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Fun, hyper-gory Italian trash! |
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The PackageMade in 1982 by sleazemeister Luigi Cozzi (under his Americanized pseudonym "Lewis Coates"), this was one of countless ALIEN wannabes that flooded the market in the wake of that 1977 milestone (a trend that continued well into the nineties with such late entries as EVENT HORIZON and VIRUS). This one was made in Italy, where pitches by filmmakers all reportedly boil down to a single question: "whatäs this like?" Or, to be more specific, what successful American movie are you ripping off? With Lucio Fulciäs ZOMBIE, for instance, the answer would have been Romeroäs DAWN OF THE DEAD. Likewise with Ruggero Deodatoäs CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, which, in a not unusual occurrence, spawned its own sub genre (which weäll call the Italian Cannibal Movie, which was almost as prevalent as the Italian Post-Holocaust Movie). |
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The StoryA deserted ship is discovered in the New York harbor (well, actually a dock someplace in Italy, with exterior shots spliced in to make us think itäs NYC). When a team of investigators boards it, they find a bunch of large watermelon-like eggs that emit tiny spores causing people to explode. Itäs up to a hot-chick scientist and her BF (who demonstrate the sporesä deadly properties by injecting ‘em into a rat, making it pop like a water balloon) to find the source of the strange eggs, which turns out to be a coffee plantation in Bolivia. Here a batty ex-astronaut, the only survivor of an expedition to Mars, is taking care of a large, slimy, one-eyed critter (severely under lit so we wonät notice how cheesy it is) who distributes the eggs and harbors a healthy appetite for human flesh.
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The DirectionLuigi Cozzi is best known for his Lou Ferrigno Hercules abominations (made because they were "like" EXCALIBUR and CLASH OF THE TITANS) and the execrable STAR CRASH (the first word in the title should clue you in as to what film that one is "like"). When cult movie enthusiast John Martin told Cozzi he enjoyed CONTAMINATION, the reluctant auteur burst out laughing. Give the guy credit: he knows his limitations. This is trash with a capitol T, but itäs fun trash, a slick, fast moving monster movie with surprisingly potent gore effects. |
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Vital StatisticsCONTAMINATION (aka ALIEN CONTAMINATION) 
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