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Family adventure film

Alien from L.A. (1988): Cast & Plot

Alien from L.A. (1988) movie poster

Alien from L.A. is a 1988 family adventure film directed by Albert Pyun, starring Kathy Ireland as Wanda Saknussemm, Richard Haines and William R. Moses. It runs 1 hour 27 minutes.

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Alien from L.A. (1988) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 27m (87 min)
Director
Albert Pyun
Genres
Family , Adventure , Sci-Fi
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Alien from L.A. About?

The premise of Alien from L.A. without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

When her archaeologist father vanishes during an expedition, teenager Wanda ventures into the Earth's core. There she discovers a hidden subterranean civilization that has long dismissed surface life as myth. Mistaking her arrival for espionage, the underground dwellers imprison Wanda and her father while they face an unexpected clash of worlds.

Alien from L.A. Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • underground city
  • hidden civilization
  • daughter searching for missing father
  • california
  • skirt
  • nerdy girl
  • atlantis
  • woman wears eyeglasses
  • psychotronic film
  • low budget sci fi movie
  • steampunk
  • father daughter relationship
+38 more
  • independent film
  • bikini
  • upskirt
  • beach
  • gangster
  • boyfriend girlfriend relationship
  • father daughter reunion
  • breakup
  • capture
  • general
  • misfit
  • miner
  • girl wears eyeglasses
  • eyeglasses
  • sneakers
  • torch
  • cellar
  • wastelands
  • falling down
  • hit on the head with a frying pan
  • shoulder length hair
  • pointing a gun at someone
  • gun
  • throwing a rock at someone
  • sleepy girl
  • falling asleep
  • big glasses
  • sci fi parody
  • sci fi spoof
  • special delivery
  • co written by director
  • africa
  • frying pan as a weapon
  • reference to minnie pearl
  • scene during end credits
  • dystopian sci fi
  • steampunk sci fi
  • woman
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Cast & crew

Alien from L.A. Cast & Characters

Kathy Ireland leads the cast as Wanda Saknussemm, with Richard Haines as Prof. Arnold Saknussemm and William R. Moses as Guten 'Gus' Edway. Directed by Albert Pyun; 14 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Alien from L.A.

· 10 more
From the director

More from Albert Pyun

More films directed by Albert Pyun, best-rated first: The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyborg, Captain America: Director’s Cut and Bulletface.

Full filmography
Plot

Alien from L.A. Plot Summary

What happens in Alien from L.A. from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Wanda Saknussemm, Kathy Ireland, is a nerdy social misfit with large glasses and an unusually squeaky voice who works at a Los Angeles diner. After being dumped by her boyfriend for “not having a sense of adventure,” Wanda receives a letter informing her that her father, an archaeologist, has fallen into a bottomless pit and died. The envelope even notes the destination as Zamboanga, North Africa, a detail that adds a sense of mystery and misdirection. Driven by a mix of grief and stubborn curiosity, Wanda travels to this faraway clue and begins to sift through her father’s belongings, where she uncovers his notes about Atlantis — a civilization said to have been forged by the accidental crash of an alien ship that sank toward the planet’s molten core.

Full summary

The whole story of Alien from L.A., scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Alien from L.A.?

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

Which actress portrays the heroine Wanda Saknussemm?

Cars

Cars in Alien from L.A.

6 cars on screen, including the unknown and the unknown.

All 6 cars
  • unknown in Alien from L.A. unknown Important role
  • unknown in Alien from L.A. unknown Important role
  • Honda CMX 450 Rebel in Alien from L.A. Honda CMX 450 Rebel Minor role
  • 1968 MG B in Alien from L.A. 1968 MG B Minor role
Details

Alien from L.A. Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Un'aliena al centro della terra” and “Wanda”.

Also known as
  • Un'aliena al centro della terra
  • Wanda
  • Obcy z Los Angeles
  • Uma Estranha de Los Angeles
  • Пришелец из Лос-Анджелеса
  • Η Εξωγήινη Από το Λος Άντζελες
  • Flucht aus Atlantis - Alien from L.A.
  • Инопланетянка из Лос-Анджелеса
  • L'Aventure fantastique
  • 洛城异形
  • Flucht aus Atlantis
  • LA에서 온 외계인

Seen Alien from L.A.?

FAQ

Alien from L.A. FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Alien from L.A., each answered in a sentence.

How long is Alien from L.A.?

Alien from L.A. runs 1 hour 27 minutes (87 minutes).

When was Alien from L.A. released?

Alien from L.A. was released on February 26, 1988.

Who directed Alien from L.A.?

Alien from L.A. was directed by Albert Pyun.

More films by Albert Pyun

Who is in the cast of Alien from L.A.?

Alien from L.A. stars Kathy Ireland as Wanda Saknussemm, Richard Haines as Prof. Arnold Saknussemm and William R. Moses as Guten 'Gus' Edway, among 14 credited actors.

Does Alien from L.A. have a post-credit scene?

No. Alien from L.A. has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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