The McPherson Tape (UFO Abduction) — Wikipedia extract

URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_Abduction