Product Description
-------------------
An alien invasion is one thing, but in this 1960s series
the extraterrestrials are already among us! When architect David
Vincent (Roy Thinnes) returns home from a business trip in the
predawn hours, he spots the landing of a spacecraft containing
visitors from another planet. Vincent learns that these beings
are able to disguise themselves as humans. Now he must bring this
unpleasant knowledge to the rest of humankind. And it will not be
easy... This collection presents the first season of the sci-fi
series. Star Roy Thinnes, Diane Baker, Alan Armer Special
Features: Keep Case, Multi-disc set Full Frame, 1.33 Audio:
Unspecified, English Additional Release Material: Audio
Commentary Runtime: 869 minutes Year of Release: 1967.
.com
----
"If theyre really after you, youre not paranoid" is a
lesson The Invaders' David Vincent has learned all too well.
Vincent (portrayed by Roy Thinnes) knows that aliens from a dying
planet have come to Earth and are planning to take over; having
lost his way and fallen a in his car in the remote woods one
night, he saw their flying saucer land. Whats worse, the
invaders know he knows. And worst of all, the rest of the world
is willfully oblivious, and little interested in the rantings of
this madman. That's the premise of this series from producer
Quinn (The Fugitive) Martin, and even if the 16 episodes from the
shows first season (1967) dont always match the promise of the
concept, this is still an intriguing, entertaining ride.
The aliens, crafty critters that they are, look exactly like us,
save for a slight disfigurement of one finger; they also
completely disintegrate when killed, a convenient little conceit
that prevents anyone from figuring out who or what they really
are. Their dastardly schemes for eliminating the Earthlings are
many and varied, ranging from nuclear bombs, plagues of locusts
(and carnivorous butterflies!), and manufactured hurricanes to
brainwashing and mind control experiments. Standing against this
implacable foe is just one man--an amateur (Vincent was an
architect before all the craziness began) who works alone (the
other true believers he encounters almost invariably end up dead)
and is often stymied by his own impetuousness and lack of
preparation. Admittedly, the concept doesnt hold up under close
scrutiny; even if the aliens are trying to take over by stealth
instead of one massive invasion, it doesnt make a lot of sense
that they cant eliminate a guy who doesnt even own a . There
is no series arc; each episode is stand-alone, so by the end of
the season the invaders still have barely established a foothold.
Moreover, while there are plenty of fistfights and chase
sequences, the special effects are ludicrous, the alien
technology looks like something out of a high school play, the
stories are obvious, and the acting is melodramatic
(notwithstanding guest appearances by the Jack Warden and
familiar TV faces like Suzanne Pleshette, Arthur Hill, Joseph
Campanella, Jack Lord, Ed Asner, and many others). Nevertheless,
with the help of Dominic Frontieres music and the portentous
narration that begins and ends each episode, The Invaders manages
to consistently maintain its paranoid, Kafka-esque vibe, and that
alone makes it compellingly watchable. Thinnes episode intros
and a new interview with the actor are the main bonus features.
--Sam Graham