http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Alien_from_L.A.Alien from L.A. - Revision history2026-04-22T14:42:26ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.1http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Alien_from_L.A.&diff=4795859&oldid=previmported>Panamitsu: add {{Use American English}} template per category "American films by century" and MOS:TIES2025-01-19T08:25:59Z<p>add {{Use American English}} template per category "American films by century" and <a href="/wiki143/index.php?title=MOS:TIES&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="MOS:TIES (page does not exist)">MOS:TIES</a></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1988 American science fiction film by Albert Pyun}}<br />
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| name = Alien from L.A.<br />
| image = Alien from LA.jpg<br />
| caption = Theatrical release poster<br />
| director = [[Albert Pyun]]<br />
| producer = {{Plainlist|<br />
*[[Menahem Golan]]<br />
*[[Yoram Globus]]}}<br />
| writer = {{Plainlist|<br />
*Judith Berg <br>(credited as Debra Ricci)<br />
*Sandra Berg <br>(credited as Regina Davis)<br />
*[[Albert Pyun]]}}<br />
| starring = {{Plainlist|<br />
*[[Kathy Ireland]]<br />
*[[William R. Moses]]<br />
*[[Richard Haines]]<br />
*[[Don Michael Paul]]<br />
*[[Thom Mathews]]<br />
*Janet Du Plessis<br />
*Simon Poland}}<br />
| music = {{Plainlist|<br />
*Jim Andron<br />
*Simon LeGassick<br />
*Anthony Riparetti<br />
*James Saad}}<br />
| cinematography = Tom Fraser<br />
| editing = Daniel Loewenthal<br />
| studio = [[Golan-Globus Productions]]<br />
| distributor = [[The Cannon Group]]<br />
| released = {{Film date|1988|02|26}}<br />
| runtime = 87 minutes<br />
| country = United States<br />
| language = English<br />
| budget = <br />
| gross = <br />
}}<br />
'''''Alien from L.A.''''' is a 1988 [[science fiction film]] directed by [[Albert Pyun]] and starring [[Kathy Ireland]] as a young woman who visits the underground civilization of [[Atlantis]]. The film was featured on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''. This film is loosely based on Jules Verne's 1864 novel ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'' with some minor allusions to ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]''.<br />
<br />
==Plot==<br />
Wanda Saknussemm is a nerdy social misfit with large glasses and an unusually squeaky voice who lives in [[Los Angeles]] and works at a diner. After being dumped by her boyfriend for "not having a sense of adventure", Wanda is informed by a letter that her father, an [[archaeologist]], fell into a bottomless pit and died. She flies to Zamboanga [[North Africa]] ("Deepest Africa" says the envelope's return address) and while going through her father's belongings, she finds his notes about Atlantis, apparently an alien ship that crashed millennia ago and sank into the center of the Earth. Wanda comes across a chamber beneath her father's apartment and accidentally sets off a chain of events that ultimately cause her to fall into a deep hole.<br />
<br />
An unharmed Wanda wakes up deep within the Earth to find Gus, a miner whom she protects from being slain by two people. Gus agrees to help Wanda find her father, whom she believes is alive and trapped underground. Wanda soon discovers that both she and her father are believed to be spies planning an invasion of Atlantis. People from the surface world are referred to as "aliens" by Atlanteans, who appear virtually identical to surface dwellers, and when Wanda is overheard talking about [[Malibu Beach]] by a low-life informant, she soon becomes a hunted woman and must dodge efforts at capture, both from the mysterious "Government House" and from thugs in the pay of the crime lord Mambino.<br />
<br />
Wanda's efforts at escape are aided by Charmin', a handsome rogue who (briefly) assists her flight and falls for Wanda. She is ultimately captured by the evil General Rykov, who wants to kill both Wanda and her incarcerated father. Before the Atlantean leader can decide what to do with Wanda and her father, Gus shows up and helps the duo escape while fighting off General Rykov and her soldiers. Wanda and her father board a ship that takes them back to the surface, and the film ends with Wanda on the beach, wearing a bikini and a sarong. She refuses the advances of her ex-boyfriend, and is soon reunited with Charmin', who inexplicably appears on a motorcycle.<br />
<br />
==Cast==<br />
* [[Kathy Ireland]] as Wanda Saknussemm<br />
* [[William R. Moses]] as Guten "Gus" Edway<br />
* Richard Haines as Professor Arnold Saknussemm<br />
* [[Don Michael Paul]] as Robbie<br />
* [[Thom Mathews]] as "Charmin'"<br />
* Janie Du Plessis as General Rykov / Shank / Claims Officer<br />
* Simon Poland as Consul Triton Crassus / The Mailman<br />
* [[Linda Kerridge]] as Roryis Freki / Auntie Pearl<br />
* Kristen Trucksess as Stacy<br />
* Lochner de Kock as Professor Ovid Galba / Paddy Mahoney<br />
* [[Deep Roy]] as Mambino, The Boss of Bosses<br />
<br />
==Production==<br />
[[File:Kathy Ireland (cropped).jpg|thumb|125px|[[Kathy Ireland]] plays the film's lead Wanda Saknussemm]]<br />
During the troubled production of the [[Rusty Lemorande]] directed ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1989 film)|Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'', producers [[Yoram Globus]] and [[Menahem Golan]] dissatisfied with Lemorande's rough cut approached [[Albert Pyun]] to finish the film.<ref name="JttCotEProd">{{cite magazine |last=Biodrowski|first=Steve|date=July 1988 |title= Cannon Shelves its other |url=https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2018%20No%205%20%28July%201988%29/page/n42/mode/1up?view=theater|url-status= |magazine=[[Cinefantastique]]|location= |publisher= Fourth Castle Micromedia|access-date=July 17, 2023}}</ref> Pyun accepted the job saying he would finish the film for free if they allowed him to film ''Alien from L.A.'' for under $1 million which was a repurposed version of Pyun's own take on ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'', which they agreed.<ref name= "JttCotEProd"/><br />
