HYPER SAPIEN: PEOPLE FROM ANOTHER PLANET
US, 1986, 93 minutes, Colour.
Sydney Penney, Keenan Wynn, Gail Strickland, Talia Shire.
Directed by Peter Hunt.
Hyper Sapien: People From Another Planet is a close encounter of a very gentle, family kind. It was produced by actress Talia Shire who appears as a doctor, and directed by Peter Hunt (action films like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Gold, Shout at the Devil).
Two young girls, aliens from another star, want to come to Earth to see what it is like when their own race decides that Earth is not ready for aliens. They arrive in Wyoming (echoes of Close Encounters) and encounter a teenage ranch boy and his politically minded family, as well as his grandfather, who has an affinity with the Indians. They learn something about being human, the alien uncle comes to find them and is attacked by a policeman who thinks he is a political assassin. Needless to say, everything is worked out about the aliens deciding not to reveal themselves to humans at the moment - but the heroine is able to stay on Earth with her newfound friend.
Really a kind of Saturday matinee alien film for the family audience.
1.The close encounters films of the '70s and '80s? This version for younger and family audiences?
2.The title and its meaning (how attractive or off-putting)? The people from other planets, close encounters with Earth people, the effect on both sides, final decisions?
3.The space special effects? The oddball creature that comes with the two girls? The spacecraft? The contrast with Wyoming ranch settings? The political background? Musical score?
4.Audience involvement with the premise that aliens could come from the moon, have a higher civilisation, are interested in making contact with humans, but underestimate their intelligence and emotions? The mission, the two girls deciding to come to Earth? Their finding themselves in Wyoming, their appearance, colour of their hair, clothes? The message to their uncle? Their wandering around Wyoming - with their television knowledge, wanting to find the mundane Earthly experiences?
5.The family, Dirt waking up, relationship with his family, going out to work? Finding the girls, the bike, learning about them, their knowledge of what he was thinking? Befriending them, taking them to his grandfather and the Indian friend? Getting food and clothes for them - and the suspicions of his sister? Helping them settle?
6.The effect of human experiences on the girls? Their relationship with each other, with dirt, with the grandfather, with the Indian woman? Talking different languages? Their decision to stay on Earth?
7.The political rally, the senator arriving, the uncle from outer space trying to find the girls, the policeman stalking him? The good time shattered by the bullet? The injury to the uncle?
8.Dirt helping with the escape? The girls going to the hospital? The uncle and his recovery, the puzzle of the police?
9.The spacecraft taking the girls away, Dirt being taken into the spacecraft and hearing the explanation of the mission? Being returned to Earth? With his grandfather? His willing Robyn to come back, her decision and her appearing? The happy ending?
10.The grandfather, friendly, relationship with the Indians, critical of his political son? His helping the alien girls?
11.A genial story about space, relationship with aliens, a look at the behaviour of human beings? The focus on Dirt as the hero - the ordinary young lad who can be called on to be generous and to help others?
