Spaced Invaders
Spaced Invaders is a 1990 American science fiction comedy film directed and co-written by Patrick Read Johnson.[1] The story centers on a crew of diminutive, inept Martian invaders whose spaceship malfunctions and crash-lands in the rural Illinois town of Big Bean on Halloween night.[2] Mistaking a rebroadcast of Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds for an actual Earth invasion order, the aliens—about four feet tall and equipped with makeshift weaponry—embark on a chaotic, bungled conquest, only to be mistaken by the townsfolk for costumed trick-or-treaters.[3][4] The film stars Douglas Barr as farmer Sam Taylor, Ariana Richards as his daughter Kathy, and Royal Dano as the eccentric local inventor Wrenchmuller, with J.J. Anderson as Kathy's friend Brian and voices for the aliens provided by Jeff Winkless and others.[1] Produced by Touchstone Pictures in association with Silver Screen Partners IV and Smart Egg Pictures, it features practical effects and low-budget prosthetics that homage 1950s sci-fi aesthetics, including a robot constructed from farm equipment.[5] With a runtime of 100 minutes and a PG rating, Spaced Invaders was released theatrically by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution on April 27, 1990.[1] Upon release, the film garnered mixed audience reactions but largely negative critical reception, earning an 8% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews, while audiences gave it a 52% approval rating.[4] Roger Ebert awarded it 1.5 out of 4 stars, praising its self-aware cheesiness and effects but critiquing the uneven humor and pacing.[3] Despite its modest box office performance, Spaced Invaders has developed a cult following for its playful parody of alien invasion tropes and nostalgic small-town comedy.[1]Story and Characters
Plot
The film is set in the fictional small town of Big Bean, Illinois, on Halloween night, where a local radio station rebroadcasts Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds.[3] This broadcast is accidentally intercepted by a bumbling crew of Martian scouts en route to an invasion of another planet, who misinterpret it as a command to attack Earth immediately.[6] Their scout ship suffers engine failure and crash-lands in a cornfield on the outskirts of town, belonging to elderly farmer Wrenchmuller.[1] The diminutive, inept Martians—led by the overzealous Captain Bipto—emerge from the wreckage and begin their comically misguided invasion, scavenging for weapons and resources while being repeatedly mistaken by the townsfolk for children in Halloween costumes.[3] Chaos ensues as the aliens interact with locals: at Wrenchmuller's farm, they accidentally trigger a massive popcorn explosion by heating a corn silo, scattering the crop everywhere; they hijack vehicles, including a pickup truck, to pursue their objectives; and at a local gas station, one Martian uses a mind-control device to turn the attendant into a robotic slave.[7] Further mayhem unfolds at the town school, where young Kathy Hoxly and her friend, aided by Sheriff Sam Hoxly, encounter a friendly Martian scout robot that rolls around like a tin can, leading to pursuits involving mistaken identities with trick-or-treaters dressed as aliens.[3] As the situation escalates, the Martians summon an Enforcer Drone—a massive, destructive robot commanded by a ruthless Martian general—to eliminate the scouts for their failure and complete the invasion.[7] The townspeople, initially dismissive, rally to combat the threat: Kathy deciphers the aliens' intentions using her knowledge of science fiction, while Hoxly and Wrenchmuller use farm equipment and dynamite to destroy the Enforcer Drone in a climactic battle near the town diner.[3] With the general defeated, the grateful Martian scouts repair their ship with human assistance and escape back to space, abandoning their invasion plans. In a final ironic twist, as they depart, the Martians jettison their ship's manure-like waste over Big Bean, which unexpectedly fertilizes the soil and revitalizes Wrenchmuller's failing crops, saving the farm from foreclosure.[7]Cast
Live-Action Cast
Douglas Barr stars as Sheriff Sam Hoxly, the earnest but somewhat bumbling local lawman who coordinates the town's defense efforts against the perceived extraterrestrial threat, having recently relocated from Los Angeles to take the position.[6][8] Royal Dano portrays Wrenchmuller, an eccentric elderly farmer and amateur radio enthusiast whose rural property serves as the focal point of the invasion chaos, marked by his deep-seated paranoia regarding government cover-ups and interstellar incursions.[6][8] Ariana Richards plays Kathy Hoxly, the sheriff's clever and brave 10-year-old daughter, who demonstrates quick thinking and determination in confronting the diminutive Martian visitors.[6][9] Supporting roles include J.J. Anderson as Brian Hoxly, Kathy's inventive younger brother who contributes youthful ingenuity to the situation; Fred Applegate as Deputy Russell Pillsbury, the sheriff's loyal but comically inept assistant; and Patrika Darbo as Mrs. Vanderspool, a flustered townswoman representing the skeptical civilian populace.[6] Additional town residents, such as Casey Sander as the radio announcer, and various extras depicting diner patrons and locals, flesh out the quirky Midwestern community backdrop.[10]Voice Cast
The voice cast for Spaced Invaders provided the distinctive audio characterizations for the animatronic and puppet Martian invaders, infusing the film's slapstick comedy with exaggerated, humorous vocal performances that contrasted the aliens' diminutive size and bungled mission. These voices were recorded in post-production to sync with the practical effects, allowing for flexible dubbing that amplified the Martians' incompetence and added layers of parody to classic sci-fi tropes.[11] The Martian crew consists of five main characters: Blaznee (the smart-mouthed pilot), Captain Bipto (the overzealous optimist), Lieutenant Giggywig (the ambitious and hot-headed officer), Dr. Ziplock (the careful science officer), and Corporal Pez (the overeager and timid grunt). Known voice actors include:- Kevin Thompson as Blaznee[6]
- Jeff Winkless as Captain Bipto[6]
- Tony Pope as Lieutenant Giggywig[6]
- Joe Alaskey as Dr. Ziplock[6][12]
- Bruce Lanoil as Corporal Pez[6][13]
| Actor | Character(s) Voiced | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Thompson | Blaznee | Smart-mouthed pilot. |
| Jeff Winkless | Captain Bipto | Overzealous optimist with East Indian-inspired accent. |
| Tony Pope | Lieutenant Giggywig | Ambitious officer, imitating Cary Grant. |
| Joe Alaskey | Dr. Ziplock | Science officer with German accent. |
| Bruce Lanoil | Corporal Pez | Timid grunt with high-pitched delivery. |