Film Year: 1988
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Director: Albert Pyun
Starring: Kathy Ireland, William R. Moses, Richard Haines, Don Michael Paul, Thom Matthews, Janet Du Plessis, Simon Poland
MST Season: 5
The Movie
Craaaaaaaaaaaaazy!
Early in my online fanhood of Mystery Science Theater there always seemed to be a bit of ire for this particular movie from fans of the series older than myself, citing it as being obnoxious and unwatchable. Being a teenager with only solid access to episodes from the Sci-Fi era meant I was a few years off from seeing this episode, though when I finally saw it, I wondered why people put up such a big fuss about it. I thought it was simple and cheap, but nothing too noteworthy. It eventually hit me that I've adapted myself to the certain type of bad movie making that the 80's were known for as I was born in that era and grew up with it. Fans older than myself grew up in a different era of bad movies of which triggers their nostalgia over this example from out of their time. These fans can say they kind of liked movies like Moon Zero Two or Village of the Giants. I do not. Alien from L.A., on the other hand, I am kind of charmed by. It's a generational aesthetic thing.
This doesn't make Alien from L.A. a good movie, but as someone who grew up renting videos in the video store from the family section, it's a typical one of its type and I've seen too many movies like it to single this particular one out. I was raised on this 80's crap, and its worst instincts are something I grew an immunity to and play along with.
The movie is about Wanda Saknussemm (get the reference?), a nerdy girl who is dumped by her boyfriend for being too nerdy and not hot enough. Soon after, Wanda's father is reported dead and she flies to Africa to find out what happened. Her quest leads her underground...no, literally underground...as she stumbles into tunnels and pops out near the city of Atlantis, which is not at the bottom of the ocean but at the center of the Earth for some reason. She is deemed an "alien" from the world above, and is considered a threat to Atlantis.
The film is inspired by Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Center of the Earth, and by "inspired" I mean they took a concept of another world inside of our own and did something completely different. Granted, it's been a while since I read Journey in school, but Alien from L.A. doesn't share a lot with it. Wanda's surname is a reference to the novel, but that's about all they have in common.
Wanda is played by supermodel Kathy Ireland in her silver screen debut. The film goes for a rather traditional "nerdy girl is really hot when she lets her hair down" narrative. Attempts to make Ireland look frumpy are mostly a failure, as Ireland's distinctly chiseled facial features always makes it clear this is an attractive girl no matter how thick the glasses she wears are. It's rather clear that those glasses and baggy clothing aren't up to the task of hiding the fact that she's a total knockout, so Ireland tries to de-sexify herself by adopting a very high voice for the character. It's this voice that seems to break most people, as Wanda is a chatterbox and we constantly have to hear her hit that high note. Your ears will strain to a breaking point.
The film is directed by Albert Pyun, best known today as the director of the early Jean Claude Van Damme vehicle Cyborg and the best left forgotten early 90's incarnation of Marvel's Captain America. To give Pyun credit, he flexes his budget rather well. The film never doesn't look cheap, but it has an ambitious fantasy story that features a decently established new world built from the ground up (or the ground down, so to speak). Though Pyun does have the tendency to utilize quite a few garish colors and unflattering camera angles, which doesn't do the film any favors.
Despite the odds, somehow the film has a sequel, though I'm not sure the film should be proud to have that honor. Apparently the Cannon Films company, which made Alien from L.A., attempted another spin on Journey to the Center of the Earth, keeping the novel's title, the following year, though production wound up being a disaster. Alien from L.A. director Pyun was brought on board to try and salvage it and he wound up turning it into a sequel to this film, complete with a supporting role by Kathy Ireland. I haven't seen the movie, but most accounts say it's worse than Alien from L.A. I'd prefer to leave my crappy nostalgia trip that I kind of enjoy but kind of admit sucks movie untainted, thank you.
The Episode
"The Hot Indiana Jones Chronicles."
Dr. Forrester and Frank seem a bit jazzed about finally inflicting a Cannon film upon Mike and the Bots. Of course, Cannon has a rich history of bad, low budget movies in their library, including Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Masters of the Universe, Cobra, and a shit ton of movies starring Chuck Norris. Instead we're given this light fantasy film with that high-pitched main character. It's that voice that Mike and the Bots latch onto, and it's really all they can do, because it's so damn prevalent in the film. Wanda is never not talking, so the go to joke is to either joke about her voice or to try and imitate it with insert dialogue. If you can't take the voice, then this episode might be a slog, but I think they do good work. I sit back and enjoy the ride after they give off a killer jab as Wanda wonders why her boyfriend is breaking up with her, only to have Tom Servo explain "It's your helium addiction."
