TerrorVision (1986)

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The first must-see film of the year.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Terrorvision was one of those 80's cult classics that I never got round to watching until now, I went in expecting very little but came away quite amused.Telling the story of an extraterrestrial being beamed down to earth into a families satellite dish and running rampant with an unearthly hunger its a scifi comedy horror that actually entertains.With a host of familiar faces and a retro soundtrack this creature feature actually looks quite good considering its age. It reminded me of Critters (1986) and alike that the creators didn't take it all too seriously.Over the top, silly yet at the same time quite horrific this is a true 80's gem and a lot of fun.The Good: Great creature effects Likable cast All looks the part The Bad: Feels very dated in places Things I Learnt From This Movie: If you prank call the police they'll block your number Being "Greek" in the swinging world means you're gay

This is a cheesy, scatter-shot movie. What's worse, you get the impression that the movie is trying to be goofy on purpose. At the very least, this is not a movie that's invested in taking itself seriously. In fact, with all of the bright colors, over-the-top performances and silly monster, this could almost pass for a kids movie......if it wasn't for all the gore and sexual innuendo. Whoops.Now, that can actually make for a pretty fun time, all told. And there are moments where TerrorVision is good old fashioned camp.There are a lot of problems that drag this movie down, unfortunately. For one, that sense of humor doesn't always hit. TerrorVision straddles the "funny-bad" line, and it frequently leans more towards the bad side with its humor. This is one of those movies where it does something stupid and then kind of winks at you because we're all supposed to be in on the joke. That takes a deft touch and the movie is a little clumsy, but at least the actors seem to be having fun.Then there's the monster. As far as "iconic" movie monsters go, the monster in TerrorVision is genuinely ugly... just not especially interesting or memorable. It's an unintelligible mess of slime, eyes, tentacles and teeth without any sense of cohesion or aesthetic charm. A random pile of garbage, basically, and it's hard to believe it's threatening or even very mobile.Then there's the simple fact that the movie is has a problem staying focused. It's often hard to tell where the plot is going, and while that can be a good thing in some movies, TerrorVision is a little too in love with its own wacky sense of humor. By the third act, it briefly turns in to a completely different (and significantly worse) movie entirely, making it difficult to care about the characters, their plight, or what's going to happen next.I have a hard time classifying TerrorVision as a "bad" movie in spite of these shortcomings. It has some good, cheesy fun. It mainly just feels really sloppy, kind of like it's monster.

To begin this unpleasant horror satire, the planet Pluton disposes of a big ugly, mutated monster by blasting it into outer space. Unfortunately for Earthlings, it is directed to our planet and gets picked up by the TV satellite dish installed by gregarious Gerrit Graham (as Stanley Putterman). The alien monster lives in television airwaves and eats people. Others in the host family are: Mr. Graham's wife-swapping partner Diane Franklin (as Suzy), their punky teenage daughter Mary Woronov (as Raquel), cute blond pre-teen son Chad Allen (as Sherman) and lizard-loving old Bert Remsen (as Grampa)...Young Allen tries to tell the family there is a monster in the television, but everyone is too self-absorbed to believe him. The monster eventually appears more comfortable outside of television. Allen, Ms. Franklin and her heavily metallic boyfriend Jonathan "Jon" Gries (as O.D. Riley) try to make friends with the creature. A concerned alien from Pluton warns Earth the monster could eat everyone on the planet. Bosomy horror TV hostess Jennifer Richards (as Medusa) is called in to help. Alejandro Rey and Randi Brooks have fun poolside, as a "swinging" hot couple. Everyone tries hard and the sets are cool.***** TerrorVision (2/14/86) Ted Nicolaou ~ Diane Franklin, Chad Allen, Jon Gries, Gerrit Graham

"TerrorVision" perfectly encapsulates every aspect of the 1980s into one film. You've got the old grandfather who thinks TV rots your brains and lives in a military bunker while waiting for a third world war. The young son is innocent and loves horror and sci-fi movies. The daughter is a new wave / punk hybrid with multi-colored hair that dates a head-banger named "OD." Their parents are still living in the 1970s and don't want to give up their swinging lifestyle.Top all that off with a big slimy monster that looks like a twisted version of Jabba the Hutt, an alien taken straight out of a 1950s sci-fi film, and a late-night TV host and you have all the ingredients for a film written and produced by B-movie king Charles Band. I would put it up there with fine examples of the decade like "Valley Girl" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." It's definitely essential viewing for anyone reflecting on the era.