The Uk Horror Channel is showing the 1967 Quinn Martin SF serial THE INVADERS and with a timing that probably isn't coincidental also broadcast another Quinn Martin production with a very similar premise that was intended as a pilot for a series that never went in to production . Watching it you'll be struck that it was no surprise we never got a full run of THE ALIENS ARE COMING but surprised it got beyond script stage THE INVADERS might have been produced by Martin but the whole ethos of the show belonged to Larry Cohen hence we got a rather serious ,downbeat feel to the show as you'd expect from a show directly inspired by INVASION OF THE BODYSNATCHERS and INVADERS FROM MARS . It also owed a nod to film noir as an outsider from society tried to warn humanity that the human race is getting infiltrated by an alien species . The premise isn't original and is very self limiting but the dark tone and sense of gravitas made up for it . Here we have a science fiction thriller that has a tone more in keeping with American network inoffensive family shows like THE LOVE BOAT An alien spaceship lands in a remote American desert and eye up the Boulder Dam and right away the script starts tripping itself up .. The aliens have no idea what it is but decide it will make a good power source for them . They have no idea about hydro electric power but realise a hydro electric dam would make a good power source ? The aliens themselves when revealed just look very silly , a sort of robotic , organic hybrid resembling a Dalek and a man dressed up It just doesn't make sense because there's no chance evolution throwing up this type of creature . The human characters are broadly drawn such as geeky UFO freak , ballsy female investigative journalist etc with a hint of a blossoming romance between the two lead characters . Sick bags ahoy and let's be thankful this didn't go to a full series even though there's a cynical open ended last act that screams " We know it's rubbish but give us a full series " , Stick to THE INVADERS instead . In fact stick to THE LOVE BOAT as well

From obscure TV-history comes producer Quinn Martin's unearthed swansong, which feels like a pilot-movie along the sci-fi veins of his '60s hit series "The Invaders" (at the end a threatening voice-over promises that "The nightmare is just beginning!"). Unfortunately, the aliens that land in Nevada and their non-benign planetary activities lasted only 90 minutes. Enough time for them to try and steal our hydro-electric energy by inhabiting the bodies of human workers and further manipulate things through mind-control. Lacking excitement and with leading man Tom Mason acting impossibly witty, we are left with some cheesy FX - oh, those fierce green glowing eyes! - and spotting a young Ed Harris in the opening sequence.

I remember being surprised by this one when it slipped by on TV way back in early 1980. I immediately thought "Invaders" and "television pilot". Though this movie lacks the eeriness of the Invaders pilot "Beachhead" it makes up for it somewhat by being a little less edgy and with a little well placed light humor. Invaders had the virtue of not being placed squarely in the "Star Wars - Close Encounters" era and so establishes a kind of 'creep factor' among the aliens more than this one. The Aliens themselves appear to me as if they stepped out of a Doctor Who episode (not a bad thing!) and their ship looks interesting if hampered by the Star Wars era in looks and effects. The main character is actually quite believable (hey, I've met and worked with these JPL guys!) and Eric Braeden gets to do his "Forbin Project" character again (essentially the same character). I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada where most of the filming was done and visited the Hoover Dam many times. I even got an 'unofficial' tour once and so I saw all the areas that were filmed in this movie (and many that weren't!) which made it seem more real for me (I was still living in Vegas at the time this movie came on). Max Gail is really good as the hapless dam worker who is the initial victim of the aliens. There is also later-famous Ed Harris in the opening sequence. The music score is by William Goldstein and though I like his synthesizer scores like "Ocean Quest" I feel this movie deserved someone like Dominic Frontiere (original "Invaders" composer) and was too reliant on droning analog synths which just sound murky in the mono sound of the day. Much of the movie has that 'pilot' feel to it and it squarely fits in that late 70's era network television genre. This movie actually is on the cusp of the transition from that era to the mid 80's television show with the syndication influence, and so has a lot in common with shows like "Buck Rogers" and "Galactica 1980". I have only the VHS tape of this film and have searched for a DVD but I guess, like many 'pilot movies' of the 70's and 80's it doesn't draw any attention to warrant a DVD release. DO watch or buy this film, it was underrated then...and now.

The only thing missing is the typical voice at the beginning announcing the fact that this is a QM production. They even have William Conrad (Cannon) in a voice over near the end saying, "The nightmare is just beginning!" which was probably lifted from some other production, but at least they got that great voice of his for a bit. This is obviously a failed pilot episode where our brave scientist tracks down the invading aliens week after week. Sound familiar? It was done better as THE INVADERS in the 60s. But still a fun TV film to watch if only for the enjoyment of seeing the late 70s period paraphernalia, and to muse about the formulaic production of these types of TV pilots/movies. It's always a great thrill to get to the point of the TV commercial cutaway, and not have a commercial come in! Full of lots of cheesy but nifty TV production special effect leftovers and plastico robotic creatures from Galactica and Buck Rogers, unfortunately without the beautiful Erin Grey, though. If you can find it, it's worth a look.