The Alpha Incident


The Alpha Incident is a 1978 American science fiction horror film directed by Bill Rebane and starring Ralph Meeker, Stafford Morgan, John F. Goff, Carol Irene Newell, and George "Buck" Flower.

Premise

A space probe returns to Earth from Mars, carrying with it a deadly organism which has the lethal potential to destroy all life on Earth. Being transported across country by train, the micro-organism is released when a nosy train employee inspects the cargo. This results in the entire train station being quarantined. Those who happen to be trapped wait for the government to find a cure, while trying not to fall asleep because that's when this unseen killer strikes.

Cast

Home media

The Alpha Incident was released for the first time on DVD by Mill Creek Entertainment on August 30, 2005 as a part of its
Chilling Classics: 50 Movie Pack. On August 15, 2006 it was released by Digital 1 Stop, as a part of its
Nightmare Worlds: 50 Movie Pack. Mill Creek re-released the film on four separate occasions as a part of various multi-film packs in 2007 and 2008. On August 24, 2010, the film was released as a part of a multi-film pack by Tnt Media Group. On September 21, that same year it was released as a single-feature by Synergy Entertainment.

Reception

The Alpha Incident received mostly negative reviews upon its release.
Alan Jones from Radio Times rated the film a negative one out of five stars, calling it " over-talky feeble fable". Dan Budnik from Bleeding Skull also criticized the film as being "overly talky", while also criticizing the film's underwritten, and unlikable characters, and sluggish pacing. On his website, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings, Dave Sindelar similarly criticized the film's unlikable characters, with character interactions being "repetitious and tiresome". Sindelar also criticized the film's poor acting, and dialogue.