Not of This Earth

Rating:
Summary: I tried...Really-to like this movie...
Review: I bought this dvd for 2 reasons.Monique Gabrielle and Jim Wynorski .If not for the audio commentary-it is completely unbearable.Luckily,the one actor who had character was the commentary co-host.After Death Stalker II,I know Mr. Wynorski is/was capable of much more.This was sad really.

Rating:
Summary: This is the gouda of cheesy movies
Review: Jim Wynorski is quite possibly the finest B movie director ever. His Sorority House Massacre II is a masterpiece of slasher horror. Deathstalker II's incredible contrast with the rest of the series pushes a good movie up another notch. Jim W. does it again with Not of this Earth.

The opening scene lasts about 2 or 3 minutes and after seeing it, you just know you are in for a treat. The credits are better than ten other B movies put together. They show an amazing array aliens, space combat, and special effects. The best part is that the credit sequence really has very little to do with the movie you are about to see. That kind of attention to detail is hard to find in big budget movie, and in a B movie it is practically unheard of!

Traci Lords plays a very attractive nurse who is hired to take care of the mysterious Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson is does an incredible job as an emotionless alien, and the resulting comedy is priceless (or without value, depending on your point of view). Anyway, I got a kick out of Traci's coworker, Jeremy, the surly bodyguard/driver/cook who wears leather no finger gloves and a nice looking chauffer uniform.

I recommend this movie to any fan of cheesy science fiction. It is entertaining throughout.

Rating:
Summary: This is the gouda of cheesy movies
Review: Jim Wynorski is quite possibly the finest B movie director ever. His Sorority House Massacre II is a masterpiece of slasher horror. Deathstalker II's incredible contrast with the rest of the series pushes a good movie up another notch. Jim W. does it again with Not of this Earth.

The opening scene lasts about 2 or 3 minutes and after seeing it, you just know you are in for a treat. The credits are better than ten other B movies put together. They show an amazing array aliens, space combat, and special effects. The best part is that the credit sequence really has very little to do with the movie you are about to see. That kind of attention to detail is hard to find in big budget movie, and in a B movie it is practically unheard of!

Traci Lords plays a very attractive nurse who is hired to take care of the mysterious Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson is does an incredible job as an emotionless alien, and the resulting comedy is priceless (or without value, depending on your point of view). Anyway, I got a kick out of Traci's coworker, Jeremy, the surly bodyguard/driver/cook who wears leather no finger gloves and a nice looking chauffer uniform.

I recommend this movie to any fan of cheesy science fiction. It is entertaining throughout.

Rating:
Summary: B Movie gets A Treatment!
Review: NOT OF THIS EARTH was a 1988 remake of a 1950s Corman film which was widely touted as the first legitimate role for Traci Lords after she was exposed having been underage in the porn industry. It's cheesey drive-in fun! Traci and the cast do a good job with what they have, and the production is fun and never takes itself seriously. It's about a space vampire who comes to Earth for blood, and he hires a nurse (Traci Lords) and a manservant to help him out. But they both uncover that he is not what he seems and they try and stop him with some help from their friends. Nudity and cheesey horror abound, but Traci does not get racier than her infamous blue bikini!

The whole thing has b-movie writ large! You can see camera crews reflected in cars, a portrait moves around the house to EVERY room, and inserted footage from other Corman classics (Galaxy of Terror, Humanoids from the Deep) stand out like sore thumbs. But for some reason its a hoot, and very enjoyable. Fans of Traci will love it, and she really shows she can act. Anyone who can make me believe she's a suspicious nurse of a space vampire deserves the Oscar on effort alone! Meryl Streep never did that!

The extra on the DVD is the commentary by Corman veteran director Jim Wyronski. He's so funny on these things - he did a similar good job on the commentary for VAMPIRELLA (another Corman produced movie about a sexy space vampire!). So pop some popcorn and get ready for a cheesey good time.

Rating:
Summary: B Movie gets A Treatment!
Review: NOT OF THIS EARTH was a 1988 remake of a 1950s Corman film which was widely touted as the first legitimate role for Traci Lords after she was exposed having been underage in the porn industry. It's cheesey drive-in fun! Traci and the cast do a good job with what they have, and the production is fun and never takes itself seriously. It's about a space vampire who comes to Earth for blood, and he hires a nurse (Traci Lords) and a manservant to help him out. But they both uncover that he is not what he seems and they try and stop him with some help from their friends. Nudity and cheesey horror abound, but Traci does not get racier than her infamous blue bikini!

The whole thing has b-movie writ large! You can see camera crews reflected in cars, a portrait moves around the house to EVERY room, and inserted footage from other Corman classics (Galaxy of Terror, Humanoids from the Deep) stand out like sore thumbs. But for some reason its a hoot, and very enjoyable. Fans of Traci will love it, and she really shows she can act. Anyone who can make me believe she's a suspicious nurse of a space vampire deserves the Oscar on effort alone! Meryl Streep never did that!

