Alien Nation (1988)

Director:

Graham Baker

Writer (WGA):

Rockne S. O'Bannon (written by)

Release Date:

7 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Prepare Yourself.

Plot:

A few years from now, Earth will have the first contact with an alien civilisation. These aliens, known as Newcomers...

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Police | American Flag | Drug Dealing | Bullet Proof Vest

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

James Caan	...	Det. Sgt. Matthew Sykes
Mandy Patinkin	...	Det. Samuel 'George' Francisco
Terence Stamp	...	William Harcourt
Kevyn Major Howard	...	Rudyard Kipling
Leslie Bevis	...	Cassandra
Peter Jason	...	Fedorchuk
Conrad Dunn	...	Quint (as George Jenesky)
Jeff Kober	...	Joshua Strader
Roger Aaron Brown	...	Det. Bill Tuggle
Tony Simotes	...	Wiltey
Michael David Simms	...	Human Dealer
Ed Krieger	...	Alien Dealer
Tony Perez	...	Alterez
Brian Thompson	...	Trent Porter
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Capt. Warner (as Frank McCarthy)
Keone Young	...	Winter
Don Hood	...	Moffet
Earl Boen	...	Duncan Crais
William E. Dearth	...	Coroner's Technician
Robert Starr	...	Coroner's Attendant
Bobby Sargent	...	Coroner's Driver
Bebe Drake	...	Computer Operator (as Bebe Drake-Massey)
Edgar Small	...	Minkler
Thomas Wagner	...	O'Neal
Abraham Alvarez	...	Mayor
Diana James	...	Ortiz
Frank Collison	...	Bentner
Tom DeFranco	...	Detective
Angela O'Neill	...	Kristin Sykes
Seth Marten	...	Helicopter Pilot
Kendall Conrad	...	Mrs. Francisco
Brian Lando	...	George Jr.
Tom Morga	...	Raincoat
Regis Parton	...	Mr. Porter (as Reggie Parton)
Jessica James	...	Mrs. Porter
Tom Finnegan	...	Natuzzi
Doug MacHugh	...	Victor Goldrup
Lawrence Kopp	...	Human Cop #1
Alec Gillis	...	Newcomer in Bar
Shuko Akune	...	Police Secretary
Stephanie Shroyer	...	Female Cop
Frank Wagner	...	Derelict
Clarence M. Landry	...	Old Man Driver (as Clarence Landry)
Van Ling	...	Newcomer #1 on TV
Mark Murphey	...	Newcomer #2 on TV
Kirsten Graham	...	Kid at Burger Stand
George Robotham	...	Boat Captain
Debra Seitz	...	Harcourt's Girlfriend
James De Closs	...	Detective
Douglas Cameron	...	S.I.D. Photographer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jasper Cole	...	Neighbor (uncredited)

Directed by
Graham Baker

Writing credits (WGA)
Rockne S. O'Bannon		(written by)

Produced by
Gale Anne Hurd	....	producer
Richard Kobritz	....	producer

Original Music by
Curt Sobel

Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg

Film Editing by
Kent Beyda

Casting by
Karen Rea

Production Design by
Jack T. Collis

Art Direction by
Joseph C. Nemec III		(as Joseph Nemec III)

Set Decoration by
Jim Duffy

Costume Design by
Erica Edell Phillips		(as Erica Phillips)

