Intruders (1992) User Reviews

Thorough exploration of alien abduction

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 14 May 2015]

INTRUDERS is a pretty good exploration of the alien abduction phenomenon, based on a book by real-life abductee Budd Hopkins. As a three hour TV movie it holds the attention throughout, boasting an excellent turn from Richard Crenna as a psychiatrist who gets drawn into the unusual reports from one of his patients and ends up leading a crusade against government cover-ups.

The only real negative thing about INTRUDERS is that it was made in the 1990s, where all such TV movies inevitably look cheap and ramshackle to modern audiences. Indeed, there's an often cheap and cheesy look and feel to the production, which saps the realism. But there are also many reasons to tune in, as this is a drama that narrowly predates THE X-FILES and handles an outlandish subject matter in a surprisingly mature way.

The film is also rather frightening for its time, focusing extensively on the abduction scenes; there are lots of nightmarish moments involving the "Greys" here, and the spooky atmosphere is understandable when you find out that Dan Curtis (proponent of many a 1970s TV horror flick) is the guy who directed it. Crenna was always an underrated actor and I can't help but feel this might be one of his greatest late stage performances.

Where Are They From?

[AaronCapenBanner · 5/10 · 12 July 2014]

Dan Curtis directed this TV movie based on the book by Budd Hopkins that stars Richard Crenna as Dr. Neil Chase(based on real-life Dr. John Mack) who becomes involved in regression hypnosis involving two women(played by Daphne Ashbrook and Mare Winningham) who are troubled by nightmares and blackouts that seem to be the work of aliens who abduct them for medical experiments involving harvested DNA to create a half-human/alien hybrid for unknown reasons. The military knows about it, but is determined to cover it all up, and Dr. Chase finds that his career and reputation are on the line, but these two women still need his help... Marginal film has a fine cast(especially the sturdy Crenna) but goes on far too long, dissipating any dramatic impact.

"The X-Files" would perfect this subject matter when it premiered a year later...

SPACED OUT MUMBO JUMBO

[davidalexander-63068 · 5/10 · 5 February 2021]

Hard to believe there are actually backers who put up good money to produce this nonsense. Well there must be an audience for it. I personally will bow out after the first episode. Does it really run for another three episodes? I preferred Richard Crenna in Our Miss Brooks and The Real McCoys.

Interesting Adaptation Of The Budd Hopkins Novel

[bob wolf · 3 November 1999]

Intruders, an over-long made for television movie, ranks as my third favorite film made on the topic of ufo's and alien abduction. Only Communion and The Interrupted Journey ranks ahead of it.

Richard Crenna, the film's protagonist, is a therapist who must deal with the reality of ufo's when one of his patients thrusts an "alien abduction" account onto his plate. His initial reaction is to brush her off as a nutcase. Soon, when other people with similar accounts journey into his life, he begins to take a serious look at the possibility of ufo's actually abducting people.

His investigation begins to uncover a certain amount of evidence and a government involvement(pre-X-Files) that forces him to take a 180 degree turn in his feelings about the subject.

Richard Crenna, as pointed out by another commenter, does seem to be a composite of artist and author Budd Hopkins and Harvard professor John Mack. Crenna is very good in his role. I especially enjoyed watching his characters transition from non-believer into believer.

The film is frightening in its depictions of abductions and encounters with aliens. There are several sequences featuring abductions and several scenes on board ufo's. Where Fire In The Sky seemed to tease the audience, Intruders wants to bombard it.

Very, very frightening! A must see!

By far the most accurate Sci-Fi about abduction subject based in strongest evidences!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 24 December 2022]

At last something true about aliens that surround the mankind since the primitive era of cave men, presented as TV mini-series based on Budd Hopkins's novel where he gathered on several sources and solid evidences to write this book, Michael Apted is one of executive producers lending credence to the project.

The storyline focuses in the four characters only, the skeptic psychiatrist Dr. Neil Chase (Richard Crenna), the housewife Mary Wilkes (Mare Winningham) from Nebraska who has been abducted since the tender age, Lesley Hahn (Daphine Ashbrook) from California has a sudden pregnancy managed by the aliens at spaceship, and finally Mary Wilkes's sister Leigh Holland (Susan Blakely) who was linked with Dr. Neil aimed to make a bridge with his half-hearted sister to applying the retrocognition process.