Sometimes it's refreshing to get to riffs that aren't Wanda-based, but even still, they do play a lot with other character voices, of which many are over-the-top. Their favorite seems to be the closest thing the film has to a male lead, an Atlantean miner with a thick Australian accent that can come and go. Other voices are just as animated, though not as broad, and riffs constantly flow to mock these characters. The worldbuilding of the film itself also comes a bit under fire, but this is primarily a vocal mocking.
Kathy Ireland also takes up most of the host segments, with a fun sketch based on her emotional range shown in the film being a favorite of mine ("Dull surprise!"). She also inspires the catchy song of "My Wild Irish Ireland" and an enthusiastic guessing game of supermodels. Moving outside of Ireland, the opening segment is a rather fun sketch featuring Crow as a drill sergeant, while the Invention Exchange has the hilarious Vend-A-Gut and the moderate Fridge Udders ("Teets!").
Like a number of MST episodes, Alien from L.A. depends a bit on how well you tolerate the movie. The movie reminds me of those glorious days of being a child where I would rent an awful movie from the video store and not realize it was awful because all movies were a treat. The riffing compliments the film fairly well, though it does play up the aspects most are going to find obnoxious about it. If one has an affection for 80's fantasy cheese, then Alien from L.A. is an easy recommendation. If not, you might want to give it a shot to see if it's as funny as I think it is.
Dr. Forrester and Frank seem a bit jazzed about finally inflicting a Cannon film upon Mike and the Bots. Of course, Cannon has a rich history of bad, low budget movies in their library, including Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Masters of the Universe, Cobra, and a shit ton of movies starring Chuck Norris. Instead we're given this light fantasy film with that high-pitched main character. It's that voice that Mike and the Bots latch onto, and it's really all they can do, because it's so damn prevalent in the film. Wanda is never not talking, so the go to joke is to either joke about her voice or to try and imitate it with insert dialogue. If you can't take the voice, then this episode might be a slog, but I think they do good work. I sit back and enjoy the ride after they give off a killer jab as Wanda wonders why her boyfriend is breaking up with her, only to have Tom Servo explain "It's your helium addiction."
Sometimes it's refreshing to get to riffs that aren't Wanda-based, but even still, they do play a lot with other character voices, of which many are over-the-top. Their favorite seems to be the closest thing the film has to a male lead, an Atlantean miner with a thick Australian accent that can come and go. Other voices are just as animated, though not as broad, and riffs constantly flow to mock these characters. The worldbuilding of the film itself also comes a bit under fire, but this is primarily a vocal mocking.
Kathy Ireland also takes up most of the host segments, with a fun sketch based on her emotional range shown in the film being a favorite of mine ("Dull surprise!"). She also inspires the catchy song of "My Wild Irish Ireland" and an enthusiastic guessing game of supermodels. Moving outside of Ireland, the opening segment is a rather fun sketch featuring Crow as a drill sergeant, while the Invention Exchange has the hilarious Vend-A-Gut and the moderate Fridge Udders ("Teets!").
Like a number of MST episodes, Alien from L.A. depends a bit on how well you tolerate the movie. The movie reminds me of those glorious days of being a child where I would rent an awful movie from the video store and not realize it was awful because all movies were a treat. The riffing compliments the film fairly well, though it does play up the aspects most are going to find obnoxious about it. If one has an affection for 80's fantasy cheese, then Alien from L.A. is an easy recommendation. If not, you might want to give it a shot to see if it's as funny as I think it is.
Good
The DVD
The Alien from L.A. invaded our underground civilization on Shout Factory's Volume XXVI release. Audio was pretty good, while the video was slightly flawed, though not bothersomely so. The extras were highlighted by an interview with director Albert Pyun. He recounts how he started working for Cannon, the origins of the story, casting Kathy Ireland, and claims that he hasn't seen the MST episode, seemingly a little afraid of it. He seems like a good guy overall. Also featured is a trailer for the film.
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