Spaced Invaders (film) On Halloween, a group of Martians intercept a 50th anniversary rebroadcast of Orson Welles’s dramatic “War of the Worlds,” and misinterpret it as their cue to attack earth. The small town of Big Bean, Illinois, happens to be their destination. Ten-year-old resident Kathy Hoxly is unfazed by the pint-sized invaders, and with the help of her friend Brian, her father, and Old Man Wrenchmuller, she rescues the Martians from a frenzied posse of townsfolk, saves the earth from the aliens’ blitz, and helps blast the visitors back to their planet. Released on April 27, 1990. Directed by Patrick Read Johnson. A Touchstone film. 102 min. Stars Douglas Barr (Sam), Royal Dano (Wrenchmuller), Ariana Richards (Kathy), J.J. Anderson (Brian). The “aliens” had electronically controlled heads made of foam, latex, and fiberglass. Unfortunately, the actors could not see out of the elaborate heads, so they were in constant contact with the director by way of wireless headphones. Released on video in 1990.
