Alien Terror

Near the end of the 19th century, Prof. John Mayer and his assistant, the scientist Dr. Isabel Reed, accidentally invent a powerful ray. An alien travels to Earth to destroy the machine since it would be a threat to the universe. He initially possesses the mind of Thomas, a sex maniac and serial killer, to get close to Mayer during the demonstration of the machine to scientists and the military. Mayer's niece, Laura, meets an acquaintance of her uncle, the chemist Dr. Paul Rosten, and Mayer invites him to join the research. When Thomas gets close to Mayer, the alien also possesses his mind in order to destroy the device and his notes. Meanwhile, Thomas is not able to control his murderous impulses and attacks several women with a straight razor.

Directed by Jack Hill, José Luis González de León, Juan Ibáñez, Alien Terror leans on a strong ensemble — Boris Karloff, Enrique Guzmán, Christa Linder — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about horror titles of 1971.