Xtro

In 1982, following the release of Spielbergs E. T in cinemas, John Carpenter had remade The Thing. The classic story of an alien intruder at a military and scientific base, discovered frozen in a block of ice. While Carpenters version was initially met with disgust and disdain in equal measure, another film, a low budget outer space shocker involving another visitor from beyond, was wrapped in the UK. Somewhat overlooked but finding momentum in the vhs rental shops of eighties Britain and that of course was Xtro. There were some parallels with ET concerning a young boys special relationship with an alien but this film was much darker and disturbing. A father is abducted by a "light" in the sky and, after 3 years, returns home to relocate his wife and specifically his son. The father however, is much different now and conceals alien dna within having being "changed so i could live there" referring to the alien world in which he was taken. Reborn in the most gruesome and notorious sequence in the film ( hands over your eyes) which still stands out as a superb example of practical effects on a shoestring. The rest of the film becomes somekind of kitchen sink drama as the mans wife, her new partner, a french housesitter and the son become implicated in the events that unfold while trying to reveal the true motives of the husband!!! Two sequels were made, neither related to this or each other, some years later by the same director who also composed the soundtrack to the film. Not for everyone but worth viewing if you enjoy your horror or scifi with a serving of splatter!

XTRO is one low budget flick. So low it's almost breathtaking that they actually finished it and released it to theaters.

The film itself is somewhat vulgar and unpleasant (the low budget quality doesn't help...) but even with the unpleasant aspects of it all, the film is fun to watch because it's so wonky and bizarre that it's impossible to stop looking at it. And the cheap synth music, coupled with the UFO storyline and the odd looking alien all give the film a unique otherworldly feel to it that's more effective than 99% of big budgeted films made in Hollywood. If early David Cronenberg had directed an alien movie, it probably would have looked something like XTRO.

But even all of its good aspects don't hide the fact that the film doesn't make much sense and the acting and dialogue are, for the most part, bad. But if you're a fan of films about UFOs like me, make sure to check this film out.

I had been warned off watching 'Xtro' for years having been assured by everyone who had ever heard about it that it was cheap, awful and nasty trash. Suddenly I found myself with the inexplicable urge to watch it. "MUST see Xtro! MUST see Xtro!" became my mantra. Then finally I managed to find a copy. I held my breath as I fed it into my video player. I expected it to be bad. Real bad. Ted V. Mikels bad. Even Donald G. Jackson bad. (and that my friends is quite possibly as bad as it gets!) But even worse, with lots of added gore. However I was most surprised to find that 'Xtro' wasn't all that bad at all. Crappy acting, no budget, and the "special effects" aren't special or actually all that effective, but despite all that I was hooked from the word go, and satisfied when it ended. This is a superior sci fi video nasty. It's stupid yes, but it knows it is, and it delivers the goods. The plot itself is simple: man abducted by aliens returns years later to reunite with his son, but that in no way conveys just how freakin' STRANGE this movie is! Plus it contains nudity from Maryam D'Abo (the loveliest of the lovely D'Abo sisters), an unforgettably bizarre birth screen, a demented clown, and plenty of gore. It even features obscure 80s synth-poppers Tik and Tok! Beat that for sheer oddness! So forget the anti-'Xtro' brigade and give it a look. Fans of weird sci fi and horror movies will absolutely love this one! Highly recommended to b-movie buffs.

"Xtro" (1983) is a very weird little slice of Sci-Fi Horror and one of the few British films that landed on the UK film censors' infamous 'Video Nasty' list. The film is incredibly bizarre and quite bloody, and while it isn't a must-see it is warmly recommended to fans of cult-cinema and weird stuff.

While playing with his son, Sam Phillips (Philip Sayer) is abducted by an alien force. Several years thereafter he returns (in a somewhat bizarre manner), and isn't quite the same anymore... This may not really be a proper plot description of "Xtro", but the film really is way too bizarre in order to properly describe it without spoiling it. "Xtro" is weird from start to finish, and that is exactly what makes it interesting. "Xtro" has an undeniable Trash-feeling, which also only makes it more valuable for my fellow cult-cinema fans. The film landed on the Video Nasty list due to its gore. The gory scenes are intense and includes one particularly nauseating 'birth'-sequence. "Xtro" is still probably one of the less explicit films on this list, which generally shows that film-censors lack both intelligence and art-appreciation. The storyline actually quite interesting, though sometimes a bit too confused. It gets quite goofy at times, but then it has its genuinely ingenious moments.

It is worth mentioning that this is the first film featuring the sexy Maryam d'Abo, who is best known for her Bondgirl role in "The Living Daylights" (1987). She plays a French au-pair-girl here. The performances are generally pretty good, especially for a film that has seems somewhat trashy and cheap. The gore- and make-up effects vary between brutally nauseating and cheesy, depending on the particular sequence. Overall, "Xtro" is recommendable to my fellow fans of bizarre Horror, though I wouldn't say you've missed a lot if you decide to skip it.

A man is abducted by aliens and returned to his family 3 years later. Strange and terrible things begin happening almost immediately.

XTRO is an extremely odd movie with loads of jaw-dropping set pieces, including: #1- A woman attacked by a crawling, grasshopper-legged alien! #2- The disgusting birth of a full-grown man! #3- Murder by a 6' tall action figure! #4- An eeevil, homicidal clown! #5- A woman turned into a cocooned egg-laying machine!

This movie has a nightmare quality about it, and weirdness to spare! In addition, the heavenly Maryam D'Abo just can't seem to keep her clothing from flying off!

For those looking for something VERY different...