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"Welcome to planet Earth." John Carpenter in quick succession revisits Dark Star (The Rolling Stones blasting from the cosmic probe), Halloween (a shimmering POV shot floating outside the cabin) and The Thing (squishy metamorphosis from mutant fetus to elongated adult), then ventures into new terrain. Brought down by Army missiles, the interstellar envoy helps himself to the DNA of a dead Wisconsinite and re-emerges in the shape of Jeff Bridges, to the shock of the man's widow (Karen Allen). Four days on the road from there to Arizona, The 39 Steps informs the shift from kidnapping to romance. "A very primitive species," these humans, the only enlightened one on their trail is the shrimpy NASA scientist (Charles Martin Smith). Ecstasy of the first bite of apple pie and agony of the first puff from a cigarette, all grist to the mill of Bridges' darting pantomime. The courtship proceeds with kissing lessons courtesy of From Here to Eternity on a motel room TV, then an empty model home in the back of a truck, finally a freight train for the consummation. "I understand the reproductive process as you know it." (More than any Spielbergian hobgoblin, I Married a Monster from Outer Space is the point of departure.) Science-fiction as deadpan screwball comedy, the sunniest vision from a tenebrous auteur. To travel the American landscape is to incur the wrath of rednecks, get help from young hot-rodders, score in Las Vegas, and face down a squadron of government helicopters. An insipid New Age Gospel dried up by Carpenter's crispness, generosity and weirdness. "As much as I hate to stoop to symbolism..." Extraterrestrial fireworks suffuse the dénouement but the camera is where it should be, on Allen for a sustained close-up of sadness and wonder. With Richard Jaeckel, Mickey Jones, Ted White, Robert Phalen, Buck Flower, and Lu Leonard.
--- Fernando F. Croce |