Morons from Outer Space (1985)

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Griff Rhys Jones (writer)
Mel Smith (writer)

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

They came, They saw, They did a little shopping

Plot:

The story begins when three aliens get a bit hacked off at their 'friend' Bernard, who keeps making a prat of himself playing space ball...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joanne Pearce	...	Sandra Brock
Jimmy Nail	...	Desmond Brock
Paul Bown	...	Julian Tope
James Sikking	...	Col. Raymond Laribee, CIA
Dinsdale Landen	...	Commander Grenville Matteson
Tristram Jellinek	...	Simpson
George Innes	...	Stanley Benson
Griff Rhys Jones	...	Graham Sweetley
Mel Smith	...	Bernard
John Joyce	...	Chief Inspector Miller
Mark Lewis Jones	...	Godfrey
Leonard Fenton	...	Commissionaire
André Maranne	...	Prof. Trousseau
Joanna Dickens	...	Lady ...
R. Jarrli

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:S | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Company:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Trivia:

To receive a PG certificate the film was re-edited by the distributor and cut by around 15 secs by the BBFC to remove sexual and drug-related dialogue. In total 6 minutes 10 secs were edited from the film.

Quotes:

Television Presenter: [Referring to the Morons] ... Commander Madison added that they were highly-intelligent and potentially dangerous...
Bernard: [Disgusted] *HIGHLY* INTELLIGENT?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Verity Lambert: Drama Queen (2008) (TV)

Better than its rating implies.

In director Mike Hodges's only openly comedic film to date, Anlgo-American pop culture of the '70s and early '80s is mercilessly lampooned. From "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) to David Bowie as the avatar of Ziggy Stardust, nothing escapes a satirical mauling by Hodges and writers/actors Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith. On the surface, much of the humor appears to be at the level of Benny Hill, but it is actually much more subtle in its subtext, addressing the mindlessness of celebrity worship, the nature of friendship, the willful self-delusion that can arise from one's own expectations, and the fleetingness of fame. With satire more subtle than seen in similar, American films of the same period (e.g., "This is Spinal Tap" (1984)), "Morons from Outer Space" may not be to everyone's taste. I will be the first to admit that British humor is an acquired taste for many of us non-Brits, but I found this film far funnier than many recent American comedies that have received rave reviews ("Meet the Parents" (2000), "Something about Mary" (1998), "Analyze This" (1999), etc.). Any viewer willing to expend the effort to actually concentrate on what is going on and being said in the film will be amply rewarded. The most difficult part of viewing this movie is finding it, a problem with many of Hodges's works. Rating: 7/10.