Xtro (1983)

Director:

Harry Bromley Davenport

Writers:

Michel Parry (story)
Harry Bromley Davenport (story)
(more)

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:

Gore | Mother Son Relationship | Telephone Call | Farm | Death

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
Arthur Whybrow	...	Mr. Knight
Anna Mottram	...	Teacher
Robert Austin	...	Van Driver
Vanya Seager	...	Paula Phillips

Directed by
Harry Bromley Davenport

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harry Bromley Davenport		story
Iain Cassie		writer
Michel Parry		story
Robert Smith		writer

Produced by
James Crawford	....	associate producer (as James M. Crawford)
Mark Forstater	....	producer
Robert Shaye	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Harry Bromley Davenport

Cinematography by
John Metcalfe

Film Editing by
Nicolas Gaster

Casting by
Joyce Gallie		(as Joyce Callie)

Art Direction by
Andrew Mollo

Makeup Department
Robin Grantham	....	makeup supervisor
Barry Richardson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Vivien Pottersman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew Warren	....	second assistant director
Jake Wright	....	first assistant director
Michael Zimbrich	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Dave Newton	....	property master
Bill Perren	....	painter
Mick Ryan	....	carpenter (as Michael Ryan)
Reg Wheeler	....	propman
Peter Body	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Midgley	....	sound mixer
Ken Scrivener	....	dubbing mixer
David Sutton	....	boom swinger
Charles Ware	....	dubbing editor

Special Effects by
David Anderson	....	follow focus: special effects
Richard Gregory	....	special effects operator
Raymond Harris	....	special effects operator (as Ray Harris)
Tom Harris	....	mechanical effects
Tom Harris	....	special effects supervisor
John Webber	....	additional special effects makeup artist

Visual Effects by
Christopher Hobbs	....	visual consultant

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Beeby	....	electrician
John Simmons	....	additional photographer
John Simmons	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Philippe Pickford	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Jo Ann Kaplan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Harry Bromley Davenport	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Alexis Cahill	....	unit runner
Maggie Jones	....	continuity
Jo Ann Kaplan	....	additional dialogue
Marjorie Lavelly	....	continuity
Hugh O'Donnell	....	location manager
Wendy Tayler	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Amalgamated Film Enterprises

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Citadel Films (1983) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (1983) (Australia) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Video (1983) (UK) (VHS)
• Spectrum-PolyGram Video (1983) (UK) (VHS)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Film 2000 (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• First Independent Films (1992) (UK) (VHS)
• Future Film (2011) (Finland) (DVD)
• HBO/Cannon Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• New Line Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Spectrum-PolyGram Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI (19??) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Anvil Recording Studios  sound re-recording (as Anvil Film and Sound Studios)
• G.S.E.  titles and opticals (as G.S.E. Ltd)
• Kay Laboratories  processing (as Kay Laboratories Ltd)
• LBC Radio  radio programme (as L.B.C.)
• Mr. Lighting  electrical equipment
• Samuelson Film Service  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

"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) | UK:15 (re-rating) | Finland:K-18 (2011) | 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:

The creature that attacks the woman in the cottage was played by a mime they hired to crawl on his back.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010) (V)

B-grade sci fi schlock classic!

I had been warned off watching 'Xtro' for years having been assured by everyone who had ever heard about it that it was cheap, awful and nasty trash. Suddenly I found myself with the inexplicable urge to watch it. "MUST see Xtro! MUST see Xtro!" became my mantra. Then finally I managed to find a copy. I held my breath as I fed it into my video player. I expected it to be bad. Real bad. Ted V. Mikels bad. Even Donald G. Jackson bad. (and that my friends is quite possibly as bad as it gets!) But even worse, with lots of added gore. However I was most surprised to find that 'Xtro' wasn't all that bad at all. Crappy acting, no budget, and the "special effects" aren't special or actually all that effective, but despite all that I was hooked from the word go, and satisfied when it ended. This is a superior sci fi video nasty. It's stupid yes, but it knows it is, and it delivers the goods. The plot itself is simple: man abducted by aliens returns years later to reunite with his son, but that in no way conveys just how freakin' STRANGE this movie is! Plus it contains nudity from Maryam D'Abo (the loveliest of the lovely D'Abo sisters), an unforgettably bizarre birth screen, a demented clown, and plenty of gore. It even features obscure 80s synth-poppers Tik and Tok! Beat that for sheer oddness! So forget the anti-'Xtro' brigade and give it a look. Fans of weird sci fi and horror movies will absolutely love this one! Highly recommended to b-movie buffs.