L'invasion des cocons

Maverick detectives Ian McLemore (Charles Napier) and Jerry Merris (Ron Glass) find a routine investigation of the death of two teenagers takes a twist when they discover the killer is some kind of mutant alien thingy created by the U.S. Government. Naturally, whatever they do pisses off Capt. Robertson (Bo Svenson, proving he really isn't Napier in real life) and interferes with McLemore's plans on bedding young police woman Carla Sandbourn (Ann Turkel). Just kidding, he has mad bag piping skills that get her to take her clothes off (really!). This low-rent ALIEN rip-off from Fred Olen Ray works mostly due to the lead performance by Napier. He is genuinely funny and totally game for the crazy stuff he is asked to do (chasing mini-aliens around L.A.; chainsawing the monster in the finale). And the aforementioned seduction by bagpipe is truly something you've never seen before. Ray skimps on the gore and nudity (odd for him) but does deliver a nice gooey monster (which apparently comes with its own strobe light). Julie Newmar pops up for a few scenes as a psychic who is always calling McLemore with tips on where the alien is. Nice way to cover your holes, Fred.

The late, great character actor Charles Napier, a favourite of filmmakers Jonathan Demme and Russ Meyer, here has one of his rare leading roles. He plays Ian McLemore, your standard-issue rule-breaking, maverick police detective. He and his partner Jerry Merris (Ron Glass of 'Barney Miller' fame) pick up the trail of a monster that's crashed to Earth. But this is no actual extraterrestrial; it's a predatory life form that was designed by the government for use as a biological weapon. Various G-men try to stymy McLemores' efforts as he vows to find and destroy the rampaging, slime-spewing creature.

Afforded a relatively bigger budget than was usual for him, veteran B movie director Fred Olen Ray shows us a pretty good time with this one. It's knowingly cheesy stuff; the actors stop short of winking for the camera, but there IS a definite tongue-in-cheek quality to the whole script (written by Ray and T.L. Lankford). Some of the lines ARE pretty dopey. And Ray & company lightly poke fun at the conventions of the genre with their inclusion of various cliches (such as the hard-driving boss (Bo Svenson) who demands results). The body count is modest, but the monster is appropriately gnarly, the pace is good, and the movie generates some genuine chuckles along the way. It also features a unique seduction scene, as McLemore literally charms the pants off of hottie cop Sandbourn (Ann Turkel, "Humanoids from the Deep") by donning a kilt and playing the bagpipes.

As was often Rays' style, he packs the cast with a number of familiar faces, some from B movies of old, like Anthony Eisley ("The Wasp Woman"), Norman Burton ("Bloodsport"), Michael Forest ("Beast from Haunted Cave"), Elisabeth Brooks (the temptress from "The Howling"), James Booth ("Avenging Force"), Fox Harris ("Repo Man"), and Rachel Howard (Chili in "Friday the 13th Part III"). Julie "Catwoman" Newmar plays a psychic lady who has to try to convince authorities that her information has merit. The engaging Napier, all full of swagger, has good chemistry with both the sexy Turkel and the amiable Glass.

"Deep Space" is no great shakes, but then it's not even *trying* to be. It's merely good, straightforward entertainment that gives fans of the genre a good show for 91 reasonable minutes.

Seven out of 10.

Veteran director Fred Olen Ray and cinematographer Gary Graver prove they have the skill to put together a good low budget rip-off of Alien--but that they aren't gonna any time soon.

The movie is essentially a long string of clichés: Napier and Glass play two cops who "don't play by the book" blow up a car by shooting it, killing a perp who's "just a kid", getting suspended by their hard-ass boss (but mysteriously continuing to work nonetheless), investigating a mysterious murder which is being covered up by the military which, naturally, has been engaged in creating a super-war machine, etc. etc. etc.

Ann Turkel does an admirable job, even though she's given the thankless task of being Napier's love interest and virtually falling apart every time something happens.

Then there's this whole business of stunt casting Julie Newmar as the psychic who tells Napier where the alien is.

The frustrating thing is that, in between the nonsense, FOR shows a real talent for pacing, action and shooting on a budget. He and Graver manage to create real atmosphere in the final scenes that, even though it's directly lifted from Ridley Scott's "Alien" (note the character name "Mrs. Ridley"), complete with inexplicable smoke, light, dripping water and even strobes, it's a tantalizing look at what the two are capable of when they set their minds to it.

But as much as I was rooting for it, when Napier says (in the post-coital dialogue with Turkel) "The street is my boss. Who's yours?" I realized that the movie had landed in camp-ville, like it or not, and there it would stay.

Obvious "Alien" rip off, "Deep Space" is a lighthearted monster on the loose romp, which is notable for it's fun casting. Charles Napier, who is almost always playing the bad guy, truly surprises here with his excellent wise cracking cop performance. True, the story is familiar, but the script is secondary to the funny dialog. One highlight for sure is a seduction by bagpipes scene that is not to be missed, with Ann Turkel even providing a wee bit of skin. Even the monster itself creates chuckles, with it's "Silly String" tentacles lassoing victims into it's very "Alien" like jaws. For those who appreciate low budget winners, "Deep Space" will not disappoint. Anyone expecting a terrifying space alien is advised to look elsewhere. - MERK

A cut-rate imitation of "Alien" that has an air of sloppiness about it (the script could have been written over a weekend probably), but delivers the goods in the end with some good buzzsaw action and lots of slime. Problem is, it's STILL not particularly better than any other of the dozens of "Alien" ripoffs that are floating around.....(**)