243:. Soon after, they narrowly prevent Renee and Ma from opening the front door in separate attempts. Both have no memory of the incident and claim they heard a voice in their head telling them to open the door. Michael also discovers the alien's body is gone and the back door is open. After securing the house once more and turning up the
234:
With the evening getting late, they conclude the festivities, and Eric and his family attempt to leave. Soon after, Jason and
Michael come across one of Michelle's drawings, which resembles one of the aliens they saw in the woods. They rush Eric and his family back inside, and are terrified when the
238:
After debating, Eric and Jason plan to retrieve Eric's truck and bring it by the front door so the family can escape. They do not return, so the others go after them but only find the empty truck and their shotguns. They flee back to the house, dragging a hysterical Jamie. Inside, they come to the
214:
The early evening passes relatively uneventfully as the family celebrates; however, after briefly turning off the lights for
Michelle's birthday candles, they discover that they will not turn back on. Eric, Jason, and Michael inspect the breaker outside, and are startled by a red light that passes
235:
aliens attempt to enter the house through the windows and chimney. Eric manages to shoot and seemingly kill one after hearing it on the roof, which appears to dissuade the aliens from further attempts. He brings the alien's body inside and places it in a back room, despite the others’ protests.
206:
mountains to celebrate the birthday of 5-year-old
Michelle. The family consists of Ma Van Heese (Shirly McCalla), her three sons Eric (Tommy Giavocchini), Jason (Patrick Kelley), and Michael (Dean Alioto), Eric's wife Jamie (Christine Staples), his daughter Michelle (Laura Tomas), and Jason's
231:, but are divided on whether they should remain in the house or leave. They see more red lights through a window, and theorize that the aliens may have left. After calming down, they attempt to continue the party, noticing that all their watches have stopped.
454:
226:
in the woods, and are shocked to see three diminutive aliens standing outside. However, they flee after the aliens notice their lights. Returning to the house, they alert their family, lock the doors, and load
309:, portraying the final recordings and last known whereabouts of a Connecticut family named the Van Heeses just before they are abducted by extraterrestrials. Dean Alioto produced the
346:
with a new upscaled transfer of the original, presumed lost, 3/4" tape. The release also includes the 2017 director's cut of the film, as well as a commentary track by the director.
708:
247:
to block out voices, the others finally convince
Michael to put down his camera and resume their card game. From its position across the room, the still-recording camera violently
653:
215:
overhead. Curious, they walk to the neighboring property to investigate. While walking, they reveal through their discussion that their mother has become an
638:
172:, written, produced, and directed by Dean Alioto. The film centers on a family who are terrorized by extraterrestrials during a birthday celebration.
368:
195:
The film begins with a brief introduction that purports the film as legitimate and explains that it is one of the strongest pieces of evidence for
254:
The film claims that the Van Heeses’ whereabouts are still unknown and that viewers should contact the producers if they have any information.
335:
Prior to the remake a decade later, common criticism of the original film included sound quality, visual effects and low standard aesthetics.
683:
476:
678:
628:
409:
518:
703:
648:
693:
673:
381:
543:
698:
324:
had a limited release through Axiom Films. Designed to appear to be a genuine 1983 home video recording, the film depicts the
306:
169:
688:
305:
was written, directed, filmed, and produced by Dean Alioto, through IndieSyndicate
Productions. The film is presented as
663:
643:
502:
251:
and records the three aliens emerging from the back room. The tape ends as the aliens close in on the unaware family.
223:
668:
633:
658:
519:"Dean Alioto: The McPherson Tape, UFO Abduction, and Alien Abduction [Part 1] - Found Footage Critic"
332:
were destroyed in a warehouse fire at the distribution company, precluding the film's wide-release on video.
386:
196:
162:
554:
239:
hopeful conclusion that Eric and Jason must have gone for help, and attempt to occupy themselves by
623:
480:
544:
How One Found
Footage Film Fooled a Generation a Decade Before 'The Blair Witch Project'|Collider
477:"3B Theater: CultTV: Tube Oddities: The True Story of Alien Abduction - Incident in Lake County!"
