod	....	second assistant director
David Shepherd	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dan Conley	....	property master
Perri Gorrara	....	trainee art director
Robert James	....	assistant set decorator
Walter Woloszczuk	....	assistant props

Sound Department
Lon Bender	....	supervising sound designer
Sandy Berman	....	supervising sound editor
Neil Brody	....	sound re-recording mixer
Herb Heritage	....	boom operator
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Newlan	....	sound editor
Lauren Palmer	....	dialogue editor
Peter Shewchuk	....	sound mixer
Robert Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Lawrence E. Benson	....	special effects
Martin Coblenz	....	special effects
James Cummins	....	special effects
Stephan Dupuis	....	special effects
Kenneth Jones	....	special effects
Martin Malivoire	....	special effects
John Muto	....	special effects
Robert Skotak	....	special effects
Neil Trifunovich	....	on set effects

Visual Effects by
Chuck Comisky	....	visual effects producer
Ted Rae	....	visual effects crew

Camera and Electrical Department
Catharine Bushnell	....	still photographer: New York
John Davidson	....	third grip (as John Davidson Jr.)
Tony Eldridge	....	best boy
Ron Gillham	....	key grip
Glen Goodchild	....	second grip
Chris Holmes	....	gaffer
Sam Hughes	....	lamp operator
Jay Kohne	....	second assistant camera
Gordon Langevin	....	first assistant camera
Herb Reischl Sr.	....	generator operator (as Herb Reischl)
Robert Saad	....	camera operator (as Bob Saad)
Shin Sugino	....	still photographer
James B. Wood	....	fourth grip (as James Wood)

Casting Department
Ellen Chenoweth	....	casting consultant
Linda Francis	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Matheson	....	wardrobe
Mary McCready	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Florence Williamson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Ken Wilhoit	....	music editor

Other crew
Michael Brownstone	....	location manager
Prudence Emery	....	unit publicist
Alice Ferrier	....	production coordinator
Henry J. Golas	....	alien effects unit
Blanche McDermaid	....	script supervisor
Andrea Poulis	....	secretary

Production Companies

• EMI Films
• Lone Wolf McQuade Associates

Distributors

• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• Vestron Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints by (as DeLuxe)

Runtime:

UK:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Norway:15 (video premiere) | UK:12 | USA:PG

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

Two stars from the cult classic sci-fi series "Lost in Space", Mark Goddard and June Lockhart, appear in this film, which is a homage to cult sci-fi.

Goofs:

Continuity: The red truck at the beginning of the movie that has the teenage couple in it keeps changing. The wooden side rails on the truck box disappear and reappear.

Quotes:

Mrs. Benjamin: [to FBI man, after discovering Charles and Betty taking the train] They took the train!

Movie Connections:

Features The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Soundtrack:

1,000,000

Unexpected sleeper that might knock your sox off...

This is a "smaller" science fiction film about aliens being discovered on Earth. Excellent cast, intelligent story and suspense carry this well above others of its kind. Well worth a viewing by fans of the genre. Solid 8 according to the Miller Movie formula.