Also appears a whimsical Ufologist Addison Leach (Steve Berkoff) to introduce Dr. Neil in this new ground, aside the movie touch in hard subject that cause distrust in all scientific community, stays clear that US's government tries by all means cover-up such events, whereof it is common knowledge of the military.

Dealing a TV series this a overlong presentation, thus the screenplay was done to insert all major key scenes to got to whole picture, starting that point the picture slows down, some sequences were fully disposable, due I'd watched the shortest version on TV in 1996, actually the casting didn't help too much, Richard Creena seems so symphathetic somewhat bellitles the character, in other hand the aliens sequences is quite amazing and improving the presentation.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1996 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5.

unrelentingly atmospheric exploration of the alien abduction phenomena really gets under the skin.

[kclipper · 8/10 · 17 August 2011]

Dan Curtis, executive producer of the successful television production, 'Dark Shadows' directs this T.V. miniseries which is probably the best of the films that were made about the real-life testimonials dealing with the occurrences of alien abductions that have swept the nation's curiosities and astonishment.

Richard Crenna is a well-respected psychologist who encounters new patient, Daphne Ashbrook, who is concerned with incidents dealing with missing time, extreme anxiety, and terrible nightmares about sinister prowlers. When hypnotic sessions reveal visions of small beings with large black eyes and hideous experimental procedures, Crenna embarks on a journey of a collective phenomena and self-discovery that endangers his career as well as his professional relationships.

A multitude of research on the topic went into this excellent study of a well-documented peculiarity which has puzzled and contradicted our beliefs and customs for centuries. Curtis uses every thematic device to create tension and paranoia and a tremendously scary tone that is seldom found in television movies. The cast is excellent. Mare Winningham and Daphne Ashbrook are extremely convincing as the sympathetic abductees, and it's engrossing to see Crenna's transition from a hard-headed skeptic to the seeker of ultimate truth, regardless of his professional credulity, and Stephan Berkoff is shear perfection as an eccentric ufologist. Fans of this intriguing genre will consider this a prolific film, rising above the normal Hollywood depictions of extraterrestrial fantasy and lore into a world of frightening reality, spiritual enlightenment, and governmental suspicions. Skeptics and realists may not be convinced, but won't help but to analyze and interpret the cold facts whether or not these people are victims of schizophrenic delusion.

I was 16 years old when I saw this for the first time, and was scared out of my wits as a result. (especially the scenes of the hybrid human/aliens and the dream sequences) It's a prime example of how melancholic emotion and an ambient feel can make all the difference in a horror film. The effective Dan Curtis also directed the recommended thriller, 'Trilogy of Terror'. Watch with an open mind and the lights off, and you just might acquaint with the tag-line "You Will Believe".

Very good made for TV.

[aliask03 · 8/10 · 8 March 2006]

I remember seeing this movie on VHS rental and I immediately liked it. It started me on reading Bud Hopkins' books on alien abduction. As stated here time and again, the acting is very good and the story very involving. I remember especially enjoying reading the book after viewing the movie. This way I had a visual reminder every time when reading. On all accounts Intruders is a convincing and scary movie that should please all lovers of the genre.

@dunneboy from Sweden: I'm not sure which version DVD you got, but the movie's listed run time is 163 min. The R2 DVD of Intruders runs for 162 min.(And that's without factoring in PAL speedup:-)

Frightening

[raphaelcardoso_adv · 8/10 · 3 June 2018]

I watched this around 1995. I was a teen, it was very late in the night, I was in the country. The alien experimenting scenes were marked in my memory. I couldn't sleep for days and I still can see the scenes when I close my eyes, more than 20 years later.

Most realistic alien movie ever made.

[crazyalien77 · 10/10 · 2 October 2003]

This is by far the scariest and most realistic alien movie ever. This is the only alien movie to deal with aliens implanting a fetus in a human and showing hybrid alien and humans. This movie is based on the book "Intruders" in which Budd Hopkins uses hypnosis to reveal the blocked memories of alien abduction. You must see this movie.

