Xtro (1982) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - Friday, April 8, 1983

I was still living in the United States when Xtro got its limited theatrical release, but I have no memory of it.

What I do remember from that time period was the gnarly image from the film that graced the cover of Fangoria's 24th issue.

Fangoria 24 - December 1982

There was also an interesting observation made about the film in The Twilight Zone Magazine's annual movie recap, printed in its January-February 1984 issue, titled 1983: The Year of Living Languorously (a scathing reference to the perceived mediocrity of most genre films released in 1983). 

TZ's recaps shared opinions of what was believed to have worked in the films, and what did not. The observation regarding Xtro was considered something that worked: "The oddly touching idea, buried somewhere in the film, that this entire story of a man kidnapped by aliens and returned to earth may be just the wishful dream of his abandoned young son." I like that read, it works for me. 

Xtro does have something of a dreamlike vibe to it and, if you go with that "wishful dream" read, its pairing with David Cronenberg's The Brood is an excellent choice. But I can't say the same about having Jekyll and Hyde Together Again serving as a comedic palate cleanser for this triple-feature. That movie is just plain dreadful.