Another in a long line of attempts to cash in on the success of the film Alien, this one held my interest maybe two-thirds of the way through, but unfortunately then gets too cheap and silly. I kind of liked the premise, workers on an isolated oil platform digging up an ancient lifeform from deep beneath the ocean floor, then of course they find themselves at its mercy like any respectable monster. But when all's said and done it just follows the same old tired formula, with sacrificial good guys and bad guys, and doesn't have the monster FX to back it up in the climax. Not as bad as most other clones (which is not saying much), but still not worth getting excited over. I gave it a 4.
14 Reviews
One of the very first ALIEN ripoffs.
DigitalRevenantX712 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
CAUTION: Plot spoilers present.
The crew of the Zortron 101, an oil rig stationed off the coast of Antarctica & working 'off the books' in order to find a secret stash of oil, discover some small rocks that come up when the drill hits a depth of 19,000 feet. The rocks are then revealed to be some sort of eggs, which have been underground for untold millennia. When a crew member touches one of the eggs, he goes crazy & commits suicide by jumping overboard. The eggs hatch, revealing eel-like creatures that attack a worker before being killed by the rest of the crew. The victim is then driven to rape a female crewmember who gives birth to a hideous humanoid creature that then proceeds to massacre the crew.
The Intruder Within was a 1981 telepic that came hot on the heels of the classic ALIEN, indeed being one of the very first such knockoffs. The producers decided to set the film on an isolated oil rig off the Antarctic coast & make the monster a prehistoric creature.
Being an early-1980s telepic, The Intruder Within clearly doesn't have the budget to seriously compete with Alien, but that doesn't stop the director, Peter Carter, & crew from trying. And they give it a game try. The oil rig setting is unusual but it manages to work better for the film's limited budget. The visual effects are clearly primitive – consisting of rubber puppets & the final creature being an actor in an unconvincing rubber suit (which is kept mostly in the dark to disguise its shortcomings).
Where the film tends to work best is as an account of life on an oil rig. The depiction of the rig's day-to-day lifestyle is authentic & elevates the film to watchable status. But while the film's setting is sound enough, the biology of the vicious hominid is all over the map – it is never clear as to how the creature can exist from an egg to an eel-like creature with teeth that bites a male victim, the victim becoming obsessed & raping a woman who then gives birth to the hominid (it is also never clear how the eggs can survive for untold millennia without dying). This seems to be the result of sloppy writing from Ed Waters. The climax with the creature is also lacking in impact but within perameters for the budget.
Present audiences might also notice that there is a distinct lack of gore or nudity on display here but that's because the film was made for television back in the early 1980s & was therefore subject to strict conditions. Which is the reason I won't mark the film down too low for not showing the goods.
The crew of the Zortron 101, an oil rig stationed off the coast of Antarctica & working 'off the books' in order to find a secret stash of oil, discover some small rocks that come up when the drill hits a depth of 19,000 feet. The rocks are then revealed to be some sort of eggs, which have been underground for untold millennia. When a crew member touches one of the eggs, he goes crazy & commits suicide by jumping overboard. The eggs hatch, revealing eel-like creatures that attack a worker before being killed by the rest of the crew. The victim is then driven to rape a female crewmember who gives birth to a hideous humanoid creature that then proceeds to massacre the crew.
The Intruder Within was a 1981 telepic that came hot on the heels of the classic ALIEN, indeed being one of the very first such knockoffs. The producers decided to set the film on an isolated oil rig off the Antarctic coast & make the monster a prehistoric creature.
Being an early-1980s telepic, The Intruder Within clearly doesn't have the budget to seriously compete with Alien, but that doesn't stop the director, Peter Carter, & crew from trying. And they give it a game try. The oil rig setting is unusual but it manages to work better for the film's limited budget. The visual effects are clearly primitive – consisting of rubber puppets & the final creature being an actor in an unconvincing rubber suit (which is kept mostly in the dark to disguise its shortcomings).
