XTRO (1983)

OVERLOOKED HORROR FILMS PART 1

This is going to be the first in a series of short reviews of horror films which I think have been overlooked for the most part, either by critics or the general public. The first entry in this series is XTRO.

Directed by Harry Bromley Davenport in 1983, this is a pretty bizarre film but great fun indeed. One of those movies which people immediately write off, yet the images and atmosphere seem to stick with you for years. I remember the first time I watched it when I was about 13 or 14. I saw the cover at our local video store and knew it was something I just had to check out. Back then, the local rental shop was just a convenience store up the street with a selection of maybe 300 titles. How XTRO ever made it into that tiny little bumfuck convenience store in Bath NB, I'll never know. My guess is that the distributing company probably couldn't sell it so they gave it to as many stores as they could just to get rid of it's foul stench.

Anyway, here's the fuckin plot all laid out, which isn't much. Tony's father Sam, was abducted by aliens three years earlier, returns to earth (through a pretty disgusting re-birth scene) and seeks out his wife and son, but Rachel has since been slappin bellies with another guy so the reunion is not the best timing and the feeling when he comes back is obviously pretty tense and uncomfortable. Joe doesn't like or trust Sam, and Rachel's feelings for her two men are pretty confused. Sam is not the same as when he left, and he begins "affecting" Tony in frightening ways. One day, Tony catches his dad eating snake eggs and gets upset. Dad explains to Tony where he's been and that he's "changed".

Tony begins to notice that he has power to bring things to life. Action figures come to life and kill the nosy neighbor, the toy clown in Tony's room comes to life and starts putting alien eggs in the bathtub, shit just starts getting fucky from here on in. There's a scene with a black dog that serves no purpose to the film whatsoever, but it still creeps the shit out me every time I see it. The overall atmosphere of the film is pretty disturbing and dark.

There's no shortage of good gore scenes. The birth scene is truly gut-wrenching and pretty realistic looking. For the small budget the director had to work with, I think the special effects are pretty good. There's no CGI in the movie, this was made before it was the "in" thing to do.

If you want a truly entertaining horror movie, don't pass this up. The story is pretty inconsistent and scattered, but that's not so important as the atmosphere and mood. You'll be pleasantly surprised I think. Just don't have any expectations like this is going to be ALIEN or anything, cause it's not.