V (1983) (TV)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Kenneth Johnson

Writer:

Kenneth Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

30 July 1984 (UK)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Humankind's last stand.

Plot:

When aliens come to Earth to ask for our help, a few suspicious humans discover their horrific true intentions and prepare to resist.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Resistance | Reptilian | Spacecraft | Freedom Fighter

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Jane Badler	...	Diana
Michael Durrell	...	Robert Maxwell
Faye Grant	...	Juliet Parrish
Peter Nelson	...	Brian
David Packer	...	Daniel Bernstein
Neva Patterson	...	Eleanor Dupres
Tommy Petersen	...	Josh Brooks (as Tommy Peterson)
Marc Singer	...	Mike Donovan
Blair Tefkin	...	Robin Maxwell
Michael Wright	...	Elias Taylor
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Lynn Bernstein
Leonardo Cimino	...	Abraham Bernstein
Richard Herd	...	John
Evan C. Kim	...	Tony Wah Chong Leonetti (as Evan Kim)
Richard Lawson	...	Dr. Ben Taylor

Also Known As:

Storm Warnings (USA) (original script title)
V: The Original Mini Series (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

197 min | Finland:189 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 (video premiere) | Iceland:16 | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (VHS version) | USA:TV-14 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Anheuser-Busch Brewery - 15800 Roscoe Boulevard, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Kenneth Johnson Productions

Trivia:

The music during the closing credits was a combination of most, if not all, motifs of the 4th Movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony closing with the final couple of measures of the 4th Movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony. According to Kenneth Johnson's DVD commentary, the lyrics to Beethoven's music were added with some self-admitted "outrageous chutzpah" and were the following translated into Latin: Glory to the Cause, Glory to the Fallen, Glory to the Fighters for Freedom, Victoria...Victoria, for Victory!

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the shuttle right after Mike escapes with Robin from the mothership, Mike loops the shuttle, and there is shot of them upside-down. Robin raises her arms, apparently to keep from falling out of her seat, but the entire time her hair rests on her shoulders as if right-side up.

Quotes:

Ruby Engels: Don't worry Abraham. It's not like your family are scientists. You're not involved... And this will all blow over soon.
Abraham Bernstein: That is what I thought back in 1938.
Ruby Engels: Oh, but that was different.
Abraham Bernstein: [glances at his grandson wearing a Visitor Friends uniform] Is it?

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Theme

More than a SciFi

I was reading a comment about this movie made by Lone Solo who states that "V" is a metaphoric SciFi film about nazi and Holocaust. While I agree with him I say that "V" is more than an allegory about this two topics. It is a SciFi miniseries that contains many social comments.

First, of course, Holocaust and nazi.

Second, it shows TV as a powerful tool to reach every single soul on our planet. It also shows how TV can manipulate and brainwash people. Notice that the arrival of the aliens as every single move they do on our planet is covered on TV.

Third, it shows that people can sell their souls even to the devil when they are compensated with expensive gifts. In other words, how materialistic people are.

Fourth, how rich and fortunate we are in having a planet with valuable natural sources as water. At one point, friendly alien tells earthling rebel Donovan "Your planet is rich. I envy you."

Without any doubt, "V" is a powerful SciFi movie that not only entertains (it does it a lot) but also makes us think about our conditions as human beings.

As an interesting note, we can enjoy of a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund as a dumb but nice alien.