Alien from the Deep (Alien degli abissi) (1989) - SPO Entertainment Japan VHS

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Just to recycle some old thoughts from '09 since they're still apt after revisiting this late Italian sci-fi/horror entry from Antonio Margheriti. This film exemplifies both what ultimately killed the country's cottage industry and what was so great about its waning days. It was easy to see why Italy's horror and exploitation was so successful during its glory days. Playing on taboos and imitating/emulating hot trends made financial sense.

But Alien from the Deep is so gloriously stupid because its very concept of a towering trash bag monster arising from Earth's molten depths is woefully out-of-date with the late '80s/early '90s. There's even "ominous" trumpeting straight out of an early Godzilla flick harkening the monster's arrival. No wonder this film and the surrounding industry sadly sunk into obscurity. All this and a pissed off Charles Napier. Awesome. I've actually watched this one five or six times already on Marketing Film's German DVD. Although I'm unsure I'd recommend paying the nutty $20+ price for U.S. One-7 Movies' DVD...

"Two environmental activists sneak onto a remote island owned by a huge chemical corporation to capture on video the plant's nefarious acts against nature. Getting help from local natives, the tree-huggers infiltrate the plant and witness the dumping of highly radioactive material into a volcanic cavern. Security becomes wise and takes chase; leading to the capture of one of them. The other activist is saved by an American snake wrangler and together they devise a rescue. The head of plant operations (Charles Napier) continues the hazardous dumping despite knowledge radioactivity is reaching radically unstable levels. Soon an enormous creature begins tunneling towards the plant from the sea and it's every man for himself to escape the monster and the flesh-eating fungi it harbors.

Enjoyable Italian sci-fi actioner that's completely mindless but moves at a brisk enough pace. Charles Napier is just how we like him; terse and stubborn-minded as he screams at subordinates and recklessly guides everything towards imminent destruction. Not much gore, but Margheriti does halt the chaos of the climax for a "decontamination" scene that's merely an excuse for the attractive blond protagonist to run around the rest of the film in a wet tanktop and panties. Thank you Antonio! Also the monster is a ridiculous tower of black hose and tires with crab claws...only in an '80s Italian sci-fi flick!"

(the whole damn movie!)