Bad Channels

Released in 1992, "Bad Channels" is a sci-fi horror comedy film that was directed by Ted Nicolaou and written by Jackson Barr. The film’s star lineup includes performers such as Robert Factor, Martha Quinn, Aaron Lustig, and Michael Huddleston. As part of the Full Moon Features production, it holds a singular place in the halls of B-movie glory.

The movie begins with our hotshot shock-jock hero, Dangerous Dan O'Dare (played by Robert Factor), who leads as the controversial radio DJ. He works at an independent radio station called KDUL (‘could you all’) situated in a lighthouse, located out in Pahoota, a fictitious location in the desert. Dan possesses a notoriety for his unconventional techniques and comedic pranks, always pushing the boundaries of regulations.

One day, a duo of aliens who look just like little blue men infiltrate the station. The aliens use the radio station’s massive satellite dish as their vehicle to send out a particularly fascinating musical broadcast across the cosmos. Their intent is not only to use the airwaves for their interstellar DJ set, but there is a much darker scheme up their sleeves: to kidnap earth women using the radio waves.

As the show continues, women begin to disappear, shrunk down, and trapped inside glass containers by the alien invaders. Dangerous Dan unwittingly becomes a live broadcaster of the alien’s wicked show, speaking their language the Earth has never heard. Due to the bizarre display, most of his listeners think it's a joke or one of his signature pranks, disregarding the emergency as a silly gaffe.

Simultaneously, the radio station's new, go-getting manager, Lisa Cummings (played by Martha Quinn), struggles to overcome the madness and figure out what is happening. She possesses a strong suspicion that Dan's strange behavior isn't just for show ratings but rather something strangely real is happening behind the curtain. Lisa teams up with a nerdy hoarder named Vernon Locknut (played by Aaron Lustig) to unveil the truth about the mysteriously disappearing women.

Amidst the unfolding chaos and horror, the movie shifts gears unexpectedly and introduces a heavy rock ’n’ roll band named "The Killer Dwarfs," playing the part of another band, "The Nasty Habits". Another interesting aspect of the movie is their track called "Touching Myself Again," a modification of their real track, "Tell Me Please," which is used as a beacon in the film.

"Bad Channels" is a classic cult movie that certainly doesn’t hold back on eccentric characters, unique concepts, and cheesy special effects, but this is all part of its charm. If you're looking to continue delving into Full Moon's brand of outlandish B-movie horrors, this cult enthralling sci-fi comedy certainly deserves a watch.

The performances of the cast are admirably energetic, working well within the limits of what the script allows. Robert Factor as Dan, Martha Quinn as Lisa, and Aaron Lustig as Vernon perform admirably in their roles. The charmingly crude alien puppets combined with the film's novel premise, all combined with a fantastic rock soundtrack, make for a perfect goofy late-night movie experience.

"Bad Channels" combines radio, rock music, and alien abduction tropes to the story, lending itself to some crowd-pleasing sequences for fans of cult cinema. The film doesn't take itself too seriously, allowing for a good amount of humor to balance the shock and horror facets of its narrative.

Director Ted Nicolaou provides excellent pacing and managing the tonal balance of horror, comedy, and science fiction. The result is an unabashedly campy film that appreciates its low-budget roots and uses it to its advantage.

Brimming with humor, eccentricity, decent performances, and entertaining absurdity from start to finish, "Bad Channels" provides an insight into the weird side of the early '90s pop culture, telegraphing a tale of mishap, music and an alien invasion rolled into one. The unique plotline, quirky characters, and retro charm make this film an indelible cult classic in the science fiction genre.