Main Cast: Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, Paul Bown, Joanne Pearce, Jimmy Nail, Dinsdale Landen
Release Year: 1985
Country: UK
Run Time: 87 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In this partially successful Brit sci-fi comedy, four invading aliens cannot really think their way out of a paper bag, much less conquer Earth with their superior knowledge (apparently also non-existent). Of the aliens, Desmond (Jimmy Nail) is particularly thick-headed and leaves Bernard (Mel Smith) dangling out in space, Sandra (Joanne Pearce) attracts the romantic interest of British Commander Matteson (Dinsdale Landen), and Julian (Paul Brown) is along for the ride. After this trio causes a traffic snarl when they land on a British expressway, they are first interrogated and then given jobs in showbiz so they can support themselves. This leads to a great rock singing career, which in turn, leads to a U.S. tour -- though this does not equate rock singers and aliens. Meanwhile, Bernard has been saved from his abandonment in space by an unlikely space-wanderer who drops him off in the U.S., where he is put in an insane asylum. Sure enough, when his three companions start their U.S. tour, Bernard escapes and tries to rejoin them. The saga continues on until some sort of very unlikely rescue seems in store. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
James B. Sikking - Col. Laribee; Edward Arthur - Chat Show Host; Robert Austin - Newscaster; Tim Barker - Mathematician; R.J. Bell - Klutz; Derek Deadman - Man in Car; Joanna Dickens - Lady Farmer; Robin Driscoll - Space Pilot; Roger Hammond - Soundman; Barbara Hicks - Stenographer; George Innes - Stanley Benson; Michael J. Jackson - Scientist; David James - Policeman; Tristram Jellinek - Simpson; Andre Maranne - Trousseaux; Miriam Margolyes - Lady Scientist; Billy Mitchell - Commander; Olivier Pierre - Jabowlski; Shane Rimmer - Redneck; Jo Ross - Lady in Dining Room; Ronnie Stevens - Hotel Manager; Shelley Thompson - Nurse Perce; Des Webb - Eskimo chief; Ed Wiley - Laribee's Aide; Thick Wilson - Duty Cop; Robert Henderson - Diner Customer; Mark Lewis Jones - Godfrey; Bill Stewart - Walters; John Barcroft - McKenzie; Joss Buckley - TV presenter; John Clamp - Bobby; Angela Crow - Woman in Car; Susan Denaker - Nurse; Ian East - Scientist; Graham Fellows - Cipher; Leonard Fenton - Commissionaire; Lesley Grantham - Policeman's Assistant; David Haig - Palatial House Flunkey; John Joyce - Chief Inspector Miller; Karen Lancaster - Stanley's assistant; Lesa Lockford - Nurse; Pamela Mandell - Mary; Jimmy Mulville - Motorway Policeman; Christopher Northey - Whitehall Flunkie; John O'Toole - Security Guard; Diane Ricardo - Redneck Wife; Bob Sessions - TV Presenter; Peter Straker - Choir Lead Singer; Harriet Thorpe - Blood Royal Lady; Peter Whitman - Friborg; Richenda Carey - Countess Gretel; David Whitaker - Deputy; James Taylor - Minister
Credit
Terry Gough - Art Director, May Routh - Costume Designer, Mike Hodges - Director, Peter Boyle - Editor, Peter Brewis - Composer (Music Score), George Frost - Makeup, Bert Davey - Production Designer, Brian Eatwell - Production Designer, Phil Meheux - Cinematographer, Barry Hanson - Producer, Verity Lambert - Producer, Derek Nice - Set Designer, Jeff Luff - Special Effects, Griff Rhys Jones - Screenwriter, Bob Mercer - Screenwriter, Mel Smith - Screenwriter
Morons from Outer Space is a 1985 comedy/science-fiction film directed by Mike Hodges. It was released in North America on September 20, 1985.
Plot
The story begins on a small spaceship docking with a refueling station. On board are a group of four aliens, Bernard, Sandra, Desmond, and Julian. During a particularly tedious period of their stay at the station, the other three begin playing with the ship’s controls while Bernard is outside playing spaceball. They accidentally disconnect his part of the ship, leaving him stranded while they crash into a large blue planet close by (Earth).
The aliens become instant celebrities on arrival, despite being able to bring no great revelation or technical ability to the people of Earth (as is central to the plot of many “aliens on Earth” films). They find a manager (Jones) and become wealthy more or less overnight, packing fans in auditoriums just to see them. Meanwhile, Bernard arrives on Earth via other means of transport. Despite being by far the most intelligent of the group, Bernard is not afforded any celebrity, and is in fact condemned to vagrancy and a brief stint in mental hospital before reuniting with his fellow travellers near the end of the film. The others, fearing that the introduction of Bernard would lessen their popularity and celebrity, fail to mention that they had originally been travelling with a fourth.
