Xtro (1983)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Harry Bromley Davenport

Writers:

Harry Bromley Davenport (story)
Iain Cassie (writer)

Release Date:

January 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A brutal excursion in terror

Plot:

Tony's father Sam, abducted by aliens three years earlier, returns to earth and seeks out his wife and son...

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Video Nasty | Stepfather | Alien Abduction | Snake

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Philip Sayer	...	Sam Phillips
Bernice Stegers	...	Rachel Phillips
Danny Brainin	...	Joe Daniels
Maryam d'Abo	...	Analise Mercier
Simon Nash	...	Tony Phillips
Peter Mandell	...	Clown
David Cardy	...	Michael
Anna Wing	...	Mrs. Goodman
Robert Fyfe	...	Doctor
Katherine Best	...	Jane
Robert Pereno	...	Ben
Sean Crawford	...	Commando (as Tok)
Tim Dry	...	Monster (as Tik)
Susie Silvey	...	Woman in Cottage
Anna Mottram	...	Teacher

Also Known As:

Judas Goat (UK) (working title)
X-tro (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

81 min | USA:84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1984) (1985) | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Ashley Gardens, Westminster, London, England, UK

Company:

Amalgamated Film Enterprises

Trivia:

Director Harry Bromley Davenport stated in an interview on the DVD release that the bizarre atmosphere of the film was completely unintentional.

Movie Connections:

References Reunion in France (1942)

excellent Sci-Fi from the UK

Three years ago Sam Phillips (Phillip Sayer) mysteriously vanished. Everyone but his son Tony (Simon Nash) thinks he abandoned his family. Tony however insists that he saw his dad took up into a beam of light. Anyway, now all of a sudden Sam is back and wants everything to return to normal, but a few things stand in his way of a normal life. First off, his wife is about to remarry and he is now an alien who sucks the life out of people and impregnates women with alien eggs.

"Xtro" is a very strange and creepy British Sci-Fi offering from the early 80's. It has plenty of weird images that do a fine job of throwing the viewer off guard and it also has a very interesting dream like feel to it that I personally liked quite a bit. "Xtro" also features lots of nasty gore sense that should please gore hounds. In one of my favorite scenes a woman gives birth to a grown alien man a la the "chest busting" scene from "Alien". This movie also features a good amount of nudity courtesy of a very sexy French girl. This film is also solid in the non-exploitation aspects of film-making as well. Phillip Sayer gives a fine and very touching performance as Sam and I also though Thomas Nash did a fine job. The script is very well written with good lines and solid character development allowing the audience to get to know the characters more as people than just cardboard cut outs. The direction from Harry Bromley Davenport is good as well, he establishes a nice and steady pace throughout and allows the plot to breathe quite nicely. Overall "Xtro" is a solid Sci-Fi offering from the UK.