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The Alien Dead

  • 1980
  • R
  • 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
2.8/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
The Alien Dead (1980)
ComedyHorrorSci-Fi

A meteor hits a houseboat, turning its occupants into zombies feeding on alligators. As reptiles dwindle, they target townspeople. A scientist investigates disappearances caused by the undea... Read allA meteor hits a houseboat, turning its occupants into zombies feeding on alligators. As reptiles dwindle, they target townspeople. A scientist investigates disappearances caused by the undead houseboat dwellers.A meteor hits a houseboat, turning its occupants into zombies feeding on alligators. As reptiles dwindle, they target townspeople. A scientist investigates disappearances caused by the undead houseboat dwellers.

  • Director
    • Fred Olen Ray
  • Writers
    • Fred Olen Ray
    • Martin Nicholas
  • Stars
    • Buster Crabbe
    • Ray Roberts
    • Linda Lewis
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    2.8/10
    1.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Fred Olen Ray
    • Writers
      • Fred Olen Ray
      • Martin Nicholas
    • Stars
      • Buster Crabbe
      • Ray Roberts
      • Linda Lewis
    • 44User reviews
    • 19Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos13

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    Top cast51

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    Buster Crabbe
    Buster Crabbe
    • Sheriff Kowalski
    Ray Roberts
    • Tom Corman
    • (as Raymond Roberts)
    Linda Lewis
    • Shawn Michaels
    George Kelsey
    • Emmet Michaels
    Mike Bonavia
    • Miller Haze
    Dennis Underwood
    • Deputy Campbell
    John Leirier
    • Paisley
    Rich Vogan
    • Krelboin
    Martin Nicholas
    • Doc Ellerbe
    • (as Martin Alan Nicholas)
    Norman Riggins
    • Mr. Griffith
    Nancy Kranz
    • Mrs. Griffith
    • (as Nancy Karnz)
    Ellena Contello
    • Mae Hawkins
    • (as Ellena Contella)
    Shelley Youngren
    • Angry Wife
    Fred Olen Ray
    Fred Olen Ray
    • Pool Player
    Chuck Sumner
    • Gordon…
    Bernice Kelsey
    • Farmer's Wife
    Ken Triplet
    • Farmer…
    Jocelyn Davies
    • Girl Swimmer
    • Director
      • Fred Olen Ray
    • Writers
      • Fred Olen Ray
      • Martin Nicholas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews44

    2.81.3K
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    Featured reviews

    Dethcharm

    "I Guess You Wanna Know About The Big One!"...

    Schlock-meister, Fred Olen Ray presents THE ALIEN DEAD, a sub-sludge opus with few equals. It is a "film" only in that watching it causes it to congeal on the brain like algae. Everything about it is a shambles, including every word of "dialogue", whether spoken in English or whatever pidgin hillbilly language is being uttered.

    This is matched only by the non-actors wandering in and out of scenes, pretending to be awake. The "zombies" are obviously people who accidentally walked onto the movie "set", and decided to walk a bit slower. Their makeup / masks range from flour smears to cow pie facials.

    Buster "Flash Gordon" Crabbe can be forgiven for appearing in just about anything at this point in his career. Hopefully, he never watched this! Non-produced, unedited, and nearly unwatchable, one hasn't truly lived until witnessing the slow-motion zombie attack / fondling match!

    REMEMBER: hair picks kill the undead, and nothing goes better with cannibalism than a country crooner singing along!...
    1andybob-3

    Unfortunately this movie is not rare enough

    Here's another 80's gem from the king of cheese director Fred Olen Ray, in which one suspects the most costly item in its production was having the artwork made for its rental box. A meteor strikes a house boat deep in the swamp killing everyone aboard, but soon thereafter they come back to "life" as poorly made-up living corpses to munch on the living, whom for the most part just stand there and let them do it.

    The script, editing, acting and makeup effects are breath taking in how awful they are, yet its way too long and tedious to be unintentionally funny, life is too short to waste it watching a film like this. Only note worthy thing is that former "Flash Gordon" Buster Crabbe almost ended his career like a dying scream doing this one, fortunately it can at least be said that this wasn't his last film.

    1 out of 10, even fans of movies like "Plan 9 from Outer Space" will be appalled by this one, avoid it at all costs.
    Joe 25

    Now This Movie.........

    Sure, this movie may not have the biggest budget, the greatest acting or the best direction, but it has a charm to it as all low budget flicks do. I'm a huge fan of z-grade films and this movie entertains me perfectly! But one thing I will say is why did Buster Crabbe choose to do this for his last role? I wouldn't have cared about it, but if it was his next to last, it may have been better. But putting that aside, if you're a bad movie fan or you're a Fred Olen Ray fan, even if you love cheesy z-grade movies that just beg for the guys in MST 3000 to riff it, then give it a whirl!
    Backlash007

    "That was before strange things started occurring in this sleepy little town…and now things will never be the same again."

    The Alien Dead is another strong candidate for "worst movie EVER." Fred Olen Ray is, without a doubt, the worst director working today. I can't believe this guy is still making movies. This is one of his first genre offerings and a terrible, terrible movie. Where to begin? The lighting, or lack thereof, is an appropriate starting point I suppose. You can't see anything that's going on in this flick. It's awful. The lighting guy (assuming there was one) should be shot. Next stop: inane dialogue. What in the hell was up with the brainless dialogue and the delivery of said brainless dialogue? It's pathetic at best. And the music...nevermind. Just stay away from this one. I am now dumber after witnessing the dreaded terror of the Alien Dead.
    5kzintichmee

    25th Anniversary!

    I saw this in Sun Coast, billed as the 25th Anniversary Edition. I saw Buster Crabbe's name and thought, "How bad can it be?". It is hilariously bad. My buddy who is a cono...conisue...knows a lot about zombie movies laughed just when it was supposed to be "serious". Good grade Z stuff. I sent Fred Olen Ray a thank you email. The DVD is worth it for the picture of Miss Kim in the website space in the special features. The guy that plays the idiotic deputy said in the interview(!) that he ended up with 300k. Not too shabby considering this movie only cost 12k. The chick on the cover looks kind of like Linda Blair from The Exorcist. Some nice looking babes in this, with some half decent t&a. Good for fans of low grade horror and I know you are out there.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      An earlier draft of the script was about giant killer leeches. This was later changed to zombies when Fred Olen Ray realized that leech costumes would be too expensive for the film's modest budget.
    • Goofs
      An old lady gets stabbed with a three-pronged pitchfork and four prongs come out of her back!
    • Quotes

      Tom Corman: What do you think about, Shawn?

      Shawn Michaels: I don't know. Growing up. Getting out of the swamp. Eating hamburgers. Stuff like that.

    • Connections
      Featured in You Won't Stop Screaming (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Bluegrass On My Mind
      (uncredited)

      Performed by The American Bluegrass Express

      [Played in the bar scene towards the beginning of movie]

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 1, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alien dead
    • Filming locations
      • Oviedo, Florida, USA
    • Production company
      • Firdbird International Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $12,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 14m(74 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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