One of the best movies about the subject

[JazzySOB · 18 November 2003]

This is one of the best stories based on true experiences from people all over the world about UFO's and abductions which is made into a movie. Good book from the initial author Budd Hopkins who is a specialist about the subject. It is in line with other movies like "A Fire In The Sky" from Travis Walton and "Communion" from the author Whitley Strieber which are also based on true stories. Luckily the filmmakers did have hired good actors. Richard Crenna and Mare Winningham are very persuasive. A must see for everyone who have interest into the subject. I would like to buy this film on DVD (widescreen if possible), but unfortunately it is still not available on DVD.

Fantastic TV-movie, but mishandled on DVD

[dunneboy · 8/10 · 19 July 2005]

Definitely one of the better "UFO-epics" out there. BUT, the version released on DVD is much shorter compared to the version showed on TV, and that's a shame. One of the most prominent and important scenes, when Dr. Chase have found a circle of burned grass at Leslie's back yard and two neighbor children is sitting by and waiting "for the moon to come down again" is totally missing. There are also several more key scenes edited out. For example the scene where two government agents "visits" Dr. Chase and tell him not to waste his time on this "abduction" rubbish.

We can only hope for a proper DVD release in the future, with all material from the network version inserted again.

If you like this one, you should give "Fire In The Sky" (1993) a try.

Intruders Must be released as REGION 1 DVD

[shawn_c_mcelroy · 10/10 · 21 July 2006]

This entertaining and informative adaptation of Budd Hopkins' book by the same name originally aired on CBS where Canada and The US watched in suspense. After seeing the first of two episodes, I just had to know what would happen in the next one. I have LOVED this movie ever since I saw the first fifteen minutes of it when I was twelve years old. Today it remains near the top of my favorite films/shows/whatever. Gray aliens, creepy abductions, UFOs, suspense, action; what's not to like.

My question and the point of this message is as follows

Why does the UK have this TV movie released on DVD, but Canada and the US, where the show aired, are still waiting for this title to be released?.

A petition may be needed.

Shawn

Persuasive and "accurate"

[Doug-193 · 20 October 1999]

This is one of the best treatments of this subject available, far more accurately reflecting its (non-fiction) source material than "Communion," for example, or "Fire in the Sky." The way in which Crenna's character (probably a composite of Budd Hopkins and the late Dr. John Mack) slowly comes to believe his terrified and bewildered "patients," in spite of a healthy skepticism, is quite persuasive. The human dramas associated with witness reports are the focus here (as they are in the excellent "The UFO Incident"), and the visual effects, though gasp-producing, take care not to distort those reports. All the performances are first-rate. One of the three writers, incidentally,Tracey Tormé--the son of the later singer-songwriter, Mel Tormé--is also one of the writers of "Fire in the Sky."

Underrated masterpiece!

[sven-vanrompaey · 10/10 · 24 October 2012]

"Intruders" is in my opinion the most underrated masterpiece when it comes to the topic of UFOs, alien abduction etc.... I gave this movie a well deserved 10!

Of course, a lot of mistakes where made in the movie which you can clearly see, but no other movie has ever come this close to put down a realistic feel concerning alien abduction.

The special effects used in the movie are stunning for it's time and for it's budget.

I rediscovered this movie after 20 years, and as a kid, this movie truly got to me, and 20 years later it still does.

"ET" or "Close encounters" never had that effect on me.

Two of the scariest scenes ever in one film.

[lazee4163 · 10/10 · 2 July 2016]

I remember watching this at the tender age of 12 and it scared the hell out of me. The scene with the faceless telephone repair men, and the seen where the half alien have human boy lures the young girls through the woods makes my blood run cold to this very day. The moment where he turns around gave me nightmares for weeks. There are many good Alien Abduction films out there like Communion, Fire In The Sky, The Forth Kind, and Altered just to name a few, but Intruders is the best of the genre in my humble opinion. If you can't find it on DVD it is usually available to stream for free on Youtube.

I can't recommend Intruder enough. It is straight nightmare fuel.

An interesting pre X-Files alien/UFO show

[manitou-full-moon · 9/10 · 25 July 2005]

Although this miniseries has dated since its first airing thirteen years ago, it is pretty interesting in that it does have quite a few plot elements that predate the X-Files, such as the creation of alien/human hybrids and the government covering up crashed UFOs.

The plot basically revolves around two women who are suffering from unexplained blackouts and nightmares, and the psychiatrist who ends up treating them.

