Alien Nation DVD

Alien Nation
In this vaguely allegorical science fiction-crime film, a Los Angeles cop tries to solve the murder of his best friend with the help of his new partner -- a member of a star-faring alien race. In the near-future world of Alien Nation, the "Newcomers" are a race of formerly enslaved humanoids seeking refuge and integration into Earth society. These unusual immigrants face anger and resentment from some humans, including Matthew Sykes (James Caan), a cop whose partner, Tug (Roger Aaron Brown), was killed in a shoot-out with several Newcomers. In order to get some insight into Newcomer society and track down the "slags" who killed Tug, Sykes volunteers to take on a new partner,Sam "George" Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first alien ever promoted to the rank of detective. As Sykes tries to overcome his bigotry against George and his kind, who eat raw beaver and get drunk on spoiled milk, the friendly, helpful George soon learns the identity of Tug's killer: William Harcort (Terrence Stamp), a pillar of Newcomer society who is secretly manufacturing the same powerful narcotic that was used to enslave his race. It's up to Sykes and George to stop Harcort before he turns his fellow Newcomers into drooling addicts and pulls the skeletons out of his race's closet for all of humankind to see. Omen 3 director Graham Baker made his screenwriting debut with Alien Nation, as did co-writer Rockne S. O'Bannon. Kenneth Johnson, creator of the miniseries V, would adapt Alien Nation into a weekly television show in 1989 and several made-for-TV movies in the mid-'90s. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Cast James Caan as Detective Matthew Sykes Mandy Patinkin as Detective Sam Francisco "George" Terence Stamp as William Harcort Kevin Howard as Kipling Leslie Bevis as Cassandra Peter Jason as Fedorchuk

Crew Joseph C. Nemec III - Art Director Gordon Webb - Boom Operator Steve Bowerman - Boom Operator Karen Rea - Casting Joan Bradshaw - Casting Sarah Elgart - Choreography Gale Anne Hurd - Co-producer Richard Kobritz - Co-producer Erica Phillips - Costume Designer Herb Adelman - First Assistant Director Newt Arnold - First Assistant Director Jim Behnke - First Assistant Director Graham Baker - Director Conrad Palmisano - Second Unit Director Kent Beyda - Editor Curt Sobel - Editor Don Brochu - Editor Janice Alexander - Hair Styles Richard Powell - Location Manager Bruce Rush - Location Manager Cass Martin - Location Manager Jerry Goldsmith - Composer (Music Score) Curt Sobel - Composer (Music Score) Budd Carr - Musical Direction/Supervision Michael Mills - Makeup John M. Elliott, Jr. - Makeup Papp Zoltan - Makeup Monty Westmore - Makeup Katalin Elek - Makeup Makio Kida - Makeup Special Effects Matt Rose - Makeup Special Effects David Anderson - Makeup Special Effects Mark Garbarino - Makeup Special Effects Michiko Tagawa - Makeup Special Effects Grant Arndt - Makeup Special Effects Michael Spatola - Makeup Special Effects Roger Borelli - Makeup Special Effects Brian Penikas - Makeup Special Effects Greg Figiel - Makeup Special Effects Karen Mason - Makeup Special Effects Michael Trcic - Makeup Special Effects Emilio M. Gonzales - Makeup Special Effects Jeff Kennemore - Makeup Special Effects Richard J. Landon - Makeup Special Effects Russell Seifert - Makeup Special Effects Eryn Krueger - Makeup Special Effects John Price - Makeup Special Effects Steve Frakes - Makeup Special Effects John Blake - Makeup Special Effects Michael Benson - Camera Operator Phil Caplan - Camera Operator Joan Bradshaw - Production Designer Jack T. Collis - Production Designer Adam Greenberg - Cinematographer Richard Kobritz - Producer Gale Anne Hurd - Producer John Warnke - Set Designer Jim Duffy - Set Designer John Robles - Special Effects Richard Lopez - Special Effects Michael P. Stipe - Special Effects Jeffrey Machit - Special Effects Alan Rifkin - Special Effects Charles Wilborn - Sound/Sound Designer David MacMillan - Sound/Sound Designer Solange S. Schwalbe - Sound Editor Wayne Allwine - Sound Editor Lucy Coldsnow - Sound Editor Donlee Jorgensen - Sound Editor Colin C. Mouat - Sound Editor David Spence - Sound Editor Michael J. Benavente - Sound Editor Warren Hamilton, Jr. - Sound Editor Robert Renga - Sound Recordist Jim Wilkey - Stunts Jerry Summers - Stunts Bradley J. Bovee - Stunts Dick Ziker - Stunts James Welch - Stunts Bill M. Ryusaki - Stunts Thomas Rosales, Jr. - Stunts Roydon E. Clark - Stunts Erik Cord - Stunts Lori M. Van der Veer - Stunts Rick Sawaya - Stunts Leslie Hoffman - Stunts George Fisher - Stunts Harold Burns - Stunts Dennis C. Alpert - Stunts Ralph Garrett - Stunts Gregg G. Dandridge - Stunts Paul Lane - Stunts Troy Melton - Stunts Wayne Montanio - Stunts Jeff Ramsey - Stunts Steve Geray - Stunts Bruce Paul Barbour - Stunts Wally Rose - Stunts Rick Seaman - Stunts Greg Walker - Stunts Conrad Palmisano - Stunts Brian J. Williams - Stunts Rock Walker - Stunts Sharon Schaffer - Stunts Roger Creed - Stunts Mike Johnson - Stunts Chere Rae - Stunts Nick Palmisano - Stunts Dick Hancock - Stunts Eugene Collier - Stunts Greg Wayne Elam - Stunts Glory Fioramonti - Stunts Terry Jackson - Stunts Gary Morgan - Stunts Harry Wowchuk - Stunts Dwayne McGee - Stunts Bill McIntosh - Stunts Simone Boisseree - Stunts Conrad Palmisano - Stunts Coordinator Graham Baker - Screenwriter Rockne S. O'Bannon - Screenwriter Frank Holgate - Second Unit Director Of Photography Susan Trembly - Unit Publicist Jean Morrisey - Associate Editor Vance Piper - First Assistant Camera Jono Kouzouyan - Gaffer Gene Kearney - Key Grip Carlton Kaller - Music Editor Janis Benjamin Collister - Production Coordinator Louis S. Fleming - Properties Don Bassman - Re-Recording Mixer Kevin E. Carpenter - Re-Recording Mixer Richard Overton - Re-Recording Mixer Kevin F. Cleary - Re-Recording Mixer Harvey Waldman - Second Assistant Director Joe Unsinn - Special Effects Coordinator Jane O'Neal - Still Photographer Mark Mangini - Supervising Sound Editor Nicholas Vincent Korda - ADR Editor Charleen Richards - ADR Mixer Mike Carrillo - Assistant Properties John Pierce - Best Boy Electric Donald Dahlquist - Best Boy Electric David Christie - Best Boy Grip Roberto Munoz - Best Boy Grip Doreen Lane - Casting Assistant Dennis De Waay - Construction Coordinator Michael J. Long - Costumes Supervisor Linda Serijan Fasmer - Costumes Supervisor Donald L. Hartley - Dolly Grip Frank Warren - Extra Casting Lorraine Salk - First Assistant Editor Tracy S. Granger - First Assistant Editor Christopher Flick - Foley Editor Peter Tomaszewicz - Foley Editor Bill Borden - Production Executive Alicia Craft - Second Assistant Camera Barbara M. Ravis - Second Second Assistant Director Mike Paventi - Transportation Captain Steven E. Fegley - Construction Foreman Gary Burritt - Negative Cutter Karl Wickman - Pilot James W. Gavin - Pilot Ernest D. Farino - Title Design Bill Davis - Armorer

