DR ALIEN

(A.k.a. I WAS A TEENAGE SEX MANIAC)

Wesley (Billy Jacoby) is the High School nerd, a freshman who's mocked by the jocks and reviled by the girls. Even his popular brother, Bradford (Robert Jayne), gives him a hard time. Perhaps you would too: Wesley has the appearance and clumsiness of Jerry Lewis' character in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR.

Needless to say, there is no significant other in Wesley's life. He has his eye on good girl Leanne (Olivia Barash), but has no idea how to speak to her. Getting publicly belittled daily by school bully Dirk (Scott Morris) hardly helps his cause.

His best mate Marvin (Stuart Fratkin) fares little better in the popularity stakes despite his cool exterior, and the pair of them live to achieve better results in their biology lessons fronted by middle-aged geek Dr Ackerman (Troy Donahue).

However, when silver-haired Ackerman is injured following his sighting (and pursuit) of a UFO crash-landing nearby one evening, college science class changes forever.

The next time Wesley attends the lesson, it's being held by a busty blonde who goes by the enigmatic name of Ms Xenobia (Jenny Landers). For once, our nerdy protagonist is hooked on more than mere science alone.

Xenobia tantalises the male members of her class with a rather explicit lesson in sexual relations, before ending the lesson with a plea for someone to volunteer to take part in some after-school experiments. Upon learning that this will earn him extra credits, Welsey sticks his hand up.

Later that day, Wesley returns to the classroom and meets with Xenobia. She's accompanied now by her assistant, the weird Drax (Raymond O'Connor). They explain that they want to use Wesley as a guinea pig in their mysterious experiments. He resists at first ... but a mixture of seduction and drugs ensure that he soon becomes the test subject these strange new arrivals are looking for.

Odd things start happening to Wesley (oh, you know the kind of thing ... monsters growing from his cranium; he loses his virginity to Xenobia; he stops dreaming of equations and starts fantasising about gangbanging cute-titted girlies).

A newfound confidence brings fresh opportunities Wesley's way. But also, eventually, it brings him problems too. Like, what will Leanne think if she gets to see the alien antenna that sprouts from Wesley's head whenever he gets aroused? And what are the sinister Xenobia and Drax' s motives?

DR ALIEN is knowingly daft, puerile fluff. It's competently shot and acted throughout with a uniform affable approach to screenwriter Kenneth J Hall's largely innocuous material. There is a coming-of-age edge to the script that stirs intrigue, and a genteel sense of satire aimed at the John Hughes generation. But it's all handled with such delicacy that it may pass many by.

The film falls somewhere between THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, TV's "Saved by the Bell" and NOT OF THIS EARTH. Its sprightly score serves as an unnecessary nod and wink to the audience, in a bid to force the excruciating 50s sitcom-style humour across. Jacoby's narration is also unwarranted and at times irksome. Aside from these minor niggles, there isn't much to not like.

Clearly a nod to classic sci-fi B-movies, this is also a product of the late 80s. As such, director David DeCoteau is clued-up enough to inform his film with the requisite ingredients of its time: soft rock songs feature on the soundtrack; bare breasts are exposed for little apparent reason; oversized perms are in evidence everywhere; a liberal spattering of expletives can be heard throughout the otherwise rather quaint script.

With amiable performances and lurid colour schemes, as well as some deliciously risible FX work (by Greg Cannom!) of the intentionally crummy manner, DR ALIEN may not be a 'good' film, but it is one that's bound to raise a smile on the face of anyone who can see past its gentle humour and skidrow production values. If you're the type of viewer who can appreciate Donahue's out-of-synch laughter in reaction to a radio broadcast in the film's opening scenes, then you're sure to benefit from staying glued to the screen.

And, yes, that's the same Troy Donahue who was immortalised in a song from the GREASE soundtrack...

Part of 88 Films' budget 'Grindhouse' DVD range, DR ALIEN is presented uncut here in a window-boxed full-frame presentation. It appears to be correctly framed, although it's worth noting that the Internet Movie Database lists the film as being shot in 1.66:1. Either way, colours and flesh-tones appear accurate, while images are as clear as they're likely to be for such a low budgeted 1989 film on DVD. Any softness in the image appears to be intentional, and typical of low-budget genre films of the era.

English mono audio is never impressive but similarly didn't raise cause for concern.

The disc opens to an attractively vivid animated main menu page. From there, a static scene-selection menu allows access to the film via 8 chapters.

I wasn't really expecting any bonus features here, so what we do get is a pleasant surprise.

Firstly, we're treated to an extra 77-minute film from 1978 entitled AUDITIONS. This lo-fi obscurity suffers from VHS-quality presentation and rather muffled mono audio, but remains quietly compelling throughout thanks to its economic premise of a string of wannabe actors walking onto a haunted house-type film set and stripping for the benefit of an off-screen casting agent. Scenes of full-frontal nudity, simulated female masturbation and the like are filmed in almost documentary fashion, ensuring this oddity feels slightly sleazy despite its overall tame demeanour.

As well as DR ALIEN's original 2-minute trailer, we also get a selection of previews of Full Moon titles: SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL SHOCK-O-RAMA, PUPPETMASTER, THE DEAD WANT WOMEN, PUPPETMASTER 2 and TOURIST TRAP.

Finally there's a stills gallery relating to the main feature.

All in all, 88 Films have given DR ALIEN a solid DVD release. It's worth its small asking price for the inclusion of AUDITIONS alone.

Review by Stuart Willis