UFOria
| UFOria | |
|---|---|
 UFOria film cover | |
| Directed by | John Binder |
| Written by | John Binder |
| Produced by | Melvin Simon Productions |
| Starring | Fred Ward Cindy Williams Harry Dean Stanton |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures (U.S.) CIC (overseas) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million[1] |
UFOria is a
Plot
Sheldon Bart (Fred Ward) is a drifter, and a small-time con man. He meets his old friend, Brother Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), a big-time con man into faith healing and fencing stolen cars, at his revival tent outside a small town. Bud has developed a real ability to heal, although he has no idea how this has happened. While he's helping Brother Bud, Sheldon falls in love with Arlene (Cindy Williams), a local supermarket clerk who believes in UFOs and is deeply religious and deeply lonely. When Arlene has a vision of a coming UFO, everyone deals with it in his own way. Brother Bud begins to twist Arlene's belief and visions into a new pseudoreligious cult.
Release
Theatrical
Produced by
UFOria played at the 1984
Home media
Due to its extensive soundtrack of country songs, including hits from Waylon Jennings, the film did not reach VHS until 1987,[3] with some of its music rescored, and it has not yet been released on DVD or Blu-Ray due to the expense of licensing its song score.[4] The film's credits advertised a soundtrack album would be available on Elektra Records, but that album was never released.
The film also aired on cable television in 1986.
Reception
The film received mostly positive reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4 star review, calling the film a "great and goofy comedy", concluding with "Like Repo Man, Turtle Diary and Hannah and Her Sisters, it is willing to go for originality in a world that prizes the entertainment assembly line."[5]
Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that the film has a "raffish tone" and is "exuberantly nutty"; he also praised the casting.[6] Kevin Thomas, writing for the Los Angeles Times concluded his review with, "Williams manages to be adorable and never seems all-out crazy; like Ward, you do believe in her, whether or not you believe in UFOs."[7]
The Creature Features movie guide gave the movie 3 out of 5 stars, finding the film eccentric but entertaining, stating the movie was a compelling character study with a surprise ending.[8]
References
- ^ "AFI|Catalog". Catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Uforia". TV Guide. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- OCLC 17474488. Retrieved May 17, 2014 – via WorldCat.
- ^ Armstrong, Collin (January 5, 2007). "Seldom Seen review - Uforia". Twitch Film. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (April 25, 1986). "Uforia". Roger Ebert.com. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (January 3, 1986). "The Screen:: 'Uforia,' A Comedy, Finally Arrives". New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (July 2, 1985). "Movie Review : A Close Encounter With 'Uforia'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ Stanley, John (2000) Creature Features: 3rd Edition
External links
- UFOria at IMDb
- UFOria at Rotten Tomatoes
- UFOria at the American Film Institute Catalog
- UFOria at Box Office Mojo
