Not unlike The Thing, alien movies turn up in all shapes and sizes. From the explosive blockbuster to the low-budget drama, from films inspired by novels to those inspired by… a Hasbro board game, the sub-genre has certainly made an impact. To mark the release of GREEN LANTERN on 3D Triple Play, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from 17th October (you can enter our competition to win a copy here), THN is taking a look at the good — and the very bad — in alien invasion movies.
Remake Invasion — Set phasers to educational. The brain child of science fiction writer H. G. Wells, THE WAR OF THE WORLDS was first published in 1898 and is one of the oldest stories featuring an alien attack on Earth in which creatures from Mars descend onto Earth and enslave the human race. The novel was adapted for radio by Orson Welles, who managed to create widespread panic by convincing those listening that the events were real. One man even won a lawsuit against the production after using his money earmarked for shoes to escape the Martians…
In 1953 the story hit the silver screen to critical acclaim.’Is nothing that can stop the Martian death machines?’ boomed the trailer. Well, we couldn’t blow them up, but we could give them a cold. Despite their heat-rays and force-fields, the aliens were no match for the human virus and were killed off. This too was the fate for the aliens in the 2005 remake starring Tom Cruise. This adaptation also featured the aliens harvesting blood and tissue from humans in order to fertilise the red weeds they spread over the planet.
Written in 1938, the novella Who Goes There? was the inspiration for THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951). Like the remake by John Carpenter, the science fiction horror featured an alien encased in ice that is unleashed on an unsuspecting group of scientists. However, this ‘Thing’ was a plant-based humanoid that needed blood to survive and drained the crew until it was eventually electrocuted.
THE THING (1982) starred Kurt Russell fighting against the infamous shape-shifting alien that killed and took on the form of his crew members. Failing at the box office but praised for its special effects, the movie has achieved huge success on DVD and is cited as a classic in horror and science fiction. This month sees the release of a prequel — also titled THE THING — in which a team of scientists uncover the frozen alien that subsequently infiltrates and takes over the crew. Yes, it does sound like an exact remake.
Will Smith Invasion — From the credible to the commercial, two of the 1990s biggest science fiction hits were starring vehicles for Will Smith. INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996) saw the US fall under attack from a huge alien invasion in which a 15 mile wide spaceship famously destroyed the White House. Berated for cheesy dialogue and two-dimensional characters, film goers still came in think and fast, with the movie becoming the highest grossing release of 1996. Two sequels have been long rumoured, with Will Smith’s character now the President of the United States. We all want to see the Fresh Prince in the Oval Office, but will it ever happen?
The following year saw a comedic, family-friendly turn for aliens on Earth. MEN IN BLACK starred Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as secret agents fighting to keep alien refugees under wraps. Smith’s role was first offered to David Schwimmer who immediately turned it down. (Perhaps there’s an alternate universe out there where someone is enjoying Ross from FRIENDS as Agent J, but we’ll never know that joy). The success of the film cemented Smith as a box-office draw and it has spawned two sequels. MEN IN BLACK III is currently filming and shows J and K travelling back to the ’60s in order to stop an alien destroying the future.
Plot Hole Invasion — A hit for M. Night Shyamalan in 2002, SIGNS teased the appearance of the invading aliens until the final scenes. First leaving crop circles on Mel Gibson’s preacher-turned-non-believer’s cornfield, the aliens sneak throughout his property until they come face-to-face and are defeated… by a glass of water. Though admittedly scary in parts (the birthday party scene still freaks me out) the film is derided by one glaring plothole — Why would an advance alien life form incapable of touching water travel to a planet that is 70% water? And wouldn’t they be killed by the water vapour in the air? Probably best not to try and understand the man who gave us THE HAPPENING.
Blockbuster Invasion — If you’re thinking alien invasion movies, you’re usually thinking blockbuster, and the past few years has seen them arrive in droves. J.J. Abrams provides audiences with science fiction done right, with both CLOVERFIELD and SUPER 8 thrilling audiences worldwide. Thefilms are big yet clever, and each provided a twist on the monster movie. CLOVERFIELD saw an invasion from through the lens of a hand-held camera. SUPER 8 gave us a glimpse of an alien attack through children’s eyes, with a nod to science fiction favourites such as E.T. and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.
However, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES and SKYLINE stand out as recent releases that are… just terrible. Called ‘noisy, violent, ugly and stupid’ by Roger Ebert, BATTLE: LA features a platoon of Marines shoot down aliens for almost two hours. SKYLINE — a variable ‘who’s that?’ of television actors — was dubbed ‘the worst film I’ve ever seen’ by my brother, and that’s from someone who thinks the STAR WARS prequels are good. The lead character’s brain is removed and placed inside an alien machine, only for the lead to take control of his host and destroy the creatures in slow motion. Actually, it sounds pretty good.
2012 will see the release of BATTLESHIP, an alien invasion movie inexplicably inspired by the board game of the same name. A naval fleet battle against an extraterrestrial race known as ‘The Regents’ and the film will show both sides of the fight. All signs point to it being absolutely terrible, but fun nonetheless.
Fookin’ Prawn Invasion — Produced for $30 million and earning $37 million in its opening weekend, DISTRICT 9 was a huge science fiction hit in 2009. Featuring a less-threatening alien invasion in which ‘prawns’ broke down over Johannesburg and were forced into refugee camps, the film was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Low-budget sci-fi films have seen a rise in popularity of late, with MOON, MONSTERS, and ATTACK THE BLOCK all receiving critical and commercial acclaim.
GREEN LANTERN is released on 3D Triple Play, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from 17th October and features Ryan Reynolds as the titular hero. Transformed into an intergalactic crime-fighter, Hal Jordan must protect Earth from an oncoming alien attack.
Enter our competition for your chance to win a copy (Closes 19th October).
