‘Species’ Presents Another Mutation In Evolution Of Alien-Invader Tales

Fri., Dec. 8, 1995

By Dan Webster danw@spokesman.com

During the 1950s, American horror cinema specialized in tales of alien invaders.

We weren’t threatened just by little green men in flying saucers, either. Any given Saturday matinee had America being trampled by giant ants, spiders or 50-foot blondes in bathing suits.

Commies came in all sizes and shapes, don’t you know.

But the scariest invaders were those who took over the bodies of our family and friends, turning formerly loving entities into emotionless zombies who want only for us to join their number.

Who want, in the end, only to destroy us.

“Star Trek” in its various forms has played on this theme more times than James Kirk has taken off his shirt. In many instances, though, the aliens there are only misunderstood life forms who, when their needs are finally met, become as friendly as a golden retriever.

Not so the alien creature in “Species” (see capsule review below), which is now available for rent.

And “Species” is only the latest in a long line of alien-spy sagas. A few of my favorites include:

“Invaders From Mars” (1953, 1986): In the original, director William Cameron Menzies creates a truly scary scenario in which a small boy discovers his parents (especially his father, spookily played by Leif Erickson), have turned into strangers. In the sequel, Tobe Hooper, being more into special effects, is less effective on a purely character level. But even so, Hooper’s films are always fun to watch.

“Invasion of the Bodysnatchers” (1956, 1978, 1994). Don Siegel directed the original, which featured the overacting of Kevin McCarthy. Donald Sutherland and Brooke Smith took over in the first sequel, directed by Philip Kaufman (“The Right Stuff”) before Abel Ferrara (“The Bad Lieutenant”) tried his hand with Gabrielle Anwar in the third installment.

“Invasion of the Bee Girls” (1973). A strange force invades the bodies of beautiful women, causing them to, uh, love their men to death. Weird, campy and just the thing for a night of weird-video watching.

“The Invaders” (1967). Roy Thinnes starred in this television series, which began with the well-directed pilot episode titled “Beachhead.”

Species

**-1/2

What happens when you mix alien and human DNA? Miss Norway, apparently. But this Scandinavian beauty has a dark secret (besides the curious spiderlike habit of killing the men she mates with): She ain’t what she seems. And after a botched attempt at ending the experiment from which she emerged, she escapes. The interplay between the team that is assembled to capture her, which boasts the likes of Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker and Michael Madsen, is amusing. And you may jump once or three times. But the ending is distinctly downsized from A-list filmmaking. Rated R.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: WHAT’S NEW TO VIEW Now available: “Species” (MGM/UA), “Body Language” (HBO), “Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker” (Hallmark), “Detonator 2” (New Line), “First Degree” (Polygram), “Witchboard 3” (Republic). Available on Tuesday: “First Knight” (Columbia TriStar), “Judge Dredd” (Buena Vista), “Men of War” (Buena Vista), “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain” (Buena Vista), “Lap Dancing” (TEV), “Canadian Bacon” (Polygram), “Land Before Time 3” (MCA/ Universal), “Twin Sitters” (Columbia TriStar), “Mutant Species” (LIVE), “Probable Cause” (LIVE).

This sidebar appeared with the story: WHAT’S NEW TO VIEW Now available: “Species” (MGM/UA), “Body Language” (HBO), “Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker” (Hallmark), “Detonator 2” (New Line), “First Degree” (Polygram), “Witchboard 3” (Republic). Available on Tuesday: “First Knight” (Columbia TriStar), “Judge Dredd” (Buena Vista), “Men of War” (Buena Vista), “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain” (Buena Vista), “Lap Dancing” (TEV), “Canadian Bacon” (Polygram), “Land Before Time 3” (MCA/ Universal), “Twin Sitters” (Columbia TriStar), “Mutant Species” (LIVE), “Probable Cause” (LIVE).