Alien Nation
A standard-issue cop flick with a sci-fi twist, Alien Nation utilizes the conventions of the genre -- the grizzled, rule-breaking detective, the rookie partner, the deadly new drug infecting the streets, and unfortunately, the black officer who dies in the first ten minutes -- even as it subverts them with a bit of humor and lots of Star Trek-worthy makeup effects. A puffy, weather-beaten James Caan plays straight man to an unrecognizable Mandy Patinkin's eager-to-please alien cop, both actors game enough to spout police force truisms without cracking a smile. Meanwhile, the venerable Terrence Stamp, in possibly his only role to feature more makeup than his drag-queen character in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, portrays a "Newcomer" crime lord with elegant aplomb. Like the script's crime flick elements, the science fiction ideas here are mostly third hand, but for a film that's basically a cross between V and The French Connection, Alien Nation is assembled with considerable finesse. The spacemen-assimilate plot line puts more emphasis on characters than on special effects, which probably kept the budget in line and certainly makes a change from the creatures-and-explosions trappings of many such genre exercises. The script's parallels between outer-space immigrants and their human counterparts may come off a little heavy-handed, but they do give Alien Nation a touch of social relevance. Throw in some strong action scenes, some pretty good gags, and Leslie Bevis as an alien good-time gal, and you've got a sci-fi film that pleases its core audience while giving the general action fan something to enjoy. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
 

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General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: Anamorphic widescreen [aspect ratio 2.35:1] Interactive menus Scene selection Audio: English 4.1 Surround, English Dolby Surround French Dolby Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish Featurette Behind-the-scenes short Theatrical trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 0. Side #1 -- 0. Scene Selection 1. They Have Landed [:03] 2. A Shoot-out [4:18] 3. Backup [6:36] 4. A New Partner [3:28] 5. One Big Gun [2:30] 6. Finding Connections [2:56] 7. Asking Questions [4:44] 8. The Girlfriend [1:33] 9. Drinking [4:27] 10. The Beach [:21] 11. The Drug [6:06] 12. Drug Bust [4:29] 13. Metamorphosis [2:40] 14. Rescue [2:01] 15. The Wedding [6:09] 16. End Titles [1:17]