Xtro (1983)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Harry Bromley Davenport

Writers:

Harry Bromley Davenport (story)
Iain Cassie (writer)
(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:

Toy | Gore | Sex | No Survivors | Telekinesis

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
Arthur Whybrow	...	Mr. Knight
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
Mick Ryan	....	carpenter (as Michael Ryan)
Reg Wheeler	....	propman

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

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

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

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 humorously described his score for the film in an interview as "screaming synthesizers."

Movie Connections:

References Alien (1979)

Awesome, Life Changing

OK, OK, so Xtro is no Alien, Close Encounters of the third Kind, or being anywhere near those films in quality, but it is an amazing early 80's alien flick chock full of really bizarre stuff that you will probably never see anywhere else. The first time I saw this I was quite young and it just totally freaked me out. I am a proud owner of a copy of Xtro and I must say, I no longer find it freaky, but it is still shockingly bizarre. Just watched it last night with friends. We laughed, cried, needed a drink afterward, and so will you. Who even knew the Brits had this kind of weirdness in them? See it immediately, then have that drink.