| | | | Strange Invaders
(1983) |
n 1983, Writer/Director Bill Condon, who went on to acclaim for films like "Chicago" and "Gods & Monsters", together with film star Nancy Allen, an 80's staple for her relatable performances in films like "RoboCop", "Blow Out", "Limit Up" and "The Philadelphia Experiment", traveled to New York to screen their new film , "Strange Invaders" for famed movie critic Pauline Kael.
The critic, who had been very complimentary of Allen's career since her breakout role in "Dressed to Kill", did not understand the film and found it largely forgetable. She did focus on the fact that Allen's legs looked extremely long on the big screen. It was an uncomfortable meeting to say the least.
When released in late 1983, the film did moderate box office and garnered favorable critical response, making many year end "Top Ten Lists". "Strange Invaders", for all of its suspense and shockingly gruesome special effects, also offered something else that movie goers weren't quite used to: equal parts political commentary and pop culture wink-wink (a technique mastered in the 90's by Wes Craven in his "Scream" trilogy).
In addition to making a strong commentary on the parallel between 1950's and 1980's Communist paranoia, it also included 1950's sci-fi staples in cameos: Kenneth Tobey ("The Thing") and June Lockhart ("Lost in Space").
When Charles Bigelow (Paul LeMat), an Entemology professor at Columbia in New York, attempts to track down his estranged wife Margaret (Diana Scarwid) and their daughter Elizabeth (Lulu Sylbert), he makes a journey to Centerville, IL -- his wife's hometown.
Things are pretty creepy in Centerville. The town seems stuck in the early 1950's. And Charles senses something is wrong. As he continues to inquire about Margaret, the town becomes more and more hostile, culminating in Bigelow's first encounter with an alien...
When he returns to New York, friends and family (quite undertstandably) act like he is crazy. They insist that Margaret will return in time and, just as Charles begins to believe them, he sees a picture of the alien he saw in Centerville on the cover of a tabloid newspaper.
At the newspaper office, Charles encounters the editor of the newspaper Betty Walker (Nancy Allen) and her assistant Tim (Joel Cohen -- one half of the "Big Lebowski/Fargo/Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" directing team, the Cohen Brothers). Betty dismisses Charlie as a lunatic and sends him packing. Later at her apartment, an Avon Lady (Fiona Shaw) comes calling. And by Avon Lady, I mean alien. It seems that the aliens have followed Charlie back to New York. And he led them straight to the woman who published one of their pictures.
Now both Betty and Charlie are in a race against time to save themselves from the gruesome Invaders and save Elizabeth before the aliens return home. After 25 years here on Earth disguised as humans, they are returning to their home planet on Saturday and this doesn't give our heroes much time. As they travel across country, outrunning an FBI agent (Louise Fletcher), to return to Centerville the paranoia and terror continues to build to tremendously satisfying conclusion.
Rent or Buy the film to today -- I won't ruin it for you. Trust me, it's worth it.
The film has awesome visual effects, crazy fun dialogue, wonderful performances by Nancy Allen, Wallace Shawn and Michael Lerner (as Willie, the now asylum-bound photographer of the infamous printed Strange Invader photo). The score is also eerie and memorable.
 Don't forget that Strange Invaders is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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Performances, Plot and Effects equal an 80's KO. Nancy Allen, Wallace Shawn and Michael Lerner deliver inspired performances.
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You can now correct/update any item of trivia by clicking the "Update" button next to it...
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When Fletcher is showing LeMat drawings of commonly seen aliens, she includes a picture of Steven Speilberg, known at the time for his alien and sci fi genre movies like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Poltergeist", and ET. 
Nancy Allen is (quite blatently) not wearing a bra during her infamous running sequence (as she tries to make it to the elevator in LeMat's apartment building and avoid seeing the Avon Lady alien).
Joel Cohen, of the Cohen brothers directing team, played Allen's assistant at the tabloid.
Kenneth Tobey and June Lockhart were added to include some real 1950's sci-fi icons.
Director Michael Laughlin cast his stepdaughter Lulu Sylbert as Elizabeth.
Michael Lerner went on to garner an Oscar nod for his performance in "Barton Fink" directed by Joel and Ethan Cohen. Joel and Michael met on the set of "Strange Invaders".
Nancy Allen and Wallace Shawn often discuss the crazy and humorous chemistry they shared on screen, joking that they need to costar in a romantic televison series.
Diana Scarwid's performance as Margaret was (unjustly, I think) criticized by many movie critics, resulting in a Golden Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress.
Bill Condon went on to cast Nancy Allen again in his mid-90's film "The Man Who Wouldn't Die" as psychic Jessie Gallardo opposite Roger Moore and Malcolm McDowell. In recent years he has gained further acclaim for "Chicago", "Dreamgirls" and "Gods and Monsters".
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Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Strange Invaders DVD.
Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Strange Invaders or 80's Sci-Fi / Fantasy classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Empire Strikes Back ..... Night of the Comet ..... Aliens ..... Back To The Future ..... Last Starfighter ..... Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ..... Circuitry Man ..... Brazil ..... Blade Runner ..... Thing ..... Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan ..... Return to Oz ..... Starman ..... Somewhere In Time ..... Short Circuit .....[More]
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|  |  |  | | Strange Invaders
Locations |
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Strange Invaders was filmed at locations in Toronto, ONTARIO, Canada.
Can you help? Do you know any of the Toronto, ONTARIO, Canada filming locations used for Strange Invaders, particularly The town? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced]](16_9.gif) | ![[MONO]](dd1.gif) | Trailer, Commentary |
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Comments: Excellent double feature includes "Invaders from Mars" |
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Such a great score. At times evoking creepy 50's monster movies, evoking building tension and culminating epic cinematic glory
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Soundtrack Available:
Used Vinyl LP / Tape
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| | "Of all the worlds in all the galaxies, why did they pick this one?"
| |  | | What Charlie saw.... |
 | | Recounting the past |
 | | Strange powers of transformation |
 | | Running from danger |
Year:
| 1983 | Studio:
| Orion Pictures | Director:
| Michael Laughlin / Bill Condon | Starring:
| Nancy Allen,
Paul Le Mat, Michael Lerner, Wallace Shawn, Diana Scarwid,
Lulu Sylbert, Dey Young, Joel Cohen | | - | - | Genre:
| Sci-Fi / Fantasy | | | | + | Cast, Music, Plot, Effects | - | The performance of Louise Fletcher, who doesn't seem in on the joke. |
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