One of them, Lesley Hahn (Daphne Ashbrook, who later started in the 1996 Dr Who TV film) lives in California, and has a nightmare about faceless repairmen entering her house and taking her, and the other is a housewife, Mary Wilkes(Mare Winningham), from Nebraska who has unexplained blackouts and ends up on a motorway miles from her home. Lesley goes to a psychiatrist, Dr Neil Chase (Richard Crenna) who doesn't believe her, thinking it could possibly be a result of sexual abuse as a child. Meanwhile, Mary decides to take a holiday in California with her sister, who knows Neil Chase, and is persuaded to see the psychiatrist to find out if he can help with her problem.

Neil is struck by the similarities between the two cases, and realises that symbols drawn by Mary are similar to that of another patient of his, a former soldier who encountered a crashed UFO which was recovered by the government. Making contact with a university professor who does research into alien abductions, he begins to investigate the wider world of alien encounters, and runs into a general who is investigating UFOs in secret. Finally, Mary is abducted again, and learns the true purpose of the aliens.

I remember seeing this show when I was a kid, and it scared the hell out of me. Now, it appears rather dated, and the alien effects are pretty funny in a sort of rubber-monster way, especially when compared with the rather more convincing CGI aliens you get today. However, the story is quite interesting, although initially quite slow-moving, and the leads turn in acceptable performances.

I'm a sceptic when it comes to alien abductions, but I find the entire 'abduction-mania' culture of the 1990s very entertaining in retrospect. After this show was aired, many people began claiming they were being abducted, and creating the atmosphere that allowed The X-Files to be successful. If you like that show, you might like this as well. As I said, it's sort of a precursor in spirit, complete with a CSM-like general who knows more about the aliens than he will tell his subordinates, telling them at the beginning when a UFO is caught on radar 'It's just a meteor' (The X-Files episode 'Fallen Angel' had the exact same scene at the beginning, intriguingly. A possible homage?) and generally, you can see how it could possibly have been one of the inspirations for the show.

It's actually based on Budd Hopkins' 'Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at Copely Wood', which is a supposedly 'true story' about a family who are abducted and probed by aliens. If you're intrigued by the book, don't really bother checking it out. It's just a load of tripe about people who have sleep paralysis and try to pass it off as a visitation from outer space, and it actually tries to convince you that aliens really are visiting the Earth.

The show, however, is highly recommended. The plot is quite interesting, and if you like laughing at rubber aliens and daft makeup there's plenty of that, as well.

Oddly, I don't think it's been released in the US on DVD, which is quite a mystery given its popularity, but if you're in the UK, or have a multi-region player, it was reissued this past November on DVD by Paramount Home Video (raiding the CBS back catalogue, no doubt) and is available from most good EU-based DVD shop sites (and Amazon.co.uk, as well) So, if you want to see the beginning of the 'alien abduction' pop culture phenomenon, get this! You won't regret it!

Okay for a TV show.

[bursegsardaukar · 8/10 · 31 May 2005]

The show starts with General Hanley arriving at Cheyenne Mountain. The radar operators there are tracking a U.F.O but the General ordered it to be classified as nothing more than a meteor and equipment problems.

Meanwhile, at Nebraska, a dazed, disoriented Mary Wilkes was walking down a road that was about 30 miles away from her home. Mary couldn't remember how she got there.

At Los Angeles, Lesley Hahn was woken up by several repairmen that had somehow gained access into her house. The next thing she remember was waking up on the couch and about three hours have passed.

Under hypnosis by Dr. Neil Chase, both women discovered that they were abducted by aliens and had experiments performed on them.

After her abduction, Lesley suddenly became pregnant. The aliens soon came back and took her baby.

Mary was abducted again and she was shown her alien/human hybrid daughter by the aliens.

A must see for fans of the genre

[darrenburch-19817 · 9/10 · 17 March 2022]

Dan Curtis is one of the most underrated directors of his generation and this solid alien abduction film is another example of his ability.

This is a great film in the alien abduction genre and considering it was done with a TV movie budget, it's practically a masterpiece. Well done.

It should only be seen in its unedited form, as there were edited versions on DVD that were just bad. Only see the 2hr 41 min full version.

Intruders

[jricos · 10/10 · 5 April 2022]

Wow holy cannoli, this film was absolutely amazing, mind-blowing, just an absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word, from start to finish, the film never gets boring all through out, it leaves you wanted more, this film was really well done. I Wish it was on blu-ray.