Makeup Department
Janice Alexander	....	hair stylist
David LeRoy Anderson	....	alien makeup effects (as David Anderson)
Grant Arndt	....	sculptor: Stan Winston Studios
John Blake	....	alien makeup effects
Roger Borelli	....	alien makeup effects
Katalin Elek	....	makeup artist
Zoltan Elek	....	alien makeup applier (as Zoltan)
Zoltan Elek	....	makeup artist (as Zoltan)
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	alien makeup applier (as John Elliott)
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup artist (as John Elliott)
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup co-department head
Greg Figiel	....	alien makeup effects
Steve Frakes	....	alien makeup effects
Mark Garbarino	....	alien makeup effects
Emilio M. Gonzales	....	alien makeup effects
Jeff Kennemore	....	alien makeup effects
Makio Kida	....	alien makeup effects
Eryn Krueger Mekash	....	alien makeup effects (as Eryn Krueger)
Richard J. Landon	....	alien makeup effects
Karen Mason	....	alien makeup effects
Michael Mills	....	makeup artist
Brian Penikas	....	alien makeup effects
John Price	....	alien makeup effects
Matt Rose	....	prosthetic painter
Russell Seifert	....	alien makeup effects
Michael Spatola	....	alien makeup effects
Michiko Tagawa	....	alien makeup effects
Mike Trcic	....	alien makeup effects
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist
Kenny Myers	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Joan Bradshaw	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Adelman	....	first assistant director
Newt Arnold	....	first assistant director (as Newton D. Arnold)
Jim Behnke	....	first assistant director: second unit (as James Behnke)
Patricia Earnest	....	dga trainee
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director
Barbara M. Ravis	....	second second assistant director (as Barbara Ravis)
Harvey Waldman	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nigel A. Boucher	....	leadman
Mike Carrillo	....	assistant property master
Dennis DeWaay	....	construction coordinator (as Dennis De Waay)
Steven E. Fegley	....	construction foreman
Louis S. Fleming	....	property master
John Warnke	....	set designer

Sound Department
Wayne Allwine	....	sound editor
Don J. Bassman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound editor
Steve Bowerman	....	boom operator
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith	....	sound editor (as Lucy Coldsnow)
Gabriel Cubos	....	sound utility
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Ken J. Johnson	....	sound effects recordist (as Ken Johnson)
Donlee Jorgensen	....	sound editor
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	adr editor
David MacMillan	....	sound mixer
Mark A. Mangini	....	sound effects (as Mark Mangini)
Mark A. Mangini	....	supervising sound editor (as Mark Mangini)
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound editor
Richard Overton	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Pospisil	....	special sound effects
Robert Renga	....	sound recordist
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor
David Spence	....	sound editor
Peter Tomaszewicz	....	foley editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Gordon Webb	....	boom operator
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Stanley Amborn	....	assistant special effects coordinator (as Stan Amborn)
Alec Gillis	....	aliens creator: Stan Winston Studio
Richard Lopez	....	special effects
Jeffrey Machit	....	special effects
Shane Mahan	....	aliens creator: Stan Winston Studio
Alan Rifkin	....	special effects
John Robles	....	special effects
John Rosengrant	....	aliens creator: Stan Winston Studio
Shannon Shea	....	aliens creator: Stan Winston Studio
Michael P. Stipe	....	special effects (as Michael Stipe)
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	special effects coordinator (as Joseph Unsinn)
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	aliens creator: Stan Winston Studio

Visual Effects by
Robert Grasmere	....	special visual effects
Bret Mixon	....	animation camera/titles

Stunts
Dennis C. Alpert	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (as Bruce Barbour)
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
Brad Bovee	....	stunts
Harold Burns	....	stunts
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (as Roydon E. Clark)
Eugene Collier	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunts
Gregg Dandridge	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg W. Elam)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Ralph Garrett	....	stunts
Steve Geray	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt driver
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunt double: Terence Stamp
Mike Johnson	....	stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	stunts
Dwayne McGee	....	stunts
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts
Troy Melton	....	stunts
Wayne Montanio	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Nick Palmisano	....	stunts
Chere Rae	....	stunts
Jeff Ramsey	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Tom Rosales Jr.)
Wally Rose	....	stunts
Bill M. Ryusaki	....	stunts (as Bill Ryusaki)
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts
Sharon Schaffer	....	stunts
Lori Seaman	....	stunts (as Lori Van der Veer)
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
Jerry Summers	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunts
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts
James Welch	....	stunts
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts (as James Wilkey)
Brian J. Williams	....	stunts
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	camera operator (as Michael A. Benson)
Philip Caplan	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Phil Caplan)
David Christie	....	best boy grip
Alicia Craft	....	second assistant camera
Donald Dahlquist	....	best boy electric
Donald L. Hartley	....	dolly grip
Frank M. Holgate	....	director of photography: second unit (as Frank Holgate)
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Jono Kouzouyan	....	gaffer
Bob Munoz	....	best boy grip (as Robert Munoz)
Jane O'Neal	....	still photographer
John Pierce	....	best boy electric
Vance Piper	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Doreen Lane	....	casting assistant
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dan Bronson	....	costumer
Michael J. Long	....	costume supervisor
Linda Serijan	....	costume supervisor (as Linda Serijan Fasmer)

