Main Cast: Tara Leigh, Tony Gigante, Dianna Flaherty, Katherine Romaine, Marcus Powell, George Gerard
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Making optimum use of its limited budget, this intense, claustrophobic sci-fi/horror film involves the bizarre results of genetic experiments performed by Dr. Foster (George Gerard) for the head of the sinister Talos Corporation. When bitten by the spawn of one of the alien spores contained in the lab, Foster undergoes a horrific transformation and begins stalking anyone unfortunate enough to stray into the facility. This includes the daughter of the creature's first victim (Tara Leigh) and a hitman (Tony Gigante) hired by sleazy Talos director Dr. Viallini (Marcus Powell) to murder anyone privy to the project or its lethal outcome. Ultimately, the survivors must square off against the ever-mutating Foster/thing before it becomes unstoppable. Well-written and sporting some spectacular (and gross) monster effects, this ambitious effort began as a belated sequel to the shoestring cult classic The Deadly Spawn (aka Return of the Aliens). ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Cast
Tara Leigh - Sherry Griffen
Tony Gigante - Mitchell
Dianna Flaherty - Kim Griffen
Katherine Romaine - Nancy Kane
Marcus Powell - Dr. Viallini
George Gerard - Doctor Michael Foster
Allen Lewis Rickman - Dr. Elliot Stein
Credit
Tony Grazia - Associate Producer, Glenn Takakjian - Co-producer, Glenn Takakjian - Director, Janice Keuhnelian - Editor, David Berson - Executive Producer, Steven Friedman - Executive Producer, Scott Morette - Line Producer, John Gray - Composer (Music Score), Brian Quinn - Makeup, Kenneth Walker - Makeup, John Paino - Production Designer, John A. Corso - Cinematographer, Ted A. Bohus - Producer, Scott Morette - Producer, Glenn Takakjian - Screenwriter, Phil Gries - Additional Cinematography
Following on the moderate success of 1983's The Deadly Spawn, Ted A. Bohus and partner Dr. Ron Giannotto chose to surpass this success with a sequel, but the storyline evolved into something different. Having a slightly larger budget than for 'Spawn', Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor began production in an abandoned Jersey City warehouse with exterior and some interior shots in a Hackensack office building using childhood friends and New Jersey and New York locals.[4]
Brief summary
An alien from outer space bites a bio-researcher and turns him into a monster. Its first victim is the guard at the hospital he's working in. The guard's daughters are getting worried that their father hasn't called them and they go to the hospital, where they meet their worst nightmare.
Partial cast
Matt Kulis as John Griffen
Patrick Barnes as Brian
Tara Leigh as Sherry Griffen
Dianna Flaherty as Kim Griffen
Katherine Romaine as Nancy Kane
Marcus Powell as Dr. Viallini
Allen Lewis Rickman as Dr. Elliot Stein
George G. Colucci as Dr. Michael Foster (as George Gerard)
Tony Gigante as Mitchell
Greg Sullivan as Jarrett
Reception
TV Guide reviewed the film with its 1993 USADVD release, finding the film to be an "unusually vivid and accomplished low-budget horror film". Noting that the film was conceived as a sequel to Bohus' The Deadly Spawn, they remark how the sequel has nothing to do with the previous, and that the film made a "quantum leap" in visual effects. By limiting cast and location costs, production was able to concentrate efforts on effects, and that the monsters and stop-motion remain convincing and scary throughout the film. They praised how director Takajian sustained the suspense and tension throughout the film, pacing the progress so everything comes to a head in the final reels for maximum effect. The also note that the effects overcome earlier weak acting, and the growing intensity of the story and the more confident acting as the film progresses allow one to "forget the shakiness of what has preceded it".[2] In agreement, Cavett Binion of All Movie Guide felt that the film made excellent use of a limited budget. Noting that the film was intense, well-written and sported some spectacular monster effects.[3]
Release
The film was first released in Cannes in May of 1990, with a German DVD premiere on November 5, 1990. The USA DVD premiere was December 15, 1993.
