UFOria

PG 6.2
1981 1 hr 33 min Comedy , Science Fiction

Sheldon Bart (Fred Ward) is a drifter, and a small-time con man. He meets his old friend, Brother Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), a big-time con man into faith healing and fencing stolen cars, at his revival tent outside a small town. While he's helping Brother Bud, he falls in love with Arlene (Cindy Williams), a local supermarket clerk who believes in UFOs and is deeply religious and deeply lonely. When Arlene has a vision of a coming UFO, everyone deals with it in their own way.

  • Cast:
    Cindy Williams , Harry Dean Stanton , Fred Ward , Harry Carey, Jr. , Robert Gray , Darrell Larson , Peggy McCay

Similar titles

Policewoman
Policewoman
Die Polizistin is a documentary by Andreas Dresen about the life of a young police woman who is faced with the difficulties between her responsibilities at work and her personal responsibilities.
Policewoman 2000
Broken Blossoms
Broken Blossoms
The love story of an abused English girl and a Chinese Buddhist in a time when London was a brutal and harsh place to live.
Broken Blossoms 1919
The Bank Dick
The Bank Dick
Egbert Sousé becomes an unexpected hero when a bank robber falls over a bench he's occupying. Now considered brave, Egbert is given a job as a bank guard. Soon, he is approached by charlatan J. Frothingham Waterbury about buying shares in a mining company. Egbert persuades teller Og Oggilby to lend him bank money, to be returned when the scheme pays off. Unfortunately, bank inspector Snoopington then makes a surprise appearance.
The Bank Dick 1940
Blind Date
Blind Date
When bachelor Walter Davis is set up with his sister-in-law's pretty cousin, Nadia Gates, a seemingly average blind date turns into a chaotic night on the town. Walter's brother, Ted, tells him not to let Nadia drink alcohol, but he dismisses the warning and her behaviour gets increasingly wild. Walter and Nadia's numerous incidents are made even worse as her former lover David relentlessly follows them around town.
Blind Date 1987
The Man Who Would Be King
The Man Who Would Be King
A robust adventure about two British adventurers who take over primitive Kafiristan as "godlike" rulers, meeting a tragic end through their desire for a native girl. Based on a short story by Rudyard Kipling.
The Man Who Would Be King 1975
Adam's Apples
Adam's Apples
A neo-nazi sentenced to community service at a church clashes with the blindly devotional priest.
Adam's Apples 2005
Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls
A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.
Dreamgirls 2006
I ♥ Huckabees
I ♥ Huckabees
A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.
I ♥ Huckabees 2004
Day for Night
Day for Night
A committed film director struggles to complete his movie while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew.
Day for Night 1973
The Fountain
The Fountain
Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world.
The Fountain 2006

Reviews

Exoticalot
1981/01/01

People are voting emotionally.

... more
Pluskylang
1981/01/02

Great Film overall

... more
Moustroll
1981/01/03

Good movie but grossly overrated

... more
Acensbart
1981/01/04

Excellent but underrated film

... more
bjhuxley
1981/01/05

Great performances, great social comment, funny and great music. Saw it over twenty years ago at a film festival in country Australia. Everybody I spoke with really enjoyed it. I would love to see it again. It would be very interesting to see how the social comment in the movie stands up today I also consider it to be a minor classic.

... more
SnoopyStyle
1981/01/06

Sheldon Bart (Fred Ward) is a con-man drifter. Cashier Arlene Stewart (Cindy Williams) looks the other way when he shoplifts grocery. He reconnects with his traveling preacher friend Bud Sanders (Harry Dean Stanton) and performs in a fake healing. The homeless Sheldon starts sleeping and living with Arlene. He dismisses her obsession with UFOs as craziness at first. She dreams of a spaceship landing and gains a following with fellow UFO enthusiasts. Sheldon and Bud use their preaching skills for their own gains.This is built like an indie with a bunch of quirky characters. It's an odd little movie with some usual characters played by veteran actors. Cindy Williams never got to be a big movie star. She does these weird little comedies. This low budget story does meander a little. This has an unique appeal from filmmaker John Binder although his humor doesn't always hit its mark.

... more
Jason Forestein
1981/01/07

UFOria is among the strangest films I've ever encountered, but, frankly, I'm better for knowing it. Like True Stories, Raising Arizona, or Repo Man, it occupies that uncategorizable category of films that appeared during the 1980s--a little surreal, a little funny, and a little confusing. Of course, it's also a little great. Plot? I'm not entirely sure it's important to point out what the film's three characters accomplish (not much), but it is important to point them out: Arlene, a woman who dreams of flying saucers and awaits their arrival, Brother Bud, a con artist, and Sheldon, a good old boy. There is a story, and it's bizarre, but those three individuals (emphasis on that word) are the film's sole purpose. As much as anything can be, UFOria is a character study. And what does one need for a character study? Great actors. Fortunately, UFOria has them in spades. Cindy Williams is perfect as Arlene, so hopeful and faithful, and Fred Ward is great as Sheldon. For those that have seen Tremors, please know that that performance was simply a reprise of this one. Finally, we come to that master of American cinematic acting--Harry Dean Stanton. I could warble endlessly about his virtues and world-weary visage. I won't wax poetic. As he does in virtually every movie he appears, Harry knocks your socks off and makes you happy to watch him work. UFOria is not for every taste; it's completely off its rocker, but it's worth it if you can let yourself go. Fans of those aforementioned masterpieces of the 1980s should enjoy this little movie tremendously, if they can find it.

... more
hippiedj
1981/01/08

This amiable piece of Americana was unfortunately not given a decent release, and it took until 1986 for this film to get released in repertory cinemas and find its audience.Cindy Williams (Arlene) is charming as ever as a born-again Christian grocery store clerk who believes salvation will be coming to earth in a flying saucer. Fred Ward is a drifter who takes up with her and while using her for his benefit, falls for her as well. Harry Dean Stanton as Brother Bud teams up with Ward to exploit the space theory and start tent revivals on the predicted landing sight, charging admission and gathering more donations. Now Brother Bud seems to have a side job that involves hauling hot cars, so that brings in the interest of the law as well. Poor Arlene, it seems everyone has taken this thing way out of proportion and fears they'll lose their true faith and mission. And how will it be resolved? Well, you know something special has to appear and save the day!This is an amiable film, with plenty of likeable characters whether they are good and sweet or downright cons. Cindy Williams steals the show with her naive Arlene always reading the tabloids and committed to spreading the good news of Jesus' return from space. Sure, you learn a few things about the nature of man, right and wrong, and sticking to what you believe, but golly, it just leaves you so darn happy and smiling after it's all over. It will make you feel good about yourself too.Uforia is still available on VHS and is a nifty title to have in a collection--it's a film you can show to friends and they will definitely be surprised and thank you for it. That's the experience I've had, and after all these years the film's story and cleverness holds up well.

... more

Watch Free Now