Movies of the 80s: 'Without Warning' a Goofy Forgotten bit of 80s Sci-Fi

"The Alien Terror is Here on Earth"

Though almost completely forgotten and being not a very good movie in general, there is an unexpectedly awards heavy pedigree to the 1980 sci-fi cheapie "Without Warning." The cast and crew of "Without Warning" carries 9 Academy Awards, 5 Golden Globes, 3 BAFTAs, and a SAG Award. Of course, no one won anything for their work in "Without Warning," and few had won anything before making "Without Warning," but it's still notable and unusual for such a forgotten movie.

It's also fair to note that most of the awards belong to special effects and make up legend Rick Baker. Notably, Baker was working on "The Empire Strikes Back" as a makeup artist when he contributed an alien mask to the making of "Without Warning."

"Without Warning"

Released on the 26th of September, 1980, "Without Warning" is a film directed by Greydon Clark with a screenplay penned by Lyn Freeman, Daniel Grodnik, Ben Nett, and Steve Mathis. The movie features an illustrious cast including Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Cameron Mitchell, and Neville Brand.

The narrative centers around a gas station attendant and a Vietnam veteran who confront an alien invader and its swarm of lethal airborne creatures. These creatures launch an enigmatic substance at unsuspecting victims, leading to fatal consequences.

Critical Reception

Critics have not been kind to "Without Warning". Linda Gross of the Los Angeles Times described the film as a "tacky rip-off of 'Alien' and other recent horror films," highlighting its implausible plot and poor dialogue. Jim Wright of The Record labeled it a leading candidate for the "stinko movie of the year," criticizing its low budget and poor production quality. Furthermore, Kirk Honeycutt of the Daily Times Advocate referred to it as a "brain damaged movie," citing its juvenile and senile tendencies.

Cast and Production

The film is particularly noted for the ensemble of actors traditionally known for villainous roles - Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Neville Brand, and Cameron Mitchell. Producer-Director Greydon Clark remarked on the casting decisions, stating, "Naturally, not all of the four play evildoers in 'Without Warning,' but that’s part of what makes it so scary -- trying to figure out which ones are really the bad guys."

Renowned special effects creator Rick Baker was responsible for the alien’s head in "Without Warning", crafted in his kitchen with a budget of $19,000. The film also marks the second feature in the career of actor David Caruso and features actress Tarah Nutter in one of her final acting roles before departing the industry to pursue art, which can be viewed at TarahNutter.com.

Promotion and Legacy

In a unique promotional move, producers distributed branded fly swatters to film critics, despite flies not featuring in the movie. These were humorously suggested to be used against the alien’s primary weapon.

Produced on a modest budget of $150,000, with $75,000 allocated for the salaries of Jack Palance and Martin Landau, the film was completed over three weeks.

Availability

"Without Warning" currently lacks a critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and holds a user rating of 5.1 on IMDb. It is not available for streaming rental but can be viewed for free through a fan upload, with a link available here.

Movies of the 80's

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