The Device (2014) (film DVD review).
Two sisters, Abby (actress Angelo DiMarco) and Rebecca (actress Kate Alden), finally get together after many years to spread their mother’s ashes on a lake they used to visit when young. Abby’s boyfriend, Calvin (actor David S. Hogan), comes along and hears from her that Rebecca had a traumatic abortion when young. Rebecca is drawn to the forest, and Abby follows, and they discover what appears to them to be a couple of parts of a downed aircraft. A large spherical black object cuts Rebecca’s hand, and she collapses. Later, she recovers and wants to go back, and they should leave the object behind.
They return to Calvin’s and Abby’s home, and he brings the object and finds out it has some unusual properties, like returning to the top of the table when spun down it. Rebecca is uneasy about it, but Calvin says they ought to find out what it is and, if it proves dangerous, then they’ll call the police or army. Oh, did I say Abby was getting nightmares? A lot of them. So is Calvin.
They both have medical checks, and Abby is told she is pregnant. Should I mention that there is a humanoid alien in Abby’s dreams? Abby does not understand why Calvin keeps the sphere under their bed, but she now wants it gone.
Later, Rebecca explains what really happened years ago at the lake and that she was a victim of alien abduction. Thing is, the dreams are getting worse for Abby as the alien periodically examines her. Calvin keeps the object in the basement until Rebecca is done and Abby gets rid of it. Calvin gets a report from the doctor, who tells him he’s sterile, so how is Abby pregnant? He’s not a happy bunny and doesn’t believe in immaculate conception. She wants to see her own doctor but is advised to see Dr Mora (actor Russell Hodgkinson), who has treated Rebecca and believes in the alien abduction. He also wants her gone when he realises she’s pregnant.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Rebecca returns and finds Calvin has also gone crazy. From there, it’s all spoilers.
This film relies on a minimal cast and plays quite low-key. The alien (actor Gabriel Condon) is really scary looking when you get to see him from time to time. Don’t expect anything too spectacular for an alien abduction film, but as a drama, it ticks over quite nicely.
It also has three audio commentaries. The first was with co-writer/co-producer John Portanova, director/co-writer/co-producer Jeremy Berg, and co-producer Matt Mendisch in August 2014. They had to film it before filming ‘The Valley Of The Sasquatch’ (2015). I had to look that film up; it got renamed ‘Hunting Grounds’. The documentary explains why the film was made so quickly, provides production information, and discusses living on the actual cabin set located outside Seattle. The curtains were blacked out to ensure night scenes. They agree that facing a real alien abduction is the scariest thing they could imagine. A lot of the exteriors were filmed in pouring rain, which you see from time to time. The device is actually six painted balls of wood. The editing was done in a month and a half, stripping 30 minutes from the film, mostly the dreams. They do provide a lot of insight into how much was filmed and then cut. The crew encountered numerous issues with aircraft passing overhead that they needed to work around as well, which complicated the filming process and required creative solutions to maintain continuity and sound quality. A lot of alien abduction films were referenced throughout, along with a lot of other film techniques that got them around various problems, such as using creative camera angles and special effects to enhance the storytelling despite the challenges faced during filming. There’s a lot more than this, but you get the idea.
The second commentary is with cast actors Angela DiMarco, who played Abby; Kate Alden, who played Rebecca; and David S. Hogan, as Calvin, and their dog in the background. I should point out that DiMarco and Hogan are married and, in real life, have known Alden for 12 years, unlike in their parts. It’s hardly surprising that they know each other, given that the film was shot in Seattle and features Seattle actors. They also suggest playing a drinking game based on the number of times the characters change clothes, cry, and see the sphere device. Prepare for some risqué chat, but they are also complementary to the production crew by naming them. How many casts can do that in audio commentaries? DiMarco admits she likes alien-based films. A lot of the film was filmed in a temperature of 98°F (to me, that’s around 40°C) during a winter period. All the alien scenes were filmed on the same day, a reminder that much of the film was filmed out of sequence. The actresses burst into singing ‘Sisters’ whenever they work together with adjusted verses. There’s a lot more than that, but it is worth listening in.
After watching so many times, it has struck me that Hogan looks awfully like a young version of the late actor, Gary Graham. They aren’t related, so it must be something about the eyes and nose.
The third commentary is with co-producer/co-writer John Portanova, a ufologist who produced the likes of ‘Fire In The Sky’ (1993). Tracy Tormé (1959-2024). His dad, Mel Tormé, had seen a UFO and said it didn’t behave like an aircraft. Much of it is Portanova interviewing Tormé about his film background, especially the TV series ‘Intruders’ (1992), and taking alien abductions very seriously.
GF Willmetts
March 2026
(pub: Image/RLJ Productions. 1 DVD 87 minute film with extras. Price; varies. ASIN: 0361930404177).
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