The extra on the DVD is the commentary by Corman veteran director Jim Wyronski. He's so funny on these things - he did a similar good job on the commentary for VAMPIRELLA (another Corman produced movie about a sexy space vampire!). So pop some popcorn and get ready for a cheesey good time.

Rating:
Summary: A horror Fan
Review: Remake of a 1957 Roger Corman quickie. About an alien vampire coming to Earth to collect blood for the dying people of his planet. I dont know if this is horror or comedy {which could work together but does not} The only good thing about this movie is Traci Lords always nice to see her.... I wish I had spent my money on something else.

Rating:
Summary: Corman + Wynorski + Lords = Loads of Cheesy Fun
Review: Roger Corman is executive producer and schlock-meister Jim Wynorski is director of 1988's NOT OF THIS EARTH, a campy remake of the campy Corman-directed classic. And in typical Corman style, it offers everything a B-movie fan could want: A goofy tongue-in-cheek plot that is barely more than a re-hash of the original; cheesy special FX, a good number of which were lifted from other Corman films; mediocre acting from some of the supporting cast; and lots of gratuitous female nudity. And also as with most films in which Corman has his hands, it is LOTS of fun to watch.

Gorgeous former hardcore adult-film star Traci Lords--here in her first "legit" starring role and the last role in which she completely disrobes for the camera--portrays a private-care nurse who unwittingly assists an extraterrestrial vampire in draining low-lifes and bimbos of their blood so that he can send the vital red stuff back to the hungry folks on his home planet of Devanna. It doesn't take long, though, before the nurse and her policeman boyfriend (Roger Lodge--yes, THAT Roger Lodge) begin to suspect that something strange and dangerous is going on. But can they solve the mystery quickly enough to save the city's remaining low-lifes and bimbos?

During the shooting and post-production of this film, there was a lot of hullabaloo about Traci Lords being cast in the lead role. Many thought that casting the former star of XXX-rated films was just a gimmick to gain publicity for the project, and while it did indeed do that, Ms. Lords' performance in NOT OF THIS EARTH is top-notch and professional and acquits her of the charges of being nothing more than shapely eye-candy. And for the most part, the other actors do a great job of supporting Ms. Lords. Arthur Roberts--looking like one of THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980)--delightfully parodies the stoic, awkward, out-of-his-element extraterrestrial that has become a sci-fi cliché. As the alien's clueless butler and chauffeur, Lenny Juliano has good onscreen chemistry with star Lords and really hams it up. And actor Ace Mask, playing the doctor who assigns Lords to work with the alien, is delightfully quirky and a real hoot whenever he's on the screen.

The only odd casting choice is that of Roger Lodge for the role of Lords' boyfriend. Filmgoers may recognize Lodge from his gig as host of TV's flaky syndicated dating show BLIND DATE. While Lords' performance in this film demonstrates why she has become a ubiquitous presence on TV and on film, Lodge's performance demonstrates why he's been relegated to hosting a low-brow late-night TV show. Traci Lords and Roger Lodge in bed together? That ineffable mismatch is like something from Lodge's BLIND DATE.

Rumor has it that this film came about as the result of a wager between Corman and Wynorski that the younger director wouldn't be able to shoot an adequate remake if restricted to the same 12-day shooting schedule and a similar budget. Well, Wynorski rose to the challenge and actually succeeded. So yes, this version of NOT OF THIS EARTH is a cheap production with lots of cheap tongue-in-cheek humor, cheap over-the-top performances, cheap FX & recycled film footage, and cheap busty bimbos--not to mention the beautiful and classy Ms. Lords--providing gratuitous eye-popping T&A. Nobody has tried to deny that the film is a cheesefest. But it's a highly entertaining cheesefest nonetheless, and in many ways it is better and more fun than Corman's original.

The DVD treatment of NOT OF THIS EARTH from New Concorde is pretty cool, especially considering that the film itself is a low-budget quickie. The disc offers a nice digital transfer of the film, generally free of filmic or digital artifacts, in what is apparently the film's original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. As for bonus material, an optional feature commentary with director Wynorski and supporting actor Lenny Juliano is a real hoot--often times funnier and campier than the film itself--and Wynorski also manages to relate some interesting and humorous anecdotes regarding the making of the film and points out a few technical errors. Also offered is the requisite original theatrical trailer. All in all, it's a great DVD value.

