Aliens Are Coming, The
Entry updated 4 April 2017. Tagged: Film.
US made-for-TV film (1980). Quinn Martin Productions for NBC-TV. Executive producer Philip Saltzman. Directed by Harvey Hart. Written by Robert W Linski. Cast includes Eric Braeden, Melinda O Fee, Max Gail and Tom Mason. 100 minutes, later cut to 90 minutes. Colour.
From his research facility, astrophysicist Dr Scott Dryden (Mason) tracks an Spaceship descending to the Nevada desert; this proves to contain hostile Aliens from a large mothership in low Earth orbit. The intruders proceed to duplicate various people (without killing them, however), apparently in order to sabotage the Hoover Dam; the script is less than clear about their exact motives. They can identified by the fact that their eyes occasionally glow a greenish colour. Investigative reporter O'Brien (Fee) becomes involved – initially to Dr Dryden's displeasure, although the two end up working well together. When the aliens' true appearance is revealed, they seem to be Robots, or possibly Cyborgs; their exact nature is left unexplained. The film concludes with a strong indication that they plan to remain on earth for some time to come.
This production was from the same company which gave the world the 1960s series The Invaders (1967-1968), and was a pilot film for an unofficial remake of that programme. Overall, it is of relatively low quality and marked the last time Quinn Martin Productions attempted an sf television project. Future film and television star Ed Harris is featured in a small role. [GSt]
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