The Aurora Encounter

My review was written in August 1986 after watching the film on New World video cassette.

"The Aurora Encounter" is a pleasant, very mild entry in the unusual genre of sci-fi Westerns. Second recent New World release from the filmmaking McCulloughs, who earlier made "Mountaintop Motel Massacre", opened regionally in March and quickly moved to its proper home, the video stores.

With full white beard and ample girth, Jack Elam has fun as the teller of this tall tale concerning a spaceman visiting the small town of Aurora, Texas in the 1800s. Amidst antics by the friendly little guy who brings a magic crystal with him, there is a minor plotline of school marm Alain, pronounced "Elaine" (Carol Bagdasarian), inheriting her dad's newspaper and using it to play up the spaceman's visit while championing women's rights on the side.

A corny, melodramatic climax (plus sentimental denouement) spoils the otherwise acceptable picture which bosts okay visual effects. Diminutive Mickey Hays, a bald monster with genuinely bizarre features made up here to resemble a pint-sized Max Schreck of "Nosferatu", adds to the sci-fi premise. Rest of the cast is interesting, with Bagdasarian a feisty heroine, country singer Dottie West adding sex appeal and former Our Gang comedies star Spanky McFarland popping in as Texas' very short governor.