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IMDbPro

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

  • 1991
  • PG-13
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
282
YOUR RATING
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
Comedy

This filmed version of Lily Tomlin's successful one-woman performance piece is sometimes classified as a "documentary."This filmed version of Lily Tomlin's successful one-woman performance piece is sometimes classified as a "documentary."This filmed version of Lily Tomlin's successful one-woman performance piece is sometimes classified as a "documentary."

  • Director
    • John Bailey
  • Writer
    • Jane Wagner
  • Star
    • Lily Tomlin
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    282
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Bailey
    • Writer
      • Jane Wagner
    • Star
      • Lily Tomlin
    • 5User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Photos

    Lily Tomlin in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
    Lily Tomlin in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
    The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
    The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lily Tomlin
    Lily Tomlin
    • Truby the Bag Lady…
    • Director
      • John Bailey
    • Writer
      • Jane Wagner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Lily Tomlin won the 1986 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" by Jane Wagner and recreated her performance for this filmed production. The original production opened on September 26, 1985 at the Plymouth Theatre, and ran for 391 performances.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Deceived/Necessary Roughness/The Search for Signs of Intelligence Life in the Universe/The Rapture/My Own Private Idaho (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Alien Presence
      Written by Alan Howarth

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Flawed presentation of a brilliant, must see, one-woman show
    Actually, far from a great film in terms of technique – arbitrarily cross cutting between Lily Tomlin on stage, without costumes or sets (and oddly, also without an audience, but with over the top sound effects) and her playing the same characters in costumes and on sets (some naturalistic, some stylized).

    For me it was a clunky and distracting approach.

    However, the writing is so great and Tomlin's performance as her different characters is so memorable, so funny and so touching, that even a damaged version of this amazing one- woman show is better than none, by a long shot.
    helpful•5
    0
    • runamokprods
    • Sep 6, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 1992 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Showtime Networks
      • Tomlin & Wagner Theatricalz
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $579,854
    • Gross worldwide
      • $579,854
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby

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