Alien from L.A. (1988)

User Rating:

2.1/10   

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writers:

Regina Davis (writer)
Albert Pyun (writer)

Release Date:

26 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy

Tagline:

Venture to the core!

Plot:

A nerdish teenager goes looking for her missing archaeolist father, and stumbles into a strange underground civilization.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | MST3K | Hidden Civilization | Subterranean | Independent Film

Cast

Kathy Ireland	...	Wanda Saknussemm
William R. Moses	...	Guten 'Gus' Edway
Richard Haines	...	Prof. Arnold Saknussemm
Don Michael Paul	...	Robbie
Thom Mathews	...	Charmin'
Janet Du Plessis	...	General Rykov / Shank / Claims Officer
Simon Poland	...	Consul Triton Crassus / The Mailman
Linda Kerridge	...	Roeyis Freki / Auntie Pearl
Kristen Trucksess	...	Stacy
Lochner De Kock	...	Professor Ovid Galba / Professor Paddy Mahoney
Deep Roy	...	Mambino
Albert Maritz	...	Mago / Maintenance Worker / Evangelist / Pack Slag Jack
Russel Savadier	...	Loki
Denis Smith	...	Anchorman
James Lithgow	...	Donaldson / Wrestling Announcer / Emcee

Also Known As:

Odeon
Wanda (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA | South Africa

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Grand Central Airport Midrand, South Africa

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

The last name for the main character is taken from Arne Sakneusemm, the Icelandic scientist who traveled to center of the earth in Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Kathy Ireland briefly loses her squeaky voice when she's doped up on the table. She laughs and says in a deeper voice (probably her real one), "You think I'm an alien?"

Quotes:

Wanda Saknussemm: Bitchin' left hook, Crassus!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Alien from L.A. (#6.16)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Once Upon a Time

Relatively Harmless Fantasy Time-waster.

A California valley girl named Wanda Saknussemm (Kathy Ireland), desperately searching for a means to make a new start and escape her nerdish tendencies, goes to Africa in search of her absentee archaeologist father following reports he may have fallen into a bottomless pit only for her to stumble and fall down the same hole. She winds up in a bizarre and strange underground city named Atlantis which just might be at the center of the Earth. There she befriends a miner she calls "Gus" and continues searching for her long lost Papa. However those dwelling in the underground city have heard rumors of there being aliens from the surface world hidden amongst them and despite the government's constant denial that aliens exist on television, they still offer rewards for the capture of anyone who might be thought an "alien" making Wanda a target for many unscrupulous types.

This is a relatively harmless fantasy time-waster. In fact, the non-discriminating fantasy viewer may actually enjoy this one. This is kind of like a California Valley Girl version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND with a bit of THE WIZARD OF OZ thrown in filtered through a BLADE RUNNER-esquire setting with the train of events playing out rather like SPACEHUNTER but this movie isn't anywhere near as good as any of those. I have to admit I actually had fun watching this though it's just so outrageous and outlandish in its approach. The sets too prove surprisingly effective for a low budget movie. Plus I always get a kick out of the state controlled television announcements which prove incredibly transparent in their intent. While this is definitely not for everyone (it stars Kathy Ireland who's really no actress, borrows most of its plot from other movies and things always feel a little too safe and sure for our leads), there are those who might find enjoyment here although it's a little tough to explain why exactly. Just the harmless fun of it all I guess.