UFOria (1981)

Waste of time

Good movie but grossly overrated

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Great performances, great social comment, funny and great music. Saw it over twenty years ago at a film festival in country Australia. Everybody I spoke with really enjoyed it. I would love to see it again. It would be very interesting to see how the social comment in the movie stands up today I also consider it to be a minor classic.

It took the producers of "Uforia" five years before they could find a distributor willing to release it. My guess is that distributors couldn't think of an easy way to market a movie that is very unconventional and doesn't follow an easy-to-report formula. This is a character-based movie, not really one with a substantial plot, but don't let that discourage you from giving the movie a try. The characters are not only all likable, they all have various quirks that make them interesting to watch talking and interacting with each other. As a bonus, the movie has a great country and western soundtrack (and I normally dislike that music genre!) The only real flaw the movie has is the very ending, which seems out of place for a movie that otherwise focuses on characters. But despite that ending, this movie is a gem well worth your time.

This is one of my favourite films. Unfortunately it didn't get a mainstream release here in Sydney. Instead it got released through an art-house theatre (The Valhalla). It could be classified as a country and western comedy with a dash of sci-fi I guess.The opening scenes establish that the central character, Sheldon, (played by Fred Ward) is a man, who, for all his external bravado is in fact an unhappy, lonely, drifter who badly needs an escape to a better life. He meets his perfect match, Arlene, played appealingly by Cindy Williams. She sees through Sheldon's facade immediately. She catches him shoplifting in the Supermarket she works in and sees through him in an instant (Waylon Jennings wouldn't go in for shoplifting). Not that Arlene isn't lonely herself. Sheldon manages to seduce Arlene, intending to leave her afterwards. Despite his misgivings about her belief in flying saucers, he finds himself unable to move on.As the other reviewers have said, the supporting cast is great as well. Harry Dean Stanton is great as the phony "Brother Bud", the hippy grocery packer, the "Colonel", etc etc.An absolute gem.

This amiable piece of Americana was unfortunately not given a decent release, and it took until 1986 for this film to get released in repertory cinemas and find its audience.Cindy Williams (Arlene) is charming as ever as a born-again Christian grocery store clerk who believes salvation will be coming to earth in a flying saucer. Fred Ward is a drifter who takes up with her and while using her for his benefit, falls for her as well. Harry Dean Stanton as Brother Bud teams up with Ward to exploit the space theory and start tent revivals on the predicted landing sight, charging admission and gathering more donations. Now Brother Bud seems to have a side job that involves hauling hot cars, so that brings in the interest of the law as well. Poor Arlene, it seems everyone has taken this thing way out of proportion and fears they'll lose their true faith and mission. And how will it be resolved? Well, you know something special has to appear and save the day!This is an amiable film, with plenty of likeable characters whether they are good and sweet or downright cons. Cindy Williams steals the show with her naive Arlene always reading the tabloids and committed to spreading the good news of Jesus' return from space. Sure, you learn a few things about the nature of man, right and wrong, and sticking to what you believe, but golly, it just leaves you so darn happy and smiling after it's all over. It will make you feel good about yourself too.Uforia is still available on VHS and is a nifty title to have in a collection--it's a film you can show to friends and they will definitely be surprised and thank you for it. That's the experience I've had, and after all these years the film's story and cleverness holds up well.