View source for Alienator

{{Short description|1989 film by Fred Olen Ray}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Alienator
| image          = Alienator-vhs-movie-cover-md.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Home media cover
| director       = [[Fred Olen Ray]]
| producer       = Jeffrey C. Hogue{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| writer         = Paul Garson{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| starring       = {{plainlist|* [[Jan-Michael Vincent]]
* [[John Phillip Law]]
* [[Ross Hagen]]
* Dyana Ortelli
* [[Teagan Clive|Teagan]]
* [[P. J. Soles]]}}
| music          = Chuck Cirino{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| cinematography = [[Gary Graver]]{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| editing        = Chris Roth{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| studio         = {{plainlist|* American-Independent Prods.
* Majestic Intl.{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} }}
| distributor    = Prism Entertainment{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| released       = {{Film date|1990|2|8|}}
| runtime        = 92 minutes{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} 
| country        = United States
| language       = English
}}

'''''Alienator''''' is a 1990 [[science fiction film]] directed by [[Fred Olen Ray]], produced by [[Jeffrey C. Hogue]], and starring [[Jan-Michael Vincent]].

The film was described by [[Leonard Maltin]] and confirmed by Fred Olen Ray to be a "semi-[[remake]]" of the 1957 film ''[[The Astounding She-Monster]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Maltin|first=Leonard|author-link=Leonard Maltin|year=2015|title=Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965|edition=third|publisher=[[Plume (publisher)|Plume]]|isbn=978-0147516824}}</ref> [[Robert Clarke]], who starred in that film, also appears in ''Alienator''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Weldon|first=Michael J.|year=1996|title=The Psychotronic Video Guide To Film|publisher=[[St. Martin's Griffin]]|isbn=978-0312131494}}</ref>

==Plot==
Kol, an alien criminal, escapes from a [[Starship|spaceship]] into the [[Forest|woods]] of an American [[suburb]]. The commander of the spaceship dispatches "the Alienator"—a deadly [[gynoid]], to capture Kol. She relentlessly pursues Kol and a group of teenagers who find him without knowing his past.

==Cast==
* [[Jan-Michael Vincent]] as Commander  
* [[John Phillip Law]] as Ward Armstrong  
* [[Ross Hagen]] as Kol  
* [[Teagan Clive]] as Alienator
* Dyana Ortelli as Orrie  
* Jesse Dabson as Benny  
* Dawn Wildsmith as Caroline  
* [[P.J. Soles]] as Tara  
* [[Robert Clarke]] as Lund  
* [[Richard Wiley]] as Rick  
* [[Leo Gordon]] as Colonel Coburn  
* [[Robert Quarry]] as "Doc" Burnside  
* [[Fox Harris]] as Burt  
* Hoke Howell as Harley  
* Jay Richardson as Prison Sergeant Major  
* Dan Golden as Electrocuted Prisoner
* [[Joseph Pilato]] as Tech #2

==Release==
''Alienator'' was originally set for release between May and August in 1989.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|title=Mid-May through August|date=January 15, 1989|page=12}}</ref> [[Prism Entertainment]] announced in November 1989 to release the film along with ''Time Troopers'' in late December.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|date=November 21, 1989|page=36|title=When TV Mattered}}</ref> Prism later released the film on February 8, 1990.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|title=Coming Attractions|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81143742/1990-early-home-video-release-info/|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 19, 1990|page=62}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|title=Advertising Comes to the Movies|last=Blowen|first=Michael|date=January 26, 1990|page=47}}</ref>

On March 19, 2013, the film was released on [[DVD]] by [[Shout! Factory]] as part of a two-disc "Action-Packed Movie Marathon" set, which contains a total of four films.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Action-Marathon-Cyclone-Alienator-Exterminator/dp/B00AJXO5X6|title=Action Packed Movie Marathon (Cyclone, Alienator, Eye Of The Tiger & Exterminator 2)|website=[[Amazon.com]]|access-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref> On June 13, 2017, the film was released on [[Blu-ray]] by [[Scream Factory]], featuring a commentary track by director Fred Olen Ray.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Alienator-Blu-ray-Jan-Michael-Vincent/dp/B06XHTG2YT|title=Alienator [Blu-ray]|website=[[Amazon.com]]|access-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref>

==Reception==
From contemporary reviews, "Lor." of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reviewed the AIP video cassette on November 18, 1989.{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} "Lor." declared the film to be a "tongue-in cheek sci-fi thriller geared towards home video fans with a soft spot for the old stars and old-fashioned serials."{{sfn|Lor.|1991}} "Lor." noted the film "suffers from a weak script" that gave Jan-Michael Vincent and John Phillip Law little to do while P.J. Soles is "stuck in a rather goofy costume as an outer space technician".{{sfn|Lor.|1991}}

==See also==
* [[Cyborgs in fiction]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book|title=Variety's Film Reviews 1989-1990|volume=21|publisher=[[R. R. Bowker]]|isbn=0-8352-3089-9|year=1991|at=There are no page numbers in this book. This entry is found under the header "December 6, 1989"|author=Lor.}}

==External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0096786}}

{{Fred Olen Ray}}

[[Category:1990 films]]
[[Category:1990 action thriller films]]
[[Category:1990 independent films]]
[[Category:1990 science fiction action films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:American science fiction action films]]
[[Category:American action thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about androids]]
[[Category:Films directed by Fred Olen Ray]]
[[Category:1990 English-language films]]
[[Category:1990 American films]]
[[Category:1990 science fiction films]]
[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:English-language science fiction action films]]
[[Category:English-language action thriller films]]