There’s nothing I love more than finding a movie that has been lost in obscurity for a couple of decades. When an old film that never really got the respect it deserved finds a brand new audience, it’s a beautiful thing. With companies like Shout! Factory getting the rights, cleaning them up and putting them back out for the world to rediscover, we couldn’t really ask for much more.
Greydon Clark (Uninvited, Black Shampoo) released Without Warning back in 1980 and depending on who you ask, it’s either a cult classic or a below average creature feature. Well, I had the privilege of meeting Greydon in Kansas City at Crypticon a few weeks back. After chatting it up with him and hearing his passion for his films, the stories and the era of film making in which he got his start, I was sold. Finding out Shout! did the release was the icing on the cake.
Once I got home, I let it roll. First off, let me throw two names at you — Jack Palance and Martin Landau. Yep, those two are in this film and they steal the show for sure. Pure class and top-notch performances of the two, as they ham it up in every scene. Aside from them, the acting is pretty average for an 80’s drive-in film, which really has the feel of all of the glorious 50’s invader style movies with a grindhouse touch.
When an alien comes to earth, he comes for blood… literally. I was also shocked to find out that the alien was played by none other than Kevin Peter Hall who was known for playing the Predator and Harry from Harry and the Hendersons. He brings such an element to these creature roles and it’s obvious he really can act using his body (much like Kane Hodder as Jason or Victor Crowley).
This movie has faults. That’s for sure, but it is what it is and it’s damn good at being it — a campy alien film with some inventive practical effects, and even if the story lacks a bit of a punch, it gives us what we want. Without Warning is a drive-in style horror film that has enough carnage to satisfy, and I’m sure it was enough to get the girls in your arms at the drive-in.
Greydon comes from an era of filmmaking when you just made it work. Despite budgets, permits, or expensive effects guys, you just made it happen. This movie is a prime example of how different the times are and I’ll take Without Warning over some flashy film shoving Pepsi product placements in our faces every 5 seconds and a shitty CGI monster any day.
I personally give Without Warning 3.5 corpses in a shack out of 5. We solute you Mr. Clark.
