Lance Henriksen on 'The Visitor' (1980): When a Cult Classic Embarrassed Its Own Cast

Actor Lance Henriksen has openly trashed the bizarre 1979 sci-fi/horror The Visitor, calling it incomprehensible and embarrassing. Here’s the story behind the cult film’s chaotic production, star-studded cast, and why Henriksen’s honesty stands out among Hollywood actors who have disowned their own movies.

A Cosmic Fever Dream of a Movie

The Visitor (1979, U.S. release 1980) is one of those films that feels like it shouldn’t exist. Directed by Italian filmmaker Giulio Paradisi (credited as Michael J. Paradise) and produced by exploitation veteran Ovidio G. Assonitis, the film mashes together science fiction, horror, biblical prophecy, and psychedelic visuals.

The story follows Katy (Paige Conner), a young girl who appears to be the reincarnation of an evil cosmic entity. A mysterious figure (John Huston) descends to Earth to stop her, setting off a bizarre chain of psychic powers, bird attacks, and telekinetic chaos.

Its cast reads like a Hollywood fever dream: Huston, Glenn Ford, Shelley Winters, Mel Ferrer, Franco Nero as a Christ-like being, Sam Peckinpah in a cameo, and a young Lance Henriksen as a basketball mogul caught in the supernatural conspiracy. Despite this star power, the film baffled critics and audiences, earning a reputation as one of the strangest sci-fi/horror hybrids of the era.

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Lance Henriksen: “Space Babies, Birds, and Jesus Christ”

Henriksen’s performance is not what fans remember most about The Visitor—it’s his brutally honest opinion of it. On the film’s Drafthouse and Code Red home-video releases, Henriksen laughs through stories of being embarrassed by the movie’s final cut. He described The Visitor as “space babies, birds, and Jesus Christ” rolled into a “hodgepodge” of ideas.

In one anecdote, he recalls dragging a friend to a grindhouse screening, only for a patron to yell, “I want my money back!” The experience solidified his belief that the film was a mess—albeit an entertaining one. Henriksen’s frankness has since endeared him to fans of cult cinema, turning his honesty into part of the film’s legend.

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The Shelley Winters Slap Story

Another enduring story from The Visitor’s production is child star Paige Conner’s claim that Shelley Winters slapped her during filming. Conner reportedly recalled this incident in interviews included on the Code Red DVD release. While widely repeated in fan reviews, the story isn’t confirmed in contemporary press accounts, making it one of those Hollywood anecdotes that lives in the hazy space between myth and memory.

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Actors Who Publicly Disown Their Movies

Henriksen is far from the only actor to publicly trash a film they appeared in. George Clooney famously calls Batman & Robin “so bad” it physically hurts him to watch, while stars like Halle Berry (Catwoman), Ben Affleck (Gigli), and Brad Pitt (Meet Joe Black) have all admitted regret over certain projects. In some cases, these candid critiques become part of a movie’s cult appeal—just as Henriksen’s bemusement has with The Visitor.

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Cult Status Through Honesty

Over time, The Visitor has been embraced as a “so bad it’s great” masterpiece, celebrated for its audacity, psychedelic visuals, and impossible-to-predict narrative. The film’s home-video releases and revival screenings highlight its chaotic charm, and Henriksen’s willingness to laugh at his involvement only deepens its mystique.

The Visitor might not be the proudest credit on Henriksen’s résumé, but it’s proof that even misfires can achieve cinematic immortality. Thanks to its weirdness, its mythos, and its candid cast interviews, this once-maligned sci-fi oddity has earned its cult following—and Henriksen’s honest embarrassment makes the story all the more fun.

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Lance Henriksen, The Visitor 1979, cult movies, sci-fi horror, Shelley Winters, John Huston, 1970s cinema, exploitation films, bad movies, movie history