597:
208:
328:
of a
Connecticut family as they celebrate their relative's 5th birthday. The materials for
608:
325:
310:
244:
602:
410:"Dean Alioto: The McPherson Tape, UFO Abduction, and Alien Abduction [Part 2]"
617:
362:
in 1998, with a much larger budget and professional actors, under the original title
355:
342:
and
Digital download through the director. It was re-released in 2020 by AGFA on
211:
to record the night's events, much to the amusement and irritation of his family.
17:
203:
165:
565:
216:
240:
586:
580:
591:
343:
228:
202:
On the evening of
October 8, 1983, the Van Heese family gathers in the
248:
219:
since their father's death, despite their attempts to help her.
339:
184:
by Dean Alioto, the film is now more commonly recognized as
313:
using $ 6,500 from the company IndieSyndicate
Productions.
404:
402:
479:. Badmovieplanet.com. February 22, 2007. Archived from
222:
The three eventually come across what appears to be an
281:
Laura Tomas as Michelle Van Heese (the birthday girl)
455:"Copyright Catalog (1978 to present): UFO Abduction"
207:
girlfriend Renee (Stacey Shulman). Michael uses his
338:In 2018, the film was first officially released to
140:
132:
124:
114:
91:
83:
63:
55:
47:
39:
34:
284:Dean Alioto as Michael Van Heese (cinematographer)
366:which was changed by the network executives to
709:English-language science fiction horror films
8:
566:Official trailer posted by AGFA on YouTube
507:(VHS). Vidatron Entertainment Group. 1989.
443:(VHS). Vidatron Entertainment Group. 1989.
31:
435:
433:
431:
35:The McPherson Tape (a.k.a. UFO Abduction)
369:Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County
398:
654:American science fiction horror films
7:
278:Christine Staples as Jamie Van Heese
266:Tommy Giavocchini as Eric Van Heese
639:1980s science fiction horror films
457:. Cocatalog.loc.gov. March 5, 1990
25:
269:Patrick Kelley as Jason Van Heese
262:The Van Heese family and aliens:
275:Stacey Shulman as Renee Reynolds
272:Shirly McCalla as Ma Van Heese
1:
317:Release, reception and legacy
684:1980s English-language films
382:Kelly–Hopkinsville encounter
679:Rediscovered American films
629:Films about alien abduction
555:American Genre Film Archive
224:extraterrestrial spacecraft
725:
704:1989 science fiction films
649:American independent films
293:Rose Schneider as Alien 3
694:1980s rediscovered films
674:Films set in Connecticut
180:Originally conceived as
387:UFO conspiracy theories
287:Ginny Kleker as Alien 1
699:Films set in the 1980s
290:Kay Parten as Alien 2
197:extraterrestrial life
161:) is a 1989 American
689:1980s American films
523:Found Footage Critic
483:on February 22, 2007
414:Found Footage Critic
664:Found footage films
644:1989 thriller films
186:The McPherson Tape.
