Comedy Cult Classic

Con men, cosmic visions, and desert faith collide in a quirky tale of belief and deception.

UFORIA

One sells salvation. One expects a spaceship. One just wants to believe her.

1985 · 1h 33m · PG · Comedy / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

A small-time drifter joins a crooked preacher on the revival circuit, then falls for a supermarket cashier convinced that extraterrestrials are coming to carry the faithful away.

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Quick Answer

What is UFOria about?

UFOria is a 1985 American comedy science fiction film directed by John Binder about a drifting con man who reconnects with an evangelist friend and falls for a supermarket clerk with sincere UFO visions.

Programmer's Pick

UFOria threads together spiritual satire and desert weirdness with a cast led by Fred Ward, Cindy Williams, and Harry Dean Stanton. Come for the faith healing cons, stay for the supermarket romance and sincerely oddball UFO prophecy.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Set against the arid backdrop of a small desert town, UFOria centers on Sheldon Bart, a drifter and part-time schemer, who crosses paths with his old friend Brother Bud—a preacher whose revival tent is as much about profit as salvation. Their reunion leads Sheldon into the orbit of Arlene, a supermarket clerk whose earnest belief in an incoming UFO prompts both self-serving exploitation and genuine soul-searching. As Bud turns faith healing into a side hustle and Sheldon navigates his mixed motives, the film blends offbeat comedy, sly spiritual satire, and eccentric romance, establishing a mood that’s as dry as the landscape. Expect quirky characters, unlikely love, and a collision of belief, business, and the otherworldly.

Details & Specs

Director: John Binder
Writer: John Binder
Release: 1985
Runtime: 1h 33m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction
Also Known As: Original title: Uforia

Why This Matters

Delayed for four years after its 1981 completion, this science fiction comedy features notable performances from Fred Ward and Harry Dean Stanton, with a supporting cast including Cindy Williams and Harry Carey, Jr., reflecting an unusual release history for its era.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: John Binder Writer: John Binder

Fred Ward Sheldon Bart

Cindy Williams Arlene Stewart

Harry Dean Stanton Brother Bud Sanders

Harry Carey, Jr. George Martin

Beverly Hope Atkinson Naomi DA Diane Adair Delores

Robert Gray Emile TH Ted Harris Gregory

Darrell Larson Toby

Peggy McCay Celia Martin AB Alan Beckwith Brother Roy GW Gordon Wolf Produzent

Hank Worden Colonel

Joe Unger Gas Station Attendant JL James Lemp Sheriff Anderson

William Callaway Gardan KW Kedric Wolfe Swami DS Dwayne Smith Brother Dwayne and the Dwayneaires

W.G. Snuffy Walden Brother Dwayne and the Dwayneaires OD Oma Drake Sister Oma and the Clarions

Mindy Sterling Sister Oma and the Clarions

Charlotte Stewart Brother Roy's Girlfriend

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