Where the film tends to work best is as an account of life on an oil rig. The depiction of the rig's day-to-day lifestyle is authentic & elevates the film to watchable status. But while the film's setting is sound enough, the biology of the vicious hominid is all over the map – it is never clear as to how the creature can exist from an egg to an eel-like creature with teeth that bites a male victim, the victim becoming obsessed & raping a woman who then gives birth to the hominid (it is also never clear how the eggs can survive for untold millennia without dying). This seems to be the result of sloppy writing from Ed Waters. The climax with the creature is also lacking in impact but within perameters for the budget.
Present audiences might also notice that there is a distinct lack of gore or nudity on display here but that's because the film was made for television back in the early 1980s & was therefore subject to strict conditions. Which is the reason I won't mark the film down too low for not showing the goods.
This rig is doomed.
HumanoidOfFlesh29 July 2012
There is an oil rig in the middle of nowhere.Its staff is looking for oil but their mission is secret.A company geologist played by Joseph Bottoms is looking for alternative oil sources.One day he finds a bunch of small eggs.And creepy looking snake creature,who bites young worker prompting him to die.Whilst mysterious eggs are researched in the lab various oil rig workers begin to die...First of all I consider Peter Carter's "Rituals" to be one of the best and most fascinating survival horror movies of 70's. Peter Carter's "The Intruder Within" is clearly not as stunning.There are some effective moments of suspense,but the plot is silly as it rips-off "Alien".The creature effects are average at best.The atmosphere of isolation is well-captured,though.6 oil rigs out of 10.
Okay Clone To ALIEN.
eddy-2816 April 2000
This Film was great It had what an average fright flick whould want. The Disipointment was it was made for T.V. Chad Everett, Jennifer Warren Joseph Bottoms Rockne Tarkington and James Hayden star in this film about a creature that has been drilled up by their oil rig by Antartica. The small creature turns into a monster that begins to kill off the crew members of the Oil-Rig. The film would have been better if it was not made for T.V. and Had more Violence and Gore like PREDATOR and ALIEN did. But the Director failed to commpelte good effort and the monster was Just a costume but dose look frighting. I recommed this film catch on T.V. or Rent it. It is a good clone to ALIEN and Predator. 8 stars out of 10.
boring, for the most part; a poor copy of the movie Alien set on an oil rig in the sea
FieCrier1 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Unfortunately rather boring. I watched it on the Trans World Entertainment big box videotape. Given that that company is still around, I wonder why they haven't rereleased their titles on DVD? Lost the rights? The cover of the box features a close-up side view of the monster's head; it's a better, clearer view than is ever had in the movie. It's a fairly cool H.R. Giger-esquire Alien-type thing.
A bunch of people are on an oil rig that is having problems. The drill brings up some stones and a lamprey-like/Alien chestburster-type creature that latches onto a man and ends up killing him. One of the crew sneaks away some of the stones, which are perhaps actually eggs. He experiments keeping them under heat and under cold.
Another crew member pricks his finger on one of the stone/eggs, and goes slowly insane. Some of the eggs hatch, and some more people die.
Most of the time, the tedium of being on an oil rig is conveyed. People talk about their steak dinners, or about omelets. Part of the trouble with the pacing of the movie may be due to its having been a TV movie, complete with fade-to-black scenes.
There are a few women on board the rig. One of them gets attacked by one of the men who are going insane. She gets to become a mother the wrong way.
Last scene of the movie is sort of puzzling. A boat leaves the rig, and there are people still on the rig. Did they decide to stay? Were they quarantined?
A bunch of people are on an oil rig that is having problems. The drill brings up some stones and a lamprey-like/Alien chestburster-type creature that latches onto a man and ends up killing him. One of the crew sneaks away some of the stones, which are perhaps actually eggs. He experiments keeping them under heat and under cold.
Another crew member pricks his finger on one of the stone/eggs, and goes slowly insane. Some of the eggs hatch, and some more people die.
Most of the time, the tedium of being on an oil rig is conveyed. People talk about their steak dinners, or about omelets. Part of the trouble with the pacing of the movie may be due to its having been a TV movie, complete with fade-to-black scenes.
There are a few women on board the rig. One of them gets attacked by one of the men who are going insane. She gets to become a mother the wrong way.
