Hidden

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

A cop discovers that there's something unusual about his new partner in this unusual sci-fi thriller. A seemingly well-mannered stock broker one day snaps, robbing a bank, stealing a Ferrari, and driving straight into a police barricade without any thought for his own safety, and he's mowed down by a hail of bullets. The detective assigned to the case, Tom Beck (Michael Nouri), thinks that he notices a strange look in the eye of the thief, but when FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle MacLachlan) informs Tom that he's also been assigned to the case, he thinks that he sees the same curious look in Lloyd's eyes as well. Lloyd also has an odd way of carrying himself, as if he's not entirely in control of his own body, and in time, Tom discovers what the two men have in common -- both are actually aliens from another planet. They are creatures from another world capable of entering a human (or animal) body at will and using it as a vessel as long as they need. When the stockbroker died, the rogue alien simply crept into another body to begin his crime spree all over again. Lloyd has been sent to Earth to bring the thief's reign of terror to a halt and has taken over the body of an FBI agent with that in mind. A major cult favorite, The Hidden also features Clu Gulager, Ed O'Ross, and Claudia Christian. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Audio: 5.1, PCM Mono
• Screen: Pan and Scan, Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: English
• Features:
  • • Widescreen and full-screen versions of the film
    • Commentary by director Jack Sholder and Tim Hunter
    • Special effects production footage narrated by Jack Sholder
    • Original theatrical trailer
    • Cast and crew filmographies
    • 5.1 Digital audio
    • Interactive menus

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Jack Sholder

• Producer:

  Michael Meltzer, Gerald T. Olson, Robert Shaye, Mick Strawn

• Screenwriter:

  Bob Hunt, M. James Kouf Jr.

• Cinematographer:

  Jacques Haitkin

• Composer (Music Score):

  Michael Convertino

• Editor:

  Michael Knue

• Production Designer:

  C.J. Strawn, Mick Strawn

• Executive Producer:

  Denny Harris

• Set Designer:

  James R. Barrows

• Costume Designer:

  Malissa Daniel

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Greg P. Russell

• Casting:

  Annette Benson

REVIEW:

• A cult hit that's an enormous amount of fun considering its low-budget B-picture roots, this hybrid of horror, action, crime drama, and science fiction is one of the better films from genre director Jack Sholder. Wisely, the events depicted are presented in decidedly tongue-in-cheek fashion from a cast and creative team having loads of fun with the freak-out concept. Kyle MacLachlan is a particular cast standout, portraying his alien-infested FBI agent as rigidly controlled and extremely efficient, even uptight, a canny choice that rings oddly true. The special effects are sometimes impressive and sometimes goofy, but in the latter circumstances all involved play up the schlock value to maximum effect with delightfully funny, entertainingly gross-out results. Briskly paced and with plenty of gallows humor to alleviate the shocks and scares, The Hidden (1987) is a fun little picture that makes a fine companion piece to the next year's equally underrated Alien Nation (1988). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi