Search The Archive

Search the film archive

In a remarkable feature debut, Alex Cox has delivered a dazzlingly comic amalgam of gritty urban neo-realism, grotty punkish send ups and D-grade sci-fi movies. Here the hero is Otto, a self-styled "white suburban punk", who has trouble fitting in. . . anywhere.”

Reluctantly, he starts a job as a "repo man" and enters a sleazy, very all-American landscape riddled with junk food morality. He soon crosses paths with a 64 Chevy Malibu cruising around town with an alien in the boot.

Expressively photographed by Robby Muller, complemented by a "neat-oh" LA punk score, Cox's teaming of Harry Dean Stanton and Emilo Estevez (looking uncannily like his dad, Martin Sheen) results in a hip, tongue-in-cheek comedy fantasy.