“Alien Nation” (1988) starring James Caan & Mandy Patinkin / Z-View

Alien Nation  (1988)

Director:  Graham Baker

Screenplay: Rockne S. O’Bannon

Stars:  James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, Kevyn Major Howard, Leslie Bevis, Peter Jason, Jeff Kober, Roger Aaron Brown  and Brian Thompson.

Tagline: Los Angeles, 1991. They have come to Earth to live among us. They’ve learned the language, taken jobs, and tried to fit in. But there’s something about them we don’t know.

The Plot…

Three years ago aliens landed.  Since then these “Newcomers” have intigrated into society.  In L.A.,  Newcomer Sam Francisco has just been promoted to Detective.  Francisco is teamed with veteran cop Matthew Sykes.  It’s an uneasy alliance.

Francisco and Sykes’ first case is to look into the murder of Newcomer Warren Hubley.  Their investigation uncovers a conspiracy between wealthy politicans and influential newcomers.  At the heart of the cabal’s scheme is a newcomer secret that changes everything.

Prepare yourself… the aliens are here and all is not as it seems.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Sam Francisco’s name in the original script was George Jetson.  That changed when Hanna-Barbera refused to license the rights.  Sykes’ calling Sam “George” was a in-joke.

James Cameron was credited as one of the writers in an Alien Nation early draft, but his name doesn’t appear in the movie’s credits.

Alien Nation spawned a tv series that ran for one season.  There were also five television movie spin-offs, comic books and novelizations.

Brian “Cobra” Thompson is the only actor to appear in both the feature film and the television series.

I like the poster for the film.  It doesn’t feature the movie’s stars.  Instead we get a tagline that sets up everything and cool art that looks like it could be a crime thriller (with aliens).

Alien Nation is a fun film.

Alien Nation  (1988) rates 4 of 5 stars.