Last scene of the movie is sort of puzzling. A boat leaves the rig, and there are people still on the rig. Did they decide to stay? Were they quarantined?
Shameless rip-off of "Alien"
filmklassik1 January 2013
Here are the parallels: Blue collar workers aboard an isolated company oil rig (fuel-refining space ship) stumble upon several prehistoric (alien) eggs that spawn powerful and ferocious creatures with an unusually rapid growth rate, one of which "impregnates" a female (male) member of the rigging crew who has a creature burst out of her (his) stomach...all under the watchful eye of a treacherous company geologist (science officer).
Unbelievable.
I'm shocked nobody got slapped with a lawsuit for this one.
Still, the oil-rig setting is inventive and most of the performances are half-decent, as is some of the dialogue. But the action and suspense (what little there is of both) show up in fits and starts... and this TV movie was obviously hindered by too many budgetary and content restrictions to make any kind of an impact.
Unbelievable.
I'm shocked nobody got slapped with a lawsuit for this one.
Still, the oil-rig setting is inventive and most of the performances are half-decent, as is some of the dialogue. But the action and suspense (what little there is of both) show up in fits and starts... and this TV movie was obviously hindered by too many budgetary and content restrictions to make any kind of an impact.
There's no oil under this rig
There's DEATH under this rig!!
Coventry30 January 2015
Ridley Scott's magnificent Sci-Fi/horror classic "Alien" spawned (pun intended) a massive amount of rip-offs, most of which are cheesy, sleazy and excessively gory B-movies like "Creature", "Xtro", "Forbidden World" and "Inseminoid". The 1981 "The Intruder Within" is also a blatant "Alien" rip- off, but considering this is a low-budgeted and made for TV production, you shouldn't expect to see any outrageous bloodshed or flamboyant special effects here. Instead, the film relies almost entirely on its fairly unique setting of a highly secluded oil rig somewhere in the middle of a not specifically mentioned ocean (and even if it was specifically mentioned, I must have missed it). The crew of an oil rig of the Zoltran Company is drilling at a very unusual place, and Chief Jake Nevins is beginning to suspect that something isn't kosher. Personally I think it's their own damn fault, because who would want to work for a company with such a sinister name as "Zoltran"? You just know that they're up to no good! Anyways, the geographical engineer on board recovers a few odd and nasty eggs from the sea and a couple of poor suckers die in mysterious circumstances. Turns out Zoltran is looking for a monstrous species that already exterminated humanity once before, millions and millions of years ago, and now they found it! "The Intruder Within" is an admirable effort to bring an atmosphere- driven monster flick, but most of the script is dull and predictable. There are a couple of noteworthy moments of tension, for example the moody opening credits, and the cast members do whatever they can. Deep sea monsters, whether alien or earthly, are a rather unusual topic for TV-movies and director Peter Carter also tries hard to make his film like a regular feature, but many aspects (like music and editing) quickly reveal the television trademarks. Naturally the creature itself doesn't appear on screen until very late in the film, supposedly because it isn't fully grown yet, but even when it briefly and vaguely appears it's all too obviously a crew-member is a cheap rubber suit. Okay entertainment for monster-movie fanatics, but passable for everyone else.
Mediocre creature feature ................
merklekranz23 September 2011
Along the lines of "The Thing", with a touch of "Alien", "The Intruder Within" is no more than a mediocre creature feature. The boredom of an isolated oil drilling rig crew is translated to the screen as mostly boredom for the audience. Over 19,000 feet down, the drill encounters an unknown life form that is fascinating to the on board scientist. Where have you seen that before? Pick any similar monster film. Interestingly there are only good looking women working on the rig, one of whom is date raped by the undersea intruder. The beast itself goes through an all too familiar metamorphosis from hand puppet to man in rubber suit. Overall the movie lacks tension, and is loaded with way too much meaningless dialog. - MERK
Alien + oil rig - TV movie
BandSAboutMovies17 May 2017
Back in the day, Starlog was hyping this film as an almost sequel to Alien. With the popularity of the film, folks were ravenous to see more chest bursters in action. That said — this has nothing to do with the original other than stealing just about every single plot point.
