Morons from Outer Space

Goodness knows here are many worse, and dumber, comedies out there, but its truly a shame that Smith and Jones didn't put this script through some more refinement, and hired a veteran comedy director (one who has a sense of timing), before blowing their chance at international fame. The main problem with the film is it tries to do to many things and use too many comedic styles at once. On one hand it tries to satirize our celebrity focused culture, while on another it tries to send up the conventions of science fiction films (and films in general)a la the Zuckers. At the same time that its trying to juggle those concepts, its also trying telling a story that could have been inherently funny on its own, without the distractions of the slapstick and the parodies. The idea that the first aliens to openly visit Earth are here by accident simply because they're too stupid to pilot, let alone understand the workings of, their rented spacecraft had great potential, but the movie is too distracted by everything else it tries to do for it to work. Despite its problems, there are some genuine laughs to be had here, and its well worth a watch.

I remember when MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE it was criticised as being just about the worst British film ever made ! What you mean it`s worse than REMEMBER ME THIS WAY where Gary Glitter plays a tough macho sex god ? I don`t think so .

I will say this movie is very patchy mainly down to the small budget and a dual plot , something that`s not seen either very often or very successfully in film script structure . The scenes featuring Bernard are funny especially the " Are you male or female ? " scene but the ones set in England are slightly tedious and do lack a focus .

Yeah it`s hard to imagine that the director of this made both GET CARTER and FLASH GORDON but surely any self respecting IMDB addict can sit back and enjoy this movie due to the referrances . Let`s see now THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT , a line of dialogue snatched from BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI , oh what`s that movie with Jack Nicolson in a lunatic asylum ? ....

I first saw 'Morons From Outer Space' on cable television when I was 12 years old. (1986.) Recently I spotted it for sale on DVD, and what, with a price tag of only 10 dollars, thought I couldn't pass up owning this cinematic masterpiece.

So how does it look now that I am older and more sophisticated? (Or at least just older...)

Its 100 times funnier now. I actually GET the jokes I didn't when I was 12 because I have seen the other movies they reference (Cuckoo's Nest, etc.) I also have a better eye for subtly and timing. The other IMDB reviewer here was right-there is a lot more to this film than there appears to be at first viewing. Not to mention the nice part where the Aliens are brought 'down to earth,' metaphorically speaking.

If you have seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail 2000 times and are sick to death of it, well, go and watch it again. But after that, see Morons From Outer Space. Every scene in it is like a small sketch and will actually get funnier with repeated viewings, much like Python.

Favorite scenes: The 'therapy' at the psycho ward with the Iron Maiden record, and the sneeze inside the space helmet. Classic!

Morons from Outer Space is ridiculous. The humour, at first glance, is very low-brow. Look beneath the surface, and the movie is rife with satire and irony. The characters are absurd, but believable in the context of their world. The real triumph of the film are the subtlety of much of the gags. It takes familiar themes of human life and extrapolates them to their most ridiculous conclusion. It is extremely silly, but I never tire of watching it.

There's a few chuckles in this sci-fi comedy about earth's first alien visitors being essentially a bunch of uneducated space truckers. Mel Smith co-wrote and stars in the film and somehow managed to snag respected British director Mike Hodges to helm the film. The picture was also shot by ace cinematographer Phil Meheux, who's done everything from multiple James Bond pictures to "The Smurfs" to "The Long Good Friday". However, the concept likely would have worked better as a short film or SNL skit than a feature length film and the plot drags on far too long. Worth a look, but nothing special.