In the 1980s, every low-budget filmmaker was either ripping off Alien (see Galaxy of Terror, Xtro) or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Mac and Me, Nukie). The producers of 1983’s Los nuevos extraterrestres went, hey, why not both? You may also know it as The Pod People aka The Unearthling aka Extra Terrestrial Visitors aka E.T.: The Second Coming, just to make sure that you knew what the distributors were stealing from. But if that’s not derivative enough, it also steals liberally from Invaders From Mars, Without Warning (aka the B-movie that Predator stole from) and Old Yeller. It’s all for the story of a young boy who befriends an unconvincing rubber suit alien called Trumpy. Cutesy comedy hijinks ensue while the alien’s enraged mother butchers half of New England – well, Spain filling in for New England. Somehow, this also involves bird egg thieves, bad pop-reggae from a David Partridge look-alike, and a surprising amount of brand-name cereal product placement. – Richard Whittaker
