Reviewing Movies

Calling the series “V” high concept is an understatement. Coming out in 1985 ten years before Independence Day the Mother Ships bear an uncanny resemblance to the ones that hovered over major world cities in the feature film. The series jumps into the story with no preparation or explanation. I have never been able to access the mini-series that would provide the back-story. By the final third of the series the opening credit sequence adds background too little, too late. The alien invaders bear an uncanny resemblance in their tactics, militarism, and jingoism to Nazi Storm-troopers right down to the hanging of large red flags. This time the invaders objective would seem to be the annihilation of the world’s entire population. Watching these lizard creatures swallow mice, scorpians, and other creepy crawlies can be rather off-putting.

Although a nebulous off-world leader is oft mentioned the ‘Visitors’ are lead by two woman with various men thrown in and disappearing again with little explanation. Lane Smith, who later played editor of the Daily Planet in Lois and Clark, is the collaborationist leader of Los Angeles. The Resistance is lead by Marc Singer, the muscles in the Beastmaster Movies; how he manages to squeeze into those form-fitting jeans and perform those athletic manoeuvres without any ‘costume malfunctions’ is a mystery. Plenty of eye-candy provided with the pectorally endowed Jeff Yagher and the visitor Charles wearing revealing outfits to little avail. Lots of pretty women as well. Whether Singer’s moves were choreographed or dictated by skin tight jeans I’m not sure, when did they develop stretch fabric? The clothing styles definitely date the series.