The April 2011 A - Z Blogging Challenge - F is for The Falling!

The April 2011 A - Z Blogging Challenge is upon us still, and today we discover that despite our best efforts, we're all getting an F for this one....yes, that's right...

F is for The Falling!

The Falling - aka - Alien Predators  (Continental Motion Pictures Corporation, 1987)

Before the Camera:

Dennis Christopher  (Fade to Black)

Lynn-Holly Johnson  (For Your Eyes Only)

Martin Hewitt  (Endless Love)

Luis Prendes  (Tuareg: The Desert Warrior)

J.O. Bosso  (only movie)

Yousaf Bokhari  (Iguana)

Yolanda Palomo  (only movie)

Christina Augustin  (only movie)

Christina San Juan  (Soup for One)
Pablo García  (El Jardinero)
and
Carlos Ramírez  (only movie)
as
The Gas Station Attendant



Behind the Camera:

Directed by Deran Serafian

Produced by Carlos Aured, Eduardo Rossoff, Deran Sarafian, Eduard Sarlui, Michael Sourapas, Helen Sarlui, and an uncredited Edward L. Montoro

Written by Deran Serafian and Noah Blogh  (based on original screenplay "Massacre at R.V. Park") (?)



For his second film as writer/director, the ever eclectic Deran Serafian mashes up some youth comedy with sci-fi horror and gives us...kind of a mess, actually. Damon (Christopher), Samantha (Johnson), and Michael (Hewitt) are three "youths" (all three were hovering just around thirty years of age) careening through Spain in a big RV. It doesn't take long for us to discover that they're all pretty goofy as characters, with Damon lusting for Sam, who's lusting for Michael, who's lusting to drive a car real fast (?) The Plot drops in, literally, as Spacelab falls to Earth coincidentally just ahead of the path they're taking through Spain. We then crosscut between the silly antics of the "kids" and the scientists checking out the smashed remains of the space station, which turn out to be scorching with some alien microbes that promptly set about taking over the humans and animals nearby, turning them into lurching zombie looking beasties. The microbes grow inside the bodies too, so when they occasionally burst open you get some nice slimy spidery lizardy animatronics. Eventually our star trio drives into the town where the outbreak has spread, and soon their vacation has turned to a trip into terror. And silly jokes, as the goofy side of the script never stops trying to balance the slime and gore with humor, jarringly. Who will survive and what will be left of them?


Now that's an offbrand wiper blade right there.

I first saw this flick on VHS under the title Alien Predators in the early 90's. Seeing it now in widescreen thanks to MGM/HD under its other, more pretentious title, I gotta say...meh. The three leads are not given that much to work with, as from moment to moment they're called on to banter lightly back and forth; give heartfelt monologues striving for drama; run screaming; or shriek at a gory special effect as one of the critters splortches forth from some poor sod. Consequently, you can't really identify with them, especially as the script has them fall back to the silly side even after they realize alien monsters are trying to kill them. I have always liked Christopher and Johnson, but they're just not showcased well here. I hope the trip to Spain was a blast for them in any case. Back at the movie, it is not helped by the low budget, first by only having three known actors in the cast (look how many people in that cast list up there did no other film work). And by the way - that cast list is the whole cast. All of them. That's all the speaking parts in the movie, though there might be a couple of extras here and there. The creature effects are pretty well done, but they can't manhandle this thing across the entertainment finish line all by themselves, and they get no help at all from the lack of production values, lack of visual effects, wobbly supporting cast acting; schizophrenic lead acting, indifferent direction, or poor scripting. You know what that means, right? Skip this one every day, and twice on Sunday!





Let's Get Out of Here ?

Around 29:20, Martin Hewitt has finished breakfast. And then around 1:25:00, Lynn-Holly Johnson wishes she was back on the Bond movie.
 
 
 
 
 
Eye Candy ?

She's certainly not the greatest actress in the world, and she's not given much of a chance to be hot in this movie, but gosh darn it, Lynn-Holly Johnson's pretty cute, so she's in!

Buddha Man's Capsule Review



Buddha Man says "Whether you call it The Falling or
Alien Predators, don't bother calling it at all."




You said it, BM. Til next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!