<br />
===Casting===<br />
Kathy Ireland was chosen by director Albert Pyun after seeing a photo of her, and without doing a [[screen test]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1988 |title=California actress balances careers |work=[[Tyler Morning Telegraph]] |agency=[[United Press International]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113732432/alien-from-la-albert-pyun/ |access-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127210125/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113732432/alien-from-la-albert-pyun/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ireland had little acting experience and said "No one was more surprised than I was", stating that she took [[acting lessons]] afterwards.<ref name=":0" /> The film was Ireland's debut in a major motion picture.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2015-03-05 |title=Your Guide to Cannon Films' Crazy Sci-Fi and Fantasy |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a14027/schlock-studio-cannon-sci-fi-guide/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-us |archive-date=2022-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129013047/https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a14027/schlock-studio-cannon-sci-fi-guide/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to director [[Albert Pyun]], Ireland was cast for her tall stature, as he wanted to illustrate a physical difference between people from the surface and people who were closer to the Earth's center.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myg-qJQ7hlw |title=Casting Kathy Ireland in Alien From LA - MST3K Vol. XXVI Bonus Clip |date=March 20, 2013 |author=Shout! Factory |publisher=[[Google|Google, LLC]] |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Myg-qJQ7hlw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live |accessdate=November 18, 2020 |website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The character's surname of "Saknussemm" is taken from the original ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'' by Jules Verne.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/649912168 |title=One book, the whole universe : Plato's Timaeus today |date=May 5, 2010 |publisher=Parmenides Publishing |others=Richard D. Mohr, Barbara M. Sattler |isbn=978-1-930972-61-2 |location=Las Vegas |pages=319–320 |oclc=649912168}}</ref><br />
<br />
Ireland says that changes were made to her character between the time when she was cast and when filming began. <blockquote>"And when I got on the set I found out that they had changed my whole character around which surprised me but I liked her better. When I read for the part she had been a flirty Madonna type. They had changed her to a geeky clumsy shy type of girl which I liked better. The changes made her more likable and I was able to draw on a couple of periods in my life when I went through awkward phases."<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Jerry |date=March 3, 1988 |title=Model's Future Covered |work=[[San Pedro News-Pilot]] |location=[[San Pedro, California]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850228/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland/ |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129232244/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850228/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland/ |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
===Filming===<br />
[[File:Skeleton Coast Dunes.jpg|left|thumb|Namibia's [[Skeleton Coast]]]]<br />
The filming locations for the film include [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]], [[Redondo Beach, California|Redondo beach]], [[South Africa]], and [[Namibia]].<ref name=":3" /> Pyun was asked by Cannon to film in South Africa due to positive relations between the Israeli Globus and Golan, as well as their desire to use "blocked funds" that could not be taken out from the country per South African government mandates.<ref name="AfLAProd">{{cite magazine |last=Biodrowski|first=Steve|date=July 1988 |title= Alien from L.A. |url=https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2018%20No%205%20%28July%201988%29/page/n40/mode/1up?view=theater|url-status= |magazine=[[Cinefantastique]]|location= |publisher= Fourth Castle Micromedia|access-date=July 20, 2023}}</ref> The various gold mines and gold dumps located around South Africa served as shooting locations for the underground setpieces as residue left over from the mining operations created an unusual looking landscape.<ref name= "AfLAProd"/><br />
<br />
The film was mostly shot in [[Johannesburg]], at producer Avi Lerner's studio, plus additional shooting in [[Durban|Durban, South Africa]] and [[Swakopmund|Swakopmund, Namibia]]. Locations ranged from South Africa's deep digging mines and gold fields both on the outskirts of Johannesburg. There was one additional day of shooting at a safari complex near [[Pretoria]]. Most of the Namibia shoot took place in and around the old German colonial town of Swakopmund, with additional scenes also shot along Namibia's famed [[Skeleton Coast]]. The film was also shot in [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California.]]<br />
<br />
The sets of the film are inspired by "[[future noir]]" from films such as 1979's ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' and 1982's ''[[Blade Runner]]''.<ref name=":2" /> Two songs used in the film were "Once Upon a Time", performed by Steve LeGassick, and "State of Heart", performed by [[Donna De Lory|Donna DeLory]].<br />
