Comedy Cult Classic

When a meteor crash resurrects hungry zombies in the Florida swamps, the locals are next on the menu.

THE ALIEN DEAD

Q: What is The Alien Dead about?

The Alien Dead follows a meteor strike in the Florida swamps that turns houseboat residents into zombies, who first feed on alligators before moving on to the townspeople.

The swamp ran out of alligators. Now the dead are coming ashore.

1980 · 1h 14m · R · Comedy / Horror / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

Something falls from the sky and sinks a houseboat deep in the Florida swamps. Soon the missing passengers are wandering the marshes, feeding on alligators first—and anyone unlucky enough to follow.

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Quick Answer

What is The Alien Dead about?

The Alien Dead is a 1980 American comedy-horror-science fiction film directed by Fred Olen Ray about swamp-dwelling zombies created by a meteor who begin preying on townspeople after devouring all the alligators.

Programmer's Pick

Fred Olen Ray serves up a Florida swamp buffet—zombie style. The accents may be faker than the alligator attacks, but if you’re hungry for meteor-powered mayhem and hillbilly hijinks, The Alien Dead doesn’t skimp on the B-movie flavor.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

A meteor crashes into a houseboat deep in the Florida swamps, setting off a bizarre chain of events. Its unfortunate residents soon find themselves reanimated and feeding on the local alligator population—until the gators run dry. As a string of disappearances rattles the rural town, a skeptical sheriff blames a rogue alligator while a tenacious reporter starts poking around. But the real danger is far less natural and far more hungry. Throw in a colorful cast of rednecks, a scientist on the trail of the bizarre, and enough fake southern accents to fill the bayou, and you have a low-budget genre gem that feasts on both horror and backwoods satire.

Details & Specs

Director: Fred Olen Ray
Writers: Fred Olen Ray, Martin Nicholas
Release: 1980
Runtime: 1h 14m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction
Also Known As: It Fell From The Sky, Swamp of the Blood Leeches

Why This Matters

This film is notable as one of the final screen appearances of actor Buster Crabbe and exemplifies the low-budget, home video-driven horror productions of the early 1980s, receiving attention for its negative critical reception and cast of unknowns.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Fred Olen Ray Writers: Fred Olen Ray +1 more

Buster Crabbe Sheriff Kowalski RR Ray Roberts Tom Corman LL Linda Lewis Shawn Michaels GK George Kelsey Emmet Michaels MB Mike Bonavia Miller Haze DU Dennis Underwood Deputy Campbell

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Why Cult

Meteor Zombie Origin

A meteor strike transforms houseboat residents into the local undead, sinking science fiction roots into swamp horror.

Swamp-Soaked Setting

The Florida backwaters provide a murky playground for alligator hunts, zombie feasts, and some impressively muddy mayhem.

Fake Southern Accents

Yankees doing their best Dixie impressions add a layer of campy charm to the undead chaos.

Alligator Zombie Menu

The zombies start off dining on alligators before turning their appetites to the local townsfolk, mixing creature-feature antics with flesh-eating chills.