War of the Worlds Logo 'Video Messiah'

by Norman Snider
War of the Worlds Cast

The aliens clone popular motivational speaker Doctor Van Order, seen as a ‘video messiah’ by his many patients, who interact with personalised computer-generated versions of him via hand-held ‘vid-boxes’. The aliens have also developed a new form of subliminal messaging, secreting flash-frames into video recordings that make viewers more receptive to personality-altering instructions, and by striking a consultancy deal with top advertising agency Hardy Galt Industries, they secure the opportunity to introduce their messages into all adverts produced by the company. To test the effectiveness of the messages, ‘Van Order’ instructs Hardy Galt to send his advertising executives to a training seminar at the his ‘Foundation’ residence, where the unwitting attendees will be exposed to the tainted recordings, and subjected to a gruelling regime of physical and mental exercise. Meanwhile, Harrison and Susanne manage to capture one of the aliens’ ‘Watcher’ devices; when they play back the surveillance device’s recordings, Kincaid recognises the HGI building where his old friend, Mindy Cooper, works. Fearing the worst, Kincaid and Harrison race to the Foundation where Mindy is now attending Van Order’s seminar; but they may be too late: the effects of the course are having an adverse effect on the attendees – and not everyone will get out alive…

Jared Martin (Doctor Harrison Blackwood), Lynda Mason Green (Doctor Suzanne McCullough), Adrian Paul (John Kincaid), Denis Forest (Malzor), Catherine Disher (Mana), Rachel Blanchard (Debi McCullough), Roy Thinnes (Doctor Van Order), Lori Hallier (Mindy Cooper), Alex Carter (Clark), Larry Joshua (Hardy Galt), Keith Knight (Bob), Angela Dohrmann (Jane), Michael Caruana (Kurt), Denise McLeod (Sara), Suzanne Coy (Staff Member), Randy Butcher (Thief)

Directed by Gabriel Pelletier
Produced by Herbert Wright, Jonathan Hackett and Frank Mancuso Jr.
Executive Producer Greg Strangis


TX (US): 16th April 1990

Notes:
*Featuring Doctor Harrison Blackwood, Doctor Suzanne McCullough and John Kincaid