"Outpost Earth" - More Monsters from Brett Piper

"Outpost Earth" (2019) is an alien occupation movie with no shortage of monsters, laser blasts, giant robots or tremendous monstrosities.  The F/X are mostly old school and I'll skip right to the important bit, I LOVED it!

Cool poster, right?  And, amazingly enough, all of these elements are actually in the movie.  Not always the case with indie sci-fi.

At the opening of this film I was sure I wasn't going to like it.  It set up the story of Earth's fall with lots of composite F/X that used still photos mixed with CG (or were they models?) ships destroying famous landmarks across the globe.  It all looked very primitive, if not obviously done in a computer? Sort of had the same layering old Monty Python Flying Circus animations had.  Stacked 2D imagery with a very slight 3D effect.   I didn't realize at the time that this was setting the tone for F/X throughout the movie.  No scene would be too ambitious and it WOULD be accomplished through whatever means necessary.

Fortunately for me, this meant a lot of stop motion animation and practical F/X.  No CG aliens running around during this invasion.

And the animation was top notch.  There was some digital trickery to add blood and blur to movements, which I love seeing, because we were cheated out of this technique when it was new way back in the mid-90s.  While toying with the idea of stop motion dinosaurs for "Jurassic Park", the intent was to add blur to their movement using computer generated imagery.  "Outpost Earth" uses this technique a couple of times to varying effect.

The array of monsters is grand.  Man-sized aliens, "bugs", some kind of lizard-like hunting dog and a shape and size changing mutant all make appearances.

There's also no shortage of spaceships and even a couple of spaceship aerial battles.

Through the use of some great locations and creative costuming, the movie achieves an early "Planet of the Apes" like feel.  More the series than the movies, where the world is post-apocalyptic, but still recognizable as Earth. Maybe I just saw that likeness because the series recently showed up in syndication again.

There are a few rough patches, such as the science. The lead scientist is a genius in physics, but has a lot of theories about the biology of the aliens, etc.  I'm just not sure why his accomplishments in physics were constantly mentioned and an overall interest in science wasn't stressed more.  Or why his compatriot, whom he speaks to over a video link, isn't mentioned as a biologist and given more scenes theorizing on the aliens bodily functions.

There's also the comical quirk that alien technology is easier for humans to use when they're drunk.  Or is it just one human and does he just have a drinking problem?  Whatever, it's never really explained and the funny drunk guy routine wears out it's welcome well before it leaves.

Overall, the acting is solid with Erin Waterhouse really standing out as "Kay".  Her performance was believable and her character was strong.  She had good presence right from the beginning of the movie.

The second part of the opening, when we actually get to see human characters is another strong point.  No dialogue for a good couple of minutes, yet a lot goes on and we see enough to start piecing things together , which become major plot points later on.

 Did I mention giant, scorpion shaped robot tanks with laser cannon tails?  No?
Seriously, fans of the movies made by fans of Ray Harryhausen need to give this one a watch. It's the type of movie that fueled our imaginations as kids.
Watch the end for a nod to Might Joe Young.




                                  

And to witness my own stop motion "talents", dubious as they may, check out "All Wrapped Up"

All Wrapped Up