Instead of space, this film goes to a more terrain — yet not less remote — location: an oil rig packed with folks like Chad Everett (TV's Medical Center, Mulholland Drive, Airplane II) as our mustachioed hero, Jennifer Warren (Mutant, Slap Shot) as his love interest and fellow rig worker, Joseph Bottom (The Black Hole) as the villain, Rocke Tarkington (Ice Pirates) and Paul Larsson (The Blaster from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome!). It's worth noting that every conversation the characters have — pre-alien — is about hooking up. They're far from the mainland and feeling the urge to just get it on because all the drilling is getting them hot and bothered.
I hesitate to even write the plot to this, as I could just write the plot for Alien: crew finds eggs, someone goofs about and pays the price, the monster starts stalking the ship, hijinks ensue. Again — this film is hypersexualized, as one of the first monster attacks is more rape than attack. And there's always a KY jelly like substance leaking out of everything. It's also pretty bleak — the raped crew member dies after she gives birth to a full-sized alien and just about everyone dies pretty horribly — if off-camera, as this was still broadcast TV.
There's also one well-done section of the film that explains that whatever the creature is, it predates the Biblical Flood and has lived beneath the ice for millions of years — very Lovecraftian themes that are never followed up on, sadly. Plus, being the '80s, there's a subplot about the oil company Zortron and how they may want the creature and eggs more than the oil (again, a plot point taken straight from Alien) and some character work about cheating spouses.
The actual creature suit is pretty nice and holds up well to being in the light. It was created by James Cummins, who also contributed to House, DeepStar Six (I'll be getting to that one), Enemy Mine and The Beast Within. It's very Giger-influenced to the point that many people incorrectly report that Giger worked on it. That said, it's pretty strange to see an alien climb a ladder!
For all the exposition, set-up and character development, this movie ends just when it seems like it's picking up steam. Who knew all it takes is a flare gun to defeat an alien? It certainly surprised me! The Intruder Within got to the party early, but it's not the best of movies — filled with blocked off TV movie direction, too dark camera-work and a short running time. That said — it still has some charm and you can find worse ways to spend 100 minutes.
READ MORE AT http://www.thatsnotcurrent.com/xeroxenomorphs-1981s-the- intruder-within/
Instead of space, this film goes to a more terrain — yet not less remote — location: an oil rig packed with folks like Chad Everett (TV's Medical Center, Mulholland Drive, Airplane II) as our mustachioed hero, Jennifer Warren (Mutant, Slap Shot) as his love interest and fellow rig worker, Joseph Bottom (The Black Hole) as the villain, Rocke Tarkington (Ice Pirates) and Paul Larsson (The Blaster from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome!). It's worth noting that every conversation the characters have — pre-alien — is about hooking up. They're far from the mainland and feeling the urge to just get it on because all the drilling is getting them hot and bothered.
I hesitate to even write the plot to this, as I could just write the plot for Alien: crew finds eggs, someone goofs about and pays the price, the monster starts stalking the ship, hijinks ensue. Again — this film is hypersexualized, as one of the first monster attacks is more rape than attack. And there's always a KY jelly like substance leaking out of everything. It's also pretty bleak — the raped crew member dies after she gives birth to a full-sized alien and just about everyone dies pretty horribly — if off-camera, as this was still broadcast TV.
There's also one well-done section of the film that explains that whatever the creature is, it predates the Biblical Flood and has lived beneath the ice for millions of years — very Lovecraftian themes that are never followed up on, sadly. Plus, being the '80s, there's a subplot about the oil company Zortron and how they may want the creature and eggs more than the oil (again, a plot point taken straight from Alien) and some character work about cheating spouses.
The actual creature suit is pretty nice and holds up well to being in the light. It was created by James Cummins, who also contributed to House, DeepStar Six (I'll be getting to that one), Enemy Mine and The Beast Within. It's very Giger-influenced to the point that many people incorrectly report that Giger worked on it. That said, it's pretty strange to see an alien climb a ladder!