Editorial Department
Don Brochu	....	additional editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Tracy Granger	....	assistant editor
Jean Morrisey	....	associate editor
Lorraine Salk	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Jerry Goldsmith	....	musician
Daniel J. Johnson	....	music editor
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor
Robert Schaper	....	score mixer
Ellen Segal	....	additional music editor
Lonnie Sill	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Buster Kohloff	....	transportation coordinator
Mike Paventi	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Bill Borden	....	production executive
Craig Caton	....	consultant: effects
Janis Benjamin Collister	....	production coordinator
Bill Davis	....	armorer
Sarah Elgart	....	choreographer
Ernest D. Farino	....	title designer: main titles
Kerry Fetzer	....	caterer
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot
Van Ling	....	linguistics consultant
Cass Martin	....	location manager
Vicki Matlin	....	caterer
Richard Powell	....	location manager
Bruce Rush	....	location manager
Susan Trembly	....	unit publicist
Anne Warner	....	script supervisor
Karl A. Wickman	....	helicopter pilot (as Karl Wickman)

Production Companies

• American Entertainment Partners II L.P.
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Twentieth Century Fox (1989) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1990) (Belgium) (video)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extra casting
• Pacific Title  end titles
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Park Public Relations  publicity
• Video Image  video displays
• Video Image  video sequences

Also Known As:

Future Tense (USA) (working title)
Outer Heat (USA) (working title)
Spacecop L.A. 1991 (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Alien Nation (Greece) [el]
Alien nación (Spain) [es]
Alien nation, Nazione di alieni (Italy) [it]
Futur immédiat (Canada: French title) [fr]
Futur immédiat, Los Angeles 1991 (France) [fr]
Lebkouni (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
Misión aliens (Argentina) [es]
Missão Alien (Brazil) [pt]
Muukalaiset (Finland) [fi]
Obca rasa (Poland) [pl]
Obcy przybysze (Poland) [pl]
Os novos Invasores (Portugal) [pt]
Przybysze (Poland) [pl]
Yabancilar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Belgium:16 (video rating) | USA:R (Certificate #29061) | UK:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Entertainment Partners II L.P.

Trivia:

The October 1987 draft of the screenplay credits a rewrite to James Cameron. He is not credited in the final film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When George drinks the milk at Matt's house the milk disappears from his lip between shots.

Quotes:

[Matt and George are showing each other pictures of their respective children]
Det. Samuel 'George' Francisco: This is my son, Richard. He's four years old. We named him after your former president, Richard Nixon.
Det. Sgt. Matthew Sykes: [beat] George, from now on, tell people that you named him after the director Richard Burton. Just trust me on this.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Signs (2002)

Soundtrack:

INDESTRUCTIBLE

Good movie...hated the tv show and movies though.

The reason I liked the movie and hated all the subsequent tv stuff is the movie had James Caan. He is what I enjoyed most about the movie and he was not in any of the tv stuff as far as I know. The interplay between him and Patinkin was great. The movie revolves around aliens who are living on earth...Caan can't stand these aliens, and really takes to disliking them when his partner is killed by one. He volunteers to be the partner of one of the aliens so that he can use the alien to find out what and who was behind his partner's death. During this time being partnered with the alien Caan's character learns to actually like being around him and they end up becoming friends. This movie has good action and comedy as Caan's character tries to figure things out and learns about his alien friend's different weaknesses and strengths. Basically it is a buddy cop movie that has an alien teamed with a human.