Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.0

Alien Outlaw Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 20, 2023

Phil Smoot's "Alien Outlaw" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include two audio commentaries; new propfram with editor Sherwood Jones; new program with Phil Smoot, actors Kari Anderson and Gil Newsom, and production/casting coordinator Mary Dalton; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

A sexy redhead looking at something and pointing a giant gun at it. A very retro, very cool spaceship. An alien creature wearing Mick Jagger’s long-lost 1960s sunglasses and waving a big gun, too. Three more alien creatures, each engulfed in fire, possibly being part of a huge battle. Great vibrant colors. The type of colors that instantly force the mind to anticipate a wide range of special cinematic thrills.

What you just read is a short but very accurate description of the cover that the folks at Kino Lorber used for the upcoming Blu-ray release of Phil Smoot’s Alien Outlaw, which is part of their new Kino Cult series. It is a fantastic cover, promising an experience with a very special film that probably should have been declared cult a very long time ago. So, I could not wait to see it.

I did see Alien Outlaw very late last night, and to be honest, I felt cheated. I sort of knew that I was going to spend time with a very low-budget film because of the cast that was assembled for it, but was not entirely sure how low. I suppose the presence of Lash La Rue probably should have been a red flag because he made some extremely low-budget films later in his career, but my mind was prepared for a film like Pietro Francisci’s Star Pilot -- very retro, done with a small budget but boasting some lovely Mario Bava-esque qualities. How could I not? Again, look at the great cover this release was given. It easily could have been created by an Italian poster artist during the 1960s or 1970s, which means that it was in some way influenced by Bava’s work.

However, less than fifteen minutes into Alien Outlaw, I knew that I was looking at a very close relative of Don Barton and Arnold Stevens’ Zaat, which was, to put it mildly, a substantial downgrade in my expectations. I did not hate the rest of Alien Outlaw, but I needed a good atmosphere, which is what these types of low-budget films always need to be effective, and there was none. A few good one-liners here and there put a smile on my face, but they were not enough to pull me back into the story and make me like it.

The story that is told in Alien Outlaw is very simple. On the outskirts of a small town in rural America, several goofy alien creatures exit their damaged spaceship and go on the warpath. Eventually, they run into Jesse Jamison (Kari Anderson), a gun expert who has her own show, while she tries to finalize a contract with a local event management company. Much like in the glory days of the Old West, Jamison and the alien visitors then engage in an intense shootout to establish who has the fastest gun in the area.

Smoot plants several good ideas in the story, and it is easy to tell that he did what he could to keep it coherent, but it is even easier to tell that he did not have the right actors and enough money to transform it into a good genre film. For example, if there was a proper screenplay, it must have allowed for plenty of segments to be improvised, which is why the casual exchanges between the actors routinely veer off in random directions. Some of this chatter quickly becomes tiring, even annoying. Also, for a long, long time the alien visitors are treated like distractions, which is odd, to say, the least, because all of the exciting material has something to do with their presence in the small town. Jamison is an odd lead as well. This could be by design -- it takes a long time to realize that she is destined to be the town’s savior and therefore is not just another target waiting to be struck -- but her interactions with her unreliable male partners and negotiations with the event management company feel like classic filler material. In other words, too much time is wasted on irrelevant, instantly forgettable material.

Of course, none of the above is genuinely surprising. To shoot the type of thrilling atmospheric genre film that I expected, Smoot would have needed more of a lot of different things, but especially more money. There are plenty of ways to make silly creatures wearing rubber suits and masks look cool, but not without the right actors, cameraman, technicians and set decorators. A fine score from a talented composer is always beneficial, too.

Alien Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alien Outlaw arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K master that was struck from the original 16mm camera negative. The 4K makeover is very solid. I think that there are only two areas where some additional improvements could have been introduced. First, some nicks, tiny scratches, and blemishes remain. I do not find them annoying or distracting, but for obvious reasons I must mention them. Second, some bumpy transitions remain. I am quite certain that most of them were introduced when the film was edited, which means that they are inherited, but a few are accompanied by general image unevenness that could have been addressed. The rest looks great. Delineation, clarity, and depth are either very good or excellent (for a 16mm material). Density fluctuations can be observed, but they are introduced by different lensing preference. Color reproduction is very nice. Also, on this 4K master, darker areas are handled exceptionally well and there isn't even a whiff of black crush. Grain looks very healthy. All in all, I think that this release offers a lovely technical presentation of Alien Outlaw. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Alien Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

All exchanges are very easy to follow and free of serious, distracting age-related anomalies. However, the original soundtrack uses some music that does very little to produce contrasts and excitement where the film needs. At times, this music can sound quite thin, too. This is not surprising considering how the film was shot, so I must make it clear that the audio track is not responsible for any of the fluctuations in terms of stability and dynamic intensity that you will encounter. They are all inherited.

Alien Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary One - in this audio commentary, director Phil Smoot reveals that Alien Outlaw was conceived in 1978 but was completed in 1985; some of the apparently unintentional similarities between Predator and The Most Dangerous Game; the financing of the film and its reception; the locations where various sequence were shot and how; etc.

• Commentary Two - in this audio commentary, editor Sherwood Jones, and actors Stephen Winegard and Kimberly Mauldin, discuss their involvement with Alien Outlaw, what it was like to shoot/work in the Winston-Salem area, Phil Smoot's working methods and vision, Lash La Rue's contribution, etc.

• They Came From the Swamps - in this new program, Phil Smoot, actors Kari Anderson and Gil Newsom, production/casting coordinator Mary Dalton recall their collaboration on Alien Outlaw and some of the obstacles they had to overcome before and during the production processes. There are some interesting comments about the alien visitors and their appearance as well. In English, not subtitled (23 min).

• Interview with Editor Sherwood Jones - in this new program, editor Sherwood Jones discusses the title Aline Outlaw, which is slightly misleading since there are three aliens in the film, and recalls what it was like to work on it. There are some interesting comments about Sherwood's fist film, The Dark Power, too. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• News Conference - presented here is archival footage from a press conference with director Phil Smoot, Lash La Rue, Kimberly Mauldin, and a few other people that helped make Alien Outlaw, which was held after a screening of the film in North Carolina. In English, not subtitled (6 min).

• Behind the Scenes - presented here is raw footage from the shooting of Alien Outlaw in North Carolina. In English, not subtitled (5 min).

• Archival Interviews - presented here are clips from archival interviews with Lash La Rue and Kimberly Mauldin that were conducted during the production of Alien Outlaw in North Carolina. The interview with the former is very interesting. Mr. La Rue discusses his past and love for westerns and shares a few great jokes. In English, not subtitled (13 min).

• Home Movie - an archival EPK for Alien Outlaw. In English, not subtitled (5 min).

• Reversible Cover - a reversible cover with vintage poster art for Alien Outlaw.

Alien Outlaw Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Any attempts to establish a legit connection between Alien Outlaw, Predator and The Most Dangerous Game should be taken with a grain of salt. Alien Outlaw has plenty in common with some of the films Ron Ormond directed that are included in From Hollywood to Heaven: The Lost and Saved Films of the Ormond Family. (By the way, in this box set you will discover some pretty interesting material with Lash La Rue as well). I expected and wanted it to have a very heavy atmosphere of the kind that John Coats' Foes produces, but it turned out a very different film. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a terrific new 4K master and offers a great selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features. RECOMMENDED only to people that like to experiment with very low-budget genre films.