For all the exposition, set-up and character development, this movie ends just when it seems like it's picking up steam. Who knew all it takes is a flare gun to defeat an alien? It certainly surprised me! The Intruder Within got to the party early, but it's not the best of movies — filled with blocked off TV movie direction, too dark camera-work and a short running time. That said — it still has some charm and you can find worse ways to spend 100 minutes.
READ MORE AT http://www.thatsnotcurrent.com/xeroxenomorphs-1981s-the- intruder-within/
Back when there were TV movies
GeneralPeters00419 August 2017
People used to put EFFORT into TV movies...back when they used to make them. This certainly can be boring at times, but the location has originality to it, and it puts the characters in an isolated spot in the world...the tone with this is set early and it helps give you that sense for the rest of the movie. The romantic subplot isn't too bad either, since Chad Everett is a pro's pro anyway. I like that meals they eat too....Chad Everett whips up those omelettes for himself and Jennifer Warren, and Rockne Tarkington makes that awesome plate of steak and other trimmings one night for the crew in that kitchen. Now that's good eatin!
Trying surfing on Alien's success, not so bad at all!!
elo-equipamentos1 May 2024
Due my reassessment process of my movies which I had watch in my teenager years it was already scheduled, a hard to find picture, so I've to call our friend Youtube and bingo, it was there on average print with dubbed version in Portuguese, best impossible quite sure and for nostalgic reason I went for to my night session.
At oil rig nearby Antartica the crew are drilling very deeply when came up an Alien specimen from ancient ages, the rest is too predictable, the casting is enough good for this little Sci-Fi-Horror flick as Chad Everett, Jennifer Warren, Rockne Tarkington, Joseph Bottoms and Matt Clark among others.
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 1986 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.5.
At oil rig nearby Antartica the crew are drilling very deeply when came up an Alien specimen from ancient ages, the rest is too predictable, the casting is enough good for this little Sci-Fi-Horror flick as Chad Everett, Jennifer Warren, Rockne Tarkington, Joseph Bottoms and Matt Clark among others.
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 1986 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.5.
A surprisingly bleak and brutal made-for-TV early 80's "ALIEN" clone
Woodyanders27 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I must admit that I really like this jarringly harsh and downbeat made-for-TV "ALIEN" copy. This time the rugged roughneck crew of a remote off-shore oil rig are terrorized by a large, scaly, fanged, lumbering centuries old humanoid beast dredged up from the ocean floor. Sure, the plot ain't much, but Peter Carter's crisply proficient direction (Carter previously gave us the superior and underrated Canadian "Deliverance" variant "Rituals"), the strikingly gloomy, fatalistic tone (the first victim is a panicky guy who had a nightmarish premonition of the impending disaster), a terrific, rousing score by the chronically unsung Gil ("A Cold Night's Death," "The Ultimate Warrior") Melle, several shockingly brutal violent episodes which really test the limits of what you can get away with in a TV movie (one luckless woman gets raped and dies giving birth to a brawny, fully grown man-sized monster!), the unusually well-drawn and engaging characters, and the cool creature design by James Cummins and H. R. Giger turn this unassuming little number into a modest, but surefire winner. Chad Everett as the hard-nosed crew chief has the right tough stuff to cut it as a fine hero, while Joseph Bottoms, Jennifer Warren, Matt Craven, Lynda Mason Green and especially the ever-personable Rockne ("Black Sampson") Tarkington are solid in sturdy supporting parts.
At sea. No one can hear you scream.
lost-in-limbo8 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"The Intruder Within" is your basic "Alien" knock-off (and probably one of the first), which was made straight for TV. Those origins can be seen as an limitation, as it was plain and lethargic in its build-up. Consisting of uninteresting filler and quite tame on the thrills (most things occurring off-screen).
Just imagination in the hands of a film production, it could've been a lot more daring and fun with its B-grade material. Although in its favour, it did build a grimy and claustrophobic air from its oil rig backdrop. While the character rapport of its hardy blue collar workers, had a genuine believability about them with stalwart performances led by Joseph Bottoms, Chad Everett and Jennifer Warren. Everything about it is competently executed with a raw edge, but a real lack of sustained suspense and energy even with the looming dangers really lets it down.
