10 Weird Sci-Fi Horror Movies Of The 80s
6. TerrorVision
TerrorVision kicks off with Sherman's parents receiving a new television satellite, allowing them to watch dozens of new channels. But the family gets more than they bargained for when the satellite connects to another world, transporting a wretched creature to their living room.
The slapstick sci-fi is one of those films that cranks everything up to 11. Each character behaves like a cartoon, almost like the director told them to ham it up like their lives depended on it. The most straightforward scenes feel trippy, due to the contorted camera angles, unnecessary zooms, and off kilter music. Everything is so over-the-top, the tentacled TV monster doesn't seem that odd. (There's also a weird subplot involving a pair of swingers for some reason.)
The practical effects for the alien are fittingly out-of-this-world. Not only does every body part move, mucus is constantly dripping from the ravenous fiend's mouth, so it comes across a living creature rather than a puppet. Despite the campy tone, the extra-terrestrial is legitimately terrifying, thanks to its phenomenal design.
TerrorVision does occasionally drag, but it's worth a look, due to its sensational visuals, creative deaths, and larger-than-life performances.