In short, viewers who love low-budget B-grade SF and horror movies will enjoy the 1988 remake of NOT OF THIS EARTH and will certainly want to add this cool DVD to their collections. (Fans of gorgeous Traci Lords will want to give it a spin, too.) But those who don't comprehend the entertainment value of watching well-crafted schlock should probably spend their money elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Corman + Wynorski + Lords = Loads of Cheesy Fun
Review: Roger Corman is executive producer and schlock-meister Jim Wynorski is director of 1988's NOT OF THIS EARTH, a campy remake of the campy Corman-directed classic. And in typical Corman style, it offers everything a B-movie fan could want: A goofy tongue-in-cheek plot that is barely more than a re-hash of the original; cheesy special FX, a good number of which were lifted from other Corman films; mediocre acting from some of the supporting cast; and lots of gratuitous female nudity. And also as with most films in which Corman has his hands, it is LOTS of fun to watch.

Gorgeous former hardcore adult-film star Traci Lords--here in her first "legit" starring role and the last role in which she completely disrobes for the camera--portrays a private-care nurse who unwittingly assists an extraterrestrial vampire in draining low-lifes and bimbos of their blood so that he can send the vital red stuff back to the hungry folks on his home planet of Devanna. It doesn't take long, though, before the nurse and her policeman boyfriend (Roger Lodge--yes, THAT Roger Lodge) begin to suspect that something strange and dangerous is going on. But can they solve the mystery quickly enough to save the city's remaining low-lifes and bimbos?

During the shooting and post-production of this film, there was a lot of hullabaloo about Traci Lords being cast in the lead role. Many thought that casting the former star of XXX-rated films was just a gimmick to gain publicity for the project, and while it did indeed do that, Ms. Lords' performance in NOT OF THIS EARTH is top-notch and professional and acquits her of the charges of being nothing more than shapely eye-candy. And for the most part, the other actors do a great job of supporting Ms. Lords. Arthur Roberts--looking like one of THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980)--delightfully parodies the stoic, awkward, out-of-his-element extraterrestrial that has become a sci-fi cliché. As the alien's clueless butler and chauffeur, Lenny Juliano has good onscreen chemistry with star Lords and really hams it up. And actor Ace Mask, playing the doctor who assigns Lords to work with the alien, is delightfully quirky and a real hoot whenever he's on the screen.

The only odd casting choice is that of Roger Lodge for the role of Lords' boyfriend. Filmgoers may recognize Lodge from his gig as host of TV's flaky syndicated dating show BLIND DATE. While Lords' performance in this film demonstrates why she has become a ubiquitous presence on TV and on film, Lodge's performance demonstrates why he's been relegated to hosting a low-brow late-night TV show. Traci Lords and Roger Lodge in bed together? That ineffable mismatch is like something from Lodge's BLIND DATE.

Rumor has it that this film came about as the result of a wager between Corman and Wynorski that the younger director wouldn't be able to shoot an adequate remake if restricted to the same 12-day shooting schedule and a similar budget. Well, Wynorski rose to the challenge and actually succeeded. So yes, this version of NOT OF THIS EARTH is a cheap production with lots of cheap tongue-in-cheek humor, cheap over-the-top performances, cheap FX & recycled film footage, and cheap busty bimbos--not to mention the beautiful and classy Ms. Lords--providing gratuitous eye-popping T&A. Nobody has tried to deny that the film is a cheesefest. But it's a highly entertaining cheesefest nonetheless, and in many ways it is better and more fun than Corman's original.

The DVD treatment of NOT OF THIS EARTH from New Concorde is pretty cool, especially considering that the film itself is a low-budget quickie. The disc offers a nice digital transfer of the film, generally free of filmic or digital artifacts, in what is apparently the film's original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. As for bonus material, an optional feature commentary with director Wynorski and supporting actor Lenny Juliano is a real hoot--often times funnier and campier than the film itself--and Wynorski also manages to relate some interesting and humorous anecdotes regarding the making of the film and points out a few technical errors. Also offered is the requisite original theatrical trailer. All in all, it's a great DVD value.

In short, viewers who love low-budget B-grade SF and horror movies will enjoy the 1988 remake of NOT OF THIS EARTH and will certainly want to add this cool DVD to their collections. (Fans of gorgeous Traci Lords will want to give it a spin, too.) But those who don't comprehend the entertainment value of watching well-crafted schlock should probably spend their money elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Not a bad non-porno flick
Review: Tracy Lords is cast as the main blood pumper for this I believe alien vampire sorta. Only a little nudity. Tracy is trading porno for drama in this Roger Corman classic. Get this one if you like being confused. No spoilers here.

Rating:
Summary: a great B-movie
Review: Truly amazing how Not of this earth' cheap story can provide such a good, enjoyable and entertaining movie!
The answer lies in the acting of Traci Lords, Lenny Juliano and Arthur Roberts. All of them contribute magnificently to the horror & suspense in this movie. More so, their acting get extra depth by the supportive down-to-earth play by Ace Mask (doctor) and Rodger Lodge (policeman). Add to this a little sex & fun (birthday girl), and the mix of it all makes Not of this earth a real great B-movie.