Subject: Retrospective: Not Of This Earth (1995)

From: [email-masked] (Mike Watson)
Date: 28 Apr 1999 05:06:13 GMT

NOT OF THIS EARTH (1995)

A film review by Mike Watson
Copyright 1999 Mike Watson

Rating:  4 out of 5

Well I'll be damned, what a most excellent surprise.

Not to be confused with the campy and far inferior 1988 remake
starring ex-porn Star Traci Lords, this more recent attempt at
remaking the 1950's drive-in schlockfest NOT OF THIS EARTH is a real
gem and was quite possibly the best sci-fi flick of 1995.  

Once again, B-movie king Roger Corman is behind this effort (he
directed the original) but this time he appears only in the role of
executive producer.  The rest of the crew and cast are relative
unknowns.  It seems criminal that the film was released direct to
video in most countries, because it's an absolute must-see for sci-fi
fans and a treat for anyone who enjoys decently acted and written
thrillers with a kooky bent.

The plot in brief.  Paul Johnson (Michael York) is an alien posing as
an eccentric millionaire who, though needing to kill people to live,
is visiting Earth for far from selfish reasons.  His race is dying of
a mysterious blood disease and he desperately is trying to find a
cure, the key of which lies in the blood of humans.  He visits and
soon puts under his spell the respected blood physician Dr. Rochelle,
whom he hypnotises into doing secret research on his behalf.  He also
has the doctor convince smart and sexy nurse Amanda (Elizabeth
Barondes) to move in with Johnson as his private nurse so as to give
him the blood transfusions which he constantly requires.  But before
long, Amanda and Johnson's sleazy chauffeur release that Johnson is a
lot more than just eccentric.

I must admit, my first glimpse of the video cover for NOT OF THIS
EARTH was not encouraging.  British actor Michael York has appeared in
some real stinkers in past few decades, a far cry from the quality
fare of his younger days such as CABERAT (1972).  But his performance
here as an alien in human disguise is nothing short of outstanding.
The weird twitches and bizarre modes of speech, the dapper clothes and
cool spectacles, the unexpected pathos which he invests in his
character.  York is by turns hilarious, menacing and tragic.  This is
a tour-de-force and quite simply the best performance I've seen from
him.

And while obviously made on a modest budget, the film boasts enormous
strengths.  The casting is spot on, the acting is terrific and the
script is intelligent, witty and consistently engaging, cleverly
updating the original.  The balance of horror and humour is just about
perfect, a marked contrast to the earlier remake from 1988.  The film
doesn't drag for a second of its 90 minute running time thanks to
tight editing and the sure hand of little-known director Terrance H.
Winkless.  And it doesn't matter one bit that the special effects are
cheesy - this is schlock after all, even if it is high class schlock.

In fact my only criticism of the film is that things get a tad weak
towards the end.  Tighter direction could have given the climax more
urgency and a few of the characters act rather illogically given their
life-threatening situation.

But these are minor complaints.  Just see it.  NOT OF THIS EARTH is
one of the biggest sci-fi surprises in years.  And Michael York: in
one cool swoop you've made yourself a B-movie legend, dude.