<br />
==Release==<br />
''Alien from L.A.'' was released on February 26, 1988. ''Alien from L.A.'' was released on [[VHS]] by Media Home Entertainment in June 1995.<ref>{{cite book |title=Alien from L.A. [VHS] |asin=6303566723}}</ref> It was later released on [[DVD]] by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] on June 7, 2005, paired with ''[[Morons from Outer Space]]''; the only special feature for the release was the film's trailer.<ref>{{cite web |last=Tyner |first=Adam |date=May 8, 2005 |title=Morons from Outer Space / Alien from L.A. |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15721/morons-from-outer-space-alien-from-la/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606081833/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15721/morons-from-outer-space-alien-from-la/ |archive-date=2011-06-06 |access-date=November 18, 2020 |website=[[DVD Talk]]}}</ref> It has been released and is currently available in a Blu-ray edition by [[Vinegar Syndrome (company)|Vinegar Syndrome]] that includes an interview with director Albert Pyun (“Making a Fairytale”), an interview with actor Thom Mathews (“Putting the puzzle together”), and an audio interview with actress Linda Kerridge. ''Alien from L.A.'' was followed by a [[direct-to-video]] sequel called ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1989 film)|Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'' (also directed by [[Albert Pyun]]), which was released in the United States in 1989. The film had [[Kathy Ireland]] reprising her role as Wanda Saknussemm.<ref name=":1" /><br />
<br />
== Reception ==<br />
[[Joe Bob Briggs]] called it a "pretty decent film", awarding it two stars.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Briggs |first=Joe Bob |date=March 20, 1988 |title=Spaceship full of aliens sinks like Atlantis |work=The San Francisco Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113732472/alien-from-la/ |access-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127210125/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113732472/alien-from-la/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Rebecca Harris of the ''[[Abilene Reporter-News]]'' gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Rebecca |date=February 28, 1988 |title='Alien from L.A.' Strange but Okay |work=[[Abilene Reporter-News]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850111/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland-review/ |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129232245/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850111/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Film reviewer David Picking said the film was "a cheapo adventure movie without a single redeeming quality"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pickering |first=David |date=March 2, 1988 |title=It muts be Spring: Bad movies fly in with Robins |work=[[Corpus Christi Caller-Times]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850962/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland/ |access-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129232237/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113850962/alien-from-la-kathy-ireland/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
<br />
Reviewing the DVD release, Rob Thomas of ''[[The Capital Times]]'', said "Completely awful{{snd}}you can't believe they're serious." Daniel M. Kimmel of the ''[[Worcester Telegram & Gazette]]'' gave the film one out of five stars''.''<ref>{{Citation |title=Alien From L.A. - Movie Reviews |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien-from-la-odeon-wanda/reviews |language=en |access-date=2022-11-29 |archive-date=2022-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010234/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien-from-la-odeon-wanda/reviews |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references /><br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{Wikiquote}}<br />
*{{IMDb title|0092532|Alien from L.A.}}<br />
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|alien_from_la_odeon_wanda}}<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110717181537/http://mgmstudios.vo.llnwd.net/o23/mgm/ALIENFRO_t_300K.asf Theatrical trailer]<br />
<br />
{{Albert Pyun}}<br />
{{Journey to the Center of the Earth}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1988 films]]<br />
[[Category:1980s science fiction adventure films]]<br />
[[Category:1980s science fiction comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:1988 comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:American science fiction comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]<br />
[[Category:English-language science fiction adventure films]]<br />
[[Category:English-language science fiction comedy films]]<br />
[[Category:Fiction portraying humans as aliens]]<br />
[[Category:Films based on Journey to the Center of the Earth]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Albert Pyun]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in Atlantis]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in North Africa]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Gauteng]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in KwaZulu-Natal]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Namibia]]<br />
[[Category:Golan-Globus films]]<br />
[[Category:Films produced by Menahem Golan]]<br />
[[Category:Films produced by Yoram Globus]]<br />
[[Category:1980s American films]]<br />
[[Category:1988 science fiction films]]<br />
[[Category:Mystery Science Theater 3000]]</div>imported>Panamitsu