176:Title misconception
364:The McPherson Tape
170:found-footage film
158:The McPherson Tape
29:1989 American film
18:The McPherson Tape
669:Films set in 1983
634:1989 horror films
525:. October 2, 2016
416:. October 2, 2016
148:
147:
75:Christine Staples
67:Tommy Giavocchini
16:(Redirected from
716:
568:
563:
557:
552:
546:
541:
535:
534:
532:
530:
515:
509:
508:
499:
493:
492:
490:
488:
473:
467:
466:
464:
462:
451:
445:
444:
437:
426:
425:
423:
421:
406:
354:Dean Alioto and
209:hand-held camera
107:
105:
32:
21:
724:
723:
719:
718:
717:
715:
714:
713:
659:Camcorder films
614:
613:
609:Rotten Tomatoes
577:
572:
571:
564:
560:
553:
549:
542:
538:
528:
526:
517:
516:
512:
501:
500:
496:
486:
484:
475:
474:
470:
460:
458:
453:
452:
448:
439:
438:
429:
419:
417:
408:
407:
400:
395:
378:
352:
326:alien abduction
319:
300:
260:
193:
178:
163:science fiction
117:
110:
103:
101:
94:
78:
76:
74:
72:
70:
68:
30:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
722:
720:
712:
711:
706:
701:
696:
691:
686:
681:
676:
671:
666:
661:
656:
651:
646:
641:
636:
631:
626:
616:
615:
612:
611:
600:
589:
576:
575:External links
573:
570:
569:
558:
547:
536:
510:
494:
468:
446:
427:
397:
396:
394:
391:
390:
389:
384:
377:
374:
351:
348:
318:
315:
311:no budget film
299:
296:
295:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
273:
270:
267:
259:
256:
192:
189:
177:
174:
146:
145:
142:
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
118:
115:
112:
111:
109:
108:
97:
95:
92:
89:
88:
85:
84:Distributed by
81:
80:
73:Stacey Shulman
71:Shirly McCalla
69:Patrick Kelley
65:
61:
60:
57:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
41:
37:
36:
28:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
721:
710:
707:
705:
702:
700:
697:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
677:
675:
672:
670:
667:
665:
662:
660:
657:
655:
652:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
621:
619:
610:
606:
605:
604:UFO Abduction
601:
599:
595:
594:
593:UFO Abduction
590:
588:
584:
583:
582:UFO Abduction
579:
578:
574:
567:
562:
559:
556:
551:
548:
545:
540:
537:
524:
520:
514:
511:
506:
505:
504:UFO Abduction
498:
495:
482:
478:
472:
469:
456:
450:
447:
442:
441:UFO Abduction
436:
434:
432:
428:
415:
411:
405:
403:
399:
392:
388:
385:
383:
380:
379:
375:
373:
371:
370:
365:
361:
360:UFO Abduction
357:
349:
347:
345:
341:
336:
333:
331:
330:UFO Abduction
327:
323:
322:UFO Abduction
316:
314:
312:
308:
307:found footage
304:
303:UFO Abduction
297:
292:
289:
286:
283:
280:
277:
274:
271:
268:
265:
264:
263:
257:
255:
252:
250:
246:
242:
241:playing cards
236:
232:
230:
225:
220:
218:
212:
210:
205:
200:
198:
190:
188:
187:
183:
182:UFO Abduction
175:
173:
171:
167:
164:
160:
159:
154:
153:
152:UFO Abduction
143:
139:
135:
131:
128:United States
127:
123:
119:
113:
99:
98:
96:
90:
86:
82:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
33:
27:
19:
603:
592:
581:
561:
550:
539:
527:. Retrieved
522:
513:
503:
497:
485:. Retrieved
481:the original
471:
459:. Retrieved
449:
440:
418:. Retrieved
413:
367:
363:
359:
356:Paul Chitlik
353:
337:
334:
329:
321:
320:
302:
301:
261:
253:
237:
233:
221:
213:
201:
194:
185:
181:
179:
157:
156:
151:
150:
149:
116:Running time
93:Release date
26:
529:October 11,
204:Connecticut
87:Axiom Films
79:Dean Alioto
77:Laura Tomas
59:Dean Alioto
56:Produced by
51:Dean Alioto
43:Dean Alioto
40:Directed by
624:1989 films
618:Categories
393:References
298:Production
120:66 minutes
48:Written by
217:alcoholic
587:AllMovie
487:June 29,
461:June 25,
420:March 1,
376:See also
249:glitches
229:shotguns
133:Language
64:Starring
358:remade
344:Blu-ray
144:$ 6,500
136:English
125:Country
102: (
350:Remake
166:horror
141:Budget
245:radio
155:(aka
598:IMDb
531:2016
489:2022
463:2012
422:2023
258:Cast
191:Plot
104:1989
100:1989
607:at
596:at
585:at
340:DVD
620::
521:.
430:^
412:.
401:^
372:.
199:.
168:,
533:.
491:.
465:.
424:.
106:)
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.