Força Diabólica

Recently was on Encore again. Vintage Maryam D'Abo. Why the owners refuse to release this on DVD given the large cult following I will never know. Some years ago I suggested another movie on DVD. The studio didn't think there would ever be a market for it. They have made more on the DVD than they made in the theaters by several times. (A Kelsey Grammar film)

Something is out there was released in Australia on a rather pathetic VHS tape. This film deserves digital re-mastering and the DVD treatment. This made for NBC mini-series was outstanding. The later series...

The movie could have been better if it had been done as a theatrical release instead of TV. D'Abo is a much better actress than she ever gets credit for.

Whoever needs to get them to release this film for serious collectors.

I remember seeing this mini-series and some of the series episodes that followed. What I remember most about this series overall is that it was the the way most Americans got to see the latest Bond girl (Living Daylights) in a non-Bond role. The downside to that fact was that Maryam was still playing the smart attractive sidekick to a dark-haired rough-edged leading man. Not exactly much of a stretch. I think this is why NBC followed the Nielsen/Arbitron crowd and abandoned its support for the series (not the last time the network would take that course, of course). Considering that both the Sci-Fi Channel and the Movieplex channels have aired this movie/series more than once tells me that there is something that sets this apart from a similar themed show on NBC in the past (...Matthew Starr). Now that even short lived TV shows/TV movies of the recent past are showing up on DVD, maybe this one will show up soon as well.

This 3-hour-long made-for-TV movie is actually a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi/horror hybrid. Two cops are on the trail of a ghastly urban serial killer which turns out to be a villainous alien xenomorph creature. A beautiful human female alien, also stuck on earth, is out to hunt it down. Joseph Cortese is the capable lead and Maryam d'Abo pulls her (sexy) weight alongside him. The pacing of the story is a bit off-balanced at times, but the ride remains consequently entertaining. Along the lines of Jack Sholder's "The Hidden" (1987), though a bit more largely scaled, with some great special effects and vintage creature designs by Rick Baker.

Something is out there (1988) is all about detectives Jack Breslin (Joe Cortese) and Frank Dileo (George Dzundza) who are investigating a serial-killer, who slaughters his victims and removes their internal organs. While in the crime scene, Jack notices the constant presence of a beautiful young woman, Ta'Ra (Maryam d'Abo). He finds her and is convinced that she is a doctor from a prison in the outer space. She explains that the murderer is a powerful alien, who is able to change his appearance, that escaped from prison, and she is chasing him. They join forces trying to eliminate the menace to planet Earth.

"Something Is Out There" is a very good sci-fi/horror B-movie, using a similar storyline of "The Hidden" (1987). The story mixes crime, horror, sci-fi and action, and it stars the lovely British Maryam d'Abo.

The movie is fast paced and lots of fun and the effects are very good too.

I give this very entertaining horror 8/10, it's pretty rare movie to find though!

Just re-watched this last night; it's still kind of fun! you can see the time in everything from the sFX to the wardrobe and make-up choices, but it still stand the test of time. Nice to wonder what they could have done with "modern" FX and a decent budget...