10 December 2024
The Visitor (1979)
105 min.
Directed by Giulio Paradisi.
With Mel Ferrer, John Huston, Glenn Ford, Shelley Winters, Paige Conner, Joanne Nail, Sam Peckinpah, Lance Henriksen, Franco Nero.
Think William Girdler's The Manitou (1978) was far out?

Try this one on for size.

Young Katy Collins (Conner) is one of a kind: a demonic child orchestrated by an evil corporation managed by Dr. Walker (Mel Ferrer).

After her mother Barbara (Nail) refuses to give Katy an equally demented sibling, it's up to space emissary Huston to call in the 'good' visitors from beyond to save the day.

Turns out said alien peacemakers are bald children who can morph into vicious doves, an ensemble led by Christ-like Franco Nero.

Whew. Got that?

This totally offbeat - but surprisingly well made - Italian oddity boasts an all name cast and kind of a cool sparse vibe, but is sooooo strange.

Best scene: Ford's (too early) death at the bloody beak of a psychotic bird.

Also known as Stridulum.

Italian: Il Visitatore.

© copyright 1998-present | The Terror Trap; www.terrortrap.com | all rights reserved