Strange Invaders *** (1983, Paul Le Mat, Nancy Allen, Diana Scarwid, Michael Lerner, Louise Fletcher, Fiona Lewis, Kenneth Tobey, Wallace Shawn, June Lockhart, Charles Lane)– Classic Movie Review 12,762

Oscar winner Louise Fletcher.

Paul Le Mat stars in Michael Laughlin’s 1983 spoof sci-fi film Strange Invaders as Charlie Bigelow, who finds more than he bargains for when he sets off to his former wife’s home town after she vanishes suddenly. 

Paul Le Mat stars in Michael Laughlin’s 1983 film Strange Invaders as Charlie Bigelow, who finds more than he bargains for when he sets off to his former wife’s home town after she vanishes suddenly. Strange Invaders is a welcome spoof sci-fi film parodying Fifties UFO movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, about aliens taking over an American Mid-west town.

Paul Le Mat and Nancy Allen take centre stage appealingly in this untidy but agreeable bit of fun from co-writer/ director Laughlin. There is also an evocative cast of real, authentic actors – Diana Scarwid, Michael Lerner, Oscar winner Louise Fletcher, Fiona Lewis, Kenneth Tobey (The Thing from Another World), Wallace Shawn, June Lockhart, and Charles Lane  – to flesh out the support.

Even when the script strains, it is still easy to want to like this tense, entertaining, amusing little picture. Another asset is the authentic score by John Addison.

Also in the cast are Lulu Sylbert, Joel Cohen, Dan Shor, Dey Young, Jack Kehler, Mark Goddard, Thomas Kopache, Bobby Prickett, Connie Kellers, and William Condon.

Strange Invaders is directed by Michael Laughlin, runs 94 minutes, is made by EMI, is released by Orion, is written by William Condon, Michael Laughlin and Walter Halsey Davis, is shot by Louis Horvath, is produced by Michael Laughlin and Walter Coblenz, is scored by John Addison, and is designed by Susanna Moore.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,762

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com