The influences of "Alien" are obvious (e.g birth scene, shady company man), but the theories of the discovered ancient embryonic life form is slightly interesting. Too bad the script only scrapes the surface, therefore the lack of commitment makes it sound silly.
The detailed creature design looks rather decent, despite being a rubber suit and not making an appearance until the last 10 minutes. Honestly it looked far more menacing, than its lacklustre actions inspired. As for the other creations, there's a life cycle where it starts off as a fossilised egg, then transforming into some sort of stiff looking worm-like creature. It's a cross between the classic chest burster and mutated worm. Like those out of "Prometheus".
One of these nasty creatures affects a crew member who aggressively changes, giving them super strength and he forcefully impregnates a female co-worker who would then later give birth to a monster. I thought this too, had shades of "Prometheus". That birth scene while off-screen, still had somewhat a disturbing vibe, because we still see the silhouette.
Just imagination in the hands of a film production, it could've been a lot more daring and fun with its B-grade material. Although in its favour, it did build a grimy and claustrophobic air from its oil rig backdrop. While the character rapport of its hardy blue collar workers, had a genuine believability about them with stalwart performances led by Joseph Bottoms, Chad Everett and Jennifer Warren. Everything about it is competently executed with a raw edge, but a real lack of sustained suspense and energy even with the looming dangers really lets it down.
The influences of "Alien" are obvious (e.g birth scene, shady company man), but the theories of the discovered ancient embryonic life form is slightly interesting. Too bad the script only scrapes the surface, therefore the lack of commitment makes it sound silly.
The detailed creature design looks rather decent, despite being a rubber suit and not making an appearance until the last 10 minutes. Honestly it looked far more menacing, than its lacklustre actions inspired. As for the other creations, there's a life cycle where it starts off as a fossilised egg, then transforming into some sort of stiff looking worm-like creature. It's a cross between the classic chest burster and mutated worm. Like those out of "Prometheus".
One of these nasty creatures affects a crew member who aggressively changes, giving them super strength and he forcefully impregnates a female co-worker who would then later give birth to a monster. I thought this too, had shades of "Prometheus". That birth scene while off-screen, still had somewhat a disturbing vibe, because we still see the silhouette.
"Something Bad's Gonna Happen! Something Bad!"...
azathothpwiggins14 September 2022
Workers on the Zortron 101 oil rig bring up an unusual discovery from deep beneath the ocean floor. A deadly incident ensues, and a crewmember's gloomy prophecy seems to come true. Then, the real terror begins.
THE INTRUDER WITHIN is a well-realized, made-for-TV horror / monster movie. Around this time, many movies were coming out trying to capture the atmosphere of paranoia of John Carpenter's THE THING, and / or the visceral, killer creature horror of Ridley Scott's ALIEN. Both of these classics had that sense of being closed-in and isolated. This movie uses that to great effect. It combines these elements without being overly derivative. There are similarities, especially the ALIEN-like creature, but that doesn't ruin things. This movie is still far better than any of the other rip-offs.
The team of roughnecks are believable, led by Jake (Chad Everett).
Back to the monster itself. It's a superb man-in-a-rubber-suit creation, especially considering the confines of telefilms of its era.
Loads of creepy fun throughout its running time...
THE INTRUDER WITHIN is a well-realized, made-for-TV horror / monster movie. Around this time, many movies were coming out trying to capture the atmosphere of paranoia of John Carpenter's THE THING, and / or the visceral, killer creature horror of Ridley Scott's ALIEN. Both of these classics had that sense of being closed-in and isolated. This movie uses that to great effect. It combines these elements without being overly derivative. There are similarities, especially the ALIEN-like creature, but that doesn't ruin things. This movie is still far better than any of the other rip-offs.
The team of roughnecks are believable, led by Jake (Chad Everett).
Back to the monster itself. It's a superb man-in-a-rubber-suit creation, especially considering the confines of telefilms of its era.
Loads of creepy fun throughout its running time...
See also
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