The Puppet Masters is a 1994 science fiction film starring Donald Sutherland, Eric Thal, Julie Warner, Keith David, Will Patton, Richard Belzer, Yaphet Kotto, and Andrew Robinson, based on the novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein about an Alien Invasion.
After a flying saucer lands in rural Iowa, secret agent Sam, NASA scientist Mary and "The Old Man" Andrew Nivens investigate. They find that a group of parasitic aliens have in fact landed and are planning to use their mind-control abilities to take over all of humanity and eventually Earth.
This film provides examples of:
- Action Girlfriend: Mary, though not as much as in the original book.
- Actor Allusion: Donald Sutherland is, of course, very familiar with parasitic aliens taking over humans.
- Aliens Are Bastards: The alien parasites seem to enjoy tormenting people with sadistic choices.
- Benevolent Alien Invasion: Like in the book, but even less convincing.
- Bizarre Alien Reproduction: Their reproductive processes are activated by the closeness of potential victims.
- Chairman of the Brawl: Sam gets a face full of chair from one of the people puppeteered by the aliens as he's chasing her.
- Deadpan Snarker: Alex, Sam and Andrew, it's no doubt hereditary with the later two.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Mary uses this to find out which men are possessed by the Aliens. Those Not Distracted by the Sexy hosts.
- Easily Thwarted Alien Invasion: The solution is reached through science (for the most part) rather than brute force.
- Electric Torture: The Old Man uses electric shocks to get the parasite talking while his own son is the host.
- Fighting from the Inside: See "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight.
- Government Conspiracy: Attempted through The Infiltration, but fails.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Attempted several times, but always fails.
- Impostor Forgot One Detail: "When did you quit smoking, Jarvis?"
- It Can Think: The parasite is put on a monkey. They next thing they know the monkey has picked the lock and gotten hold of a handgun.
- Mental Fusion: The aliens combine their nervous systems with their hosts, which allows them share their sensations.
- My Eyes Are Up Here: Mary notes that some teenaged boys should have been trying to look down her blouse, as an indication they are being controlled by the Puppeteer Parasites. She contrasts this with how her male partner greeted her. "Hi, I'm Sam!" (downward eye movement). When Sam denies ever doing this trope, she replies, "You're still doing it."
- Not Distracted by the Sexy: Mary notes all the men controlled by the parasites aren't distracted by her looks like most guys, Andrew uses this at one point to detect if that man he's speaking too is possessed.
- No, You: The Old Man demands everyone strip off to find out who has picked up a parasite. A woman demands that he strip off first to show that he's not infected. As he's reluctantly complying, she makes a run for it as she's wearing the parasite in question.
- Nudity Equals Honesty: Humans who are not ridden by parasites tend to go around semi-nude or fully nude in order to show that they are not enslaved.
- Precision F-Strike: Alex joke about Graves wanting to f**k the alien. In later scene, he apologizes about the joke.
- Puppeteer Parasite: This is pretty much the main theme of the movie, just like the book.
- Shoot the Dog: Killing anyone infected by the aliens is seen as this, they are after all innocent victims.
- Shower of Angst: Sam showers after being freed from the control of an alien parasite; he breaks down completely and is comforted by Mary whilst still naked.
- So Proud of You: Sam and the Old Man, eventually.
- Spreading Disaster Map Graphic: A map on a computer is used to show the extent of the parasite aliens infestation in the U.S., with areas controlled by the parasites red.
- Synthetic Plague: The only way to stop the aliens is with a brain disease disseminated with the help of Mosquitoes.
- Tamer and Chaster: Compared to the book, where by about the middle almost no one is wearing clothes at all (and the clothes you can wear are so scant most don't even bother), the film never shows the obvious option of not letting the aliens hide under clothing (except for one scene, which is highly abbreviated and the Old Man doesn't request everyone strip bare as he did in the book). The hosts are discovered through thermal imaging, because the aliens increase the host's body temperature. Because you simply couldn't make an even remotely commercially viable film where everyone's naked for half of it in The 90s (and it would be a tough sell even today).
- Throwing Off the Disability: Sam realises the Old Man has been infected when he leaves his cane behind.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Very strongly implied between Sam and his father Andrew.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Invoked; the aliens infect children in a school and send them towards the solders knowing they will be reluctant to shoot.
