The Return (1980): Cast & Plot
The Return is a 1980 sci-fi thriller directed by Greydon Clark, starring Darby Hinton as Darren, Jan-Michael Vincent and Cybill Shepherd. It runs 1 hour 26 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 26m (86 min)
- Director
- Greydon Clark
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Return About?
The premise of The Return without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In a quiet rural community, two children and an adult experience a terrifying encounter with an alien spacecraft. Twenty‑five years later the now‑grown former children return to the same town, which is plagued by unexplained cattle mutilations. The situation escalates when human bodies are found mutilated as well, linking the killings to the earlier extraterrestrial event.
The Return Themes & Keywords
· 42 tags- one night stand
- implied sex
- female scientist
- insane asylum
- outer space
- cow
- lightsaber
- unidentified flying object
- psychotronic film
- dog attack
- paranoia
- alien visitation
+30 more Show fewer
- kids reunited as adults
- alien portal
- locked in a padded cell
- alien henchman
- alien influenced killer
- alien influence
- space vortex
- love interest
- deputy sheriff killed
- hand severed
- 25 years later
- confusing ending
- villain commits suicide
- pet dog
- cop drinking beer
- cop eating doughnut
- vicious dog
- z movie
- children
- young
- hand drawn visual effects
- cattle mutilation
- alien
- alien abduction
- cave
- sheriff
- farm
- country
- small community
- independent film
The Return Cast & Characters
Darby Hinton leads the cast as Darren, with Jan-Michael Vincent as Wayne and Cybill Shepherd as Jennifer. Directed by Greydon Clark; 17 actors are credited in all.
- Director Greydon Clark
- Darby Hinton as Darren
- Jan-Michael Vincent as Wayne
-
Cybill Shepherd as Jennifer - Vincent Schiavelli as Prospector
Also Starring in The Return
· 13 more- Raymond Burr Dr. Kramer
- Martin Landau Niles Buchanan
- Neville Brand Walt
- Patricia Alphin Townsperson
- Ernest Anderson Dr. Mortorff
- Roger Hampton Homer
- Susan Kiger Joyce
- Brad Rearden Eddie
- Dorothy Constantine Motel Manager
- Steven Hirsch Dr. Parkfield
- Candy Castillo Federal Agent #2
- Hilary Farr Lee Ann
- Ken Minyard Federal Agent #1
More from Greydon Clark
More films directed by Greydon Clark: Dark Future, Mad Dog Coll, Out of Sight, Out of Mind and The Forbidden Dance.
The Return Plot Summary
What happens in The Return from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the dusty quiet of a New Mexico night, the small town of Little Creek feels almost timeless. A young girl and her father pull into a lonely gas station, and as the neon flickers, she meets a local boy, Darren Darby Hinton. The two share a moment of awe as a strange column of light descends from the sky, lingering over the empty main street. When the light vanishes, they hurry back to the car and depart, leaving the mystery of that night behind them as the desert swallows their footsteps.
Full summary
The whole story of The Return, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Return?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the small New Mexico town where the story begins?
Cars in The Return
32 cars on screen, including the 1980 AMC Eagle and the 1979 Datsun 280ZX.
-
1980 AMC Eagle Main role -
1979 Datsun 280ZX Important role -
1977 Dodge Monaco Important role -
Harley-Davidson XL 1000 Sportster Important role
The Return Also Known As
15 alternative titles, including “The Alien's Return” and “Incontri stellari”.
- Also known as
-
- The Alien's Return
- Incontri stellari
- Tödliche Bedrohung
- A visszatérés
- The Return - Tödliche Bedrohung
- Die Rückkehr der Außerirdischen
- Die Rückkehr der Ausserirdischen
- El regreso de los extraterrestres
- 回归
- A titokzatos város
- 더 리턴
- Возвращение
+3 more Show fewer
- Le retour
- O Retorno
- Tillbaka till evigheten
Seen The Return?
Movies Like The Return
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Return, The Returning and The Return of Doctor X.
-
The Return 2006 -
The Returning 1983 -
The Return of Doctor X 1939 -
Strange Invaders 1983 -
A Return to Salem's Lot 1987 -
Alienoid: Return to the Future 2024 -
Return of the Fly 1959 -
Dark Encounter 2019 -
Return To Splatter Farm 2020 -
Cocoon: The Return 1988 -
Night of the Blood Beast 1958 -
Return To Splatter Farm 2020
The Return FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Return, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Return?
The Return runs 1 hour 26 minutes (86 minutes).
When was The Return released?
The Return was released on March 31, 1980.
Who directed The Return?
The Return was directed by Greydon Clark.
More films by Greydon Clark Who is in the cast of The Return?
The Return stars Darby Hinton as Darren, Jan-Michael Vincent as Wayne and Cybill Shepherd as Jennifer, among 17 credited actors.
Does The Return have a post-credit scene?
No. The Return has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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