Xtro (1982)

 

A fairly well known UK sci-fi film which has earned certifiable cult status.  But let's be honest - we're all watching for the Maryam d'Abo scene, right? 

Sam Phillips (Philip Sayer) is outside his farmhouse playing with his son Tony (Simon Nash) when a spaceship lands.

Sam is taken up into the ship by some kind of tractor beam.

Tony survives and is tended to by his mother, Rachel Phillips (Bernice Stegers).

The spaceship continues to skiddle about the countryside.

Jane (Katherine Best) and her partner Ben are the first victims of the alien.

A woman (Susie Silvey) in a cottage nearby gets ready for bed.

The alien attacks.

She is impregnated.

Her stomach rapidly balloons in size.

Her robe bursts open as her belly grows even larger.

Sam emerges from her birth canal.

Sam (or what was once Sam) strolls up to where Jane and Ben were murdered.  He takes Ben's clothes and drives off with Jane's body still in the vehicle.

Jane's body is discovered in the abandoned vehicle the next day.

Tony lives with Rachel (she and Sam are divorced).  He woke up covered in blood, so Rachel called for the doctor (Robert Fyfe). Can your U.S. brain even comprehend a house call from a doctor today?  It's inconceivable.  Don't get me started.

Rachel has an au pair living in the house - Analise Mercier (Maryam d'Abo).

Annalise takes Tony to school - who clings to Mrs. Goodman (Anna Wing) their neighbor.

Analise gets eaten out by her boyfriend Michael (David Cardy).  

I'm sorry, if Maryam d'Abo getting eaten out doesn't qualify for the Hall of Fame I don't know what does.

Rachel is dating Joe Daniels (Danny Brainin), a photographer like her.  She goes to pick up Tony from school.

After a scare that she couldn't find him, she then runs into Sam who has the child.  Sam returns home with her and Tony where they play Connect-4.

Joe doesn't much care for Rachel's ex-husband hanging around the house.

Sam acts a bit strange - eating the eggs of Tony's pet snake.  When Tony catches him, Sam chases him down and sucks his blood.  Tony now seems to be under his control.

The alien is able to turn Tony's toy soldier into a life sized killer.  It murders Mrs. Goodman.

Doing laundry, Analise finds a letter from Jane.  You'll recall Sam took Ben's clothing.

Rachel and Sam go to his farmhouse to get to the bottom of things.  Analise is stuck babysitting Tony.

Analise locks Tony in his room so she can have sex with Michael in privacy.  However, Tony makes himself a nuisance and she must attend to him.

Analise warily follows Tony who has escaped.

A truly horrific moment. Tony's toy Clown (Peter Mandell) has been brought to life and is currently perched atop the elevator.  The clown jumps down upon Analise and knocks her out.

The clown drags Analise from the elevator unconscious, with Tony leading the way.

The stuff of nightmares.

Michael finds Analise's body and is subsequently killed by Tony's toy tank.

At the farm house, Sam shows himself for the alien being he truly is.

Joe shows up with Tony to save the day.  But Joe is quickly killed.

Rachel watches as Sam (now fully transformed) takes Tony with him.  The prologue shows Rachel is impregnated with multiple aliens.

CHARACTERS
Sam Phillips (Philip Sayer)
Rachel Phillips (Bernice Stegers)
Joe Daniels (Danny Brainin) Rachel's boyfriend
Analise Mercier (Maryam d'Abo)
Tony Phillips (Simon Nash) Sam and Rachel's son
Clown (Peter Mandell)

Michael (David Cardy) Analise's boyfriend
Mrs. Goodman (Anna Wing) neighbor
Doctor (Robert Fyfe)

Jane (Katherine Best) first alien victim
Ben (Robert Pereno) Jane's partner
Monster (Tim Dry)
Woman in Cottage (Susie Silvey)

RATING: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

REVIEW: Well, I guess it was a bit unfair to say d'Abo's sex scene is the only reason to watch - although that would in fact be reason enough.  But this has a lot more going on.  Namely the fact that it gets so damn weird that it becomes truly nightmarish - that clown scene will haunt my dreams.  The director has basically disowned it because it is such a slapdash concoction of nonsensical shit.  But I get the same vibe as Phantasm - and that is precisely why both films will be watched for decades to come. There's a reason why most films today make a couple trillion dollars the first few weeks then disappear into the ether never to be heard of again.  It's because they are so polished and re-polished that all the irregularities are smoothed out.  This film has all its irregularities fully intact and that's what makes it interesting.