Steineded How sad is this?

RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Coventry Wow, I'm actually speechless … I have watched lots of awful horror movies in my life and I definitely know to keep my expectations low regarding late 80's low-budgeted monster movies – especially when the name Fred Olen Ray is even remotely involved – but still somehow I'm truly baffled about how inept and terrible "Evil Spawn" actually is! The best way to describe the film (if you can even call it that) is to label is a smutty and sleazy 80's remake of Roger Corman's "The Wasp Woman". Vain and arrogant actress Lynn Roman still considers herself as beautiful, young and successful, but her surrounding is slightly more realistic. Her agent can't find her any more roles, befriended directors prefer young brunettes and even her own husband sleeps with younger actresses. Luckily for Lynn, a totally bonkers female scientist comes to see her with a serum extracted from intergalactic Venus microbes that supposedly will make her appear younger again. Yes, seriously! The serum actually works, but not sufficiently and it doesn't help Lynn to obtain new roles. And thus, like any normal person would react, she injects copious amounts of serum into her veins and mutates into a gigantic alien bug creature that feeds on humans. Sounds like a lot of brainless B-movie fun, doesn't it? Well it certainly is, but exclusively for people that are already familiar with the oeuvre/style of Fred Olen Ray and then still have an incredibly high tolerance lever for incompetence. The little intro video hosted by Olen Ray himself, known as the Night Owl Theater, already states clear that the man isn't really interested in good horror cinema, but merely in ugly monsters and especially naked women. It's particularly the retarded little details that make "Evil Spawn" such an amusing waste of 70 minutes. The film opens with images of a ridiculous looking spaceship, and yet the rest of the entire film takes place on earth. John Carradine, who looks more dead than alive, appears for approximately three minutes even though he receives top-billing on the DVD cover. He mumbles a couple of inaudible sentences and then literally drops dead in his seat. Several monster films of the 1980's have become genuine classics thanks to their marvelous transformation sequences. Like "An American Werewolf in London" for example. The transformation sequences in "Evil Spawn" are slightly less overwhelming. When Lynn injects herself with serum, she first receives a mouthful of ugly sharp teeth but then immediately changes into a full-grown and unidentifiable creature! It's harsh, but I more or less understand why this film didn't receive an Oscar nomination for the special effects. There's plentiful of gore and nudity, of course, quite often at the same time, like when the sexy brunette secretary gets eaten by the poolside and blood runs down over her butt-cheeks. The acting performances are horrible, although most of the cast members aren't all that inexperienced. Lead actress Bobbie Bresee appeared in a handful of B-movies, including "Mausoleum" and "Ghoulies", and furthermore there's Gordon Mitchell (who starred in literally hundreds of Italian flicks) and Jerry Fox. "Evil Spawn" is a lot of dumb fun, but I think everyone agrees the best thing about it is actually the DVD cover image.

bwana-beast The original EVIL SPAWN was completed and released in the halcyon days of video, when just about anything that was made could find its way onto product hungry rental shelves and turn a profit for all involved. It is an okay low budget horror item. The revised and revamped ALIEN WITHIN inserts new footage with venerable genre stalwarts Richard Harrison and Gordon Mitchell, and twists the storyline in a different direction. The revised ALIEN WITHIN will be of interest to fans of these veteran actors and Fred Olen Ray. I believe Ray was involved with the original film, and ended up with the rights after some litigation, and elected to make the revisions with new footage. ALIEN WITHIN showed on TV and came out on video from a small outfit, MNTX, which also released Brett McCormick's MACON COUNTY WAR (with Dan Haggerty). I prefer the new version, but that's just my opinion.

Joseph P. Ulibas Evil Spawn (1987) was a cheaply produced film that reeks of poverty. You have a good premise but it's faulty execution has no real pay off. A couple of good scenes does not a movie make. Too bad, because the actresses were good looking (especially the brunette) and the idea was solid. Maybe they should have a better story writer and a little more imagination. I saw this movie a few years ago at a Mr. Video store (rest in peace). Back then the cheesy video cover screamed cheap-cheap. I should have listened to my head instead of my eyes. Oh well. Perhaps a film-maker with more on the ball would make a better production.An aging actress will do anything to look young again (my advice is to stay out of the sun lady). So she comes across a crazy old scientist and his shady associate. He's working on an experimental formula that'll reduce the signs of aging (the good doctor should have used a little dab himself me thinks). But before he can work out all of the "bugs", tragedy occurs but that doesn't stop the old B-Queen from using it.The story might sound interesting but please stay away unless YOU REALLY like bad movies. Because there is really no need for someone (or anyone) to watch this "movie". Maybe next time they should concentrate more on the adult aspect of the storyline.Best to avoid.If it wasn't for the hot brunette this one would get a zero or a negative rating.

kennywest1 Like all Nite Owl Theater DVDs, this Fred Olan Ray film is a mess of tired special effects, poor acting, and nudity. There's a weak plot about a beautiful aging actress who turns into a six and a half foot tall rubber monster that rips people up here and there. There's a detective or something and a scientist or something..that doesn't really matter if you're just waiting to see a bare body in a following scene because that's all there is here. A cheap soap opera with pathetic monsters. There's alot of entertaining alien films out there..this isn't one of them.