ALIEN SPECIES (1996)

[The Burgomaster]

This movie is included in the NIGHTMARE WORLDS 50 MOVIE PACK.

First of all, the opening credits list Charles Napier (RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and many, many other movies) as the star.  He plays a sheriff and is on screen for maybe 5 minutes. 

The plot involves astronomers (a guy and a woman sitting in a room that looks like it is inside someone's apartment - - there are a few computer monitors in the room and pictures of planets taped to the wall) discovering alien ships approaching the earth.  Once this happen, the action (or LACK of action) switches to a cave where a couple of women, a murder suspect, and a couple of cops get chased around by aliens.  Bad special effects abound!

Before long, we learn that the government knew about the aliens before they landed, but did not take action (strong political commentary here).

The murder suspect emerges as sort of the "nice guy" hero and says a lot of Schwarzenegger-type "catch phrases" that will make you want to groan.  At one point he says, "We're not in Kansas any more."

The ending will make you want to stomp up and down on the disc.

After all that negativity, I encourage all you fans of bad sci-fi to take a look at this one.

[peter johnson]

I own this!
I also love the very very cheap saucer/laser effects when the "spaceships" are "destroying" the "city" -- see all those quote marks?  Be warned . . .
And I love the beach-ball eggs and cheap industrial polyurathene tubing in the alien "nest" as well as the stoic, obvious single-piece wouldn't-even-wear-one for Halloween masks that the boss aliens wear.
Just an all 'round poo-fest!
And, boy-howdy, do those folks stand around and talk . . . and talk . . . and talk!!
Hitchcock once said that in order for a sound film to work, it must first work as a silent.  By that standard alone, this one works not at all --
I also love the opening "lab", which is obviously a collection of televisions and used computer monitors and old game consoles placed at random around on used particle-board bookcases.  Cheapest damn set you're likely to see for a long time!
peter johnson/denny crane

[Kester Pelagius]

IIRC I have this on a flipper disc with Moon of the Wolf.  That says something right there but what I really remember most about the movie was the nifty CGI SFX.  Wow those were, wow!  I haven't seen anything like that since, well, since this one game I played on my old 486 100 mhz.  ;)

Did I mention the CGI?  Because it's, wow!

Heartily recommeded for bad movie night.  Just remember to bring the beer, nachos, and a barf bag.   

[quabrot]

I can just give it a thumbs up.  The utter cheapness made me happy.  I was very saddened when I found out Alien Species 2: The Invasion never came to fruition.

[Foywonder]

I remember watching this one and admiring its ambition. Alas, boredom eventually overwhelmed ambition.