MORONS FROM OUTER SPACE

   Film (1985). Dir Mike Hodges, starring Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, Joanne Pearce, Jimmy Nail, Paul Bown, Dinsdale Landen. Screenplay Jones, Smith, developed Bob Mercer. 97 mins, cut to 91 mins. Colour.

   Very stupid ALIENS (identical in appearance and behaviour to humans) have rented a spaceship to go on holiday. They crashland on a UK motorway and later become media stars. This remarkably unfunny film, written by and starring two tv comedians - it looks like a tv sketch blown up out of all proportion - is partly set in the USA in an attempt to broaden its appeal, but what humour it has is impenetrably English; the satirical possibilities are barely explored (in contrast to EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988)). MFOS was a comedown for director Hodges, whose previous sf movies were The TERMINAL MAN (1974) and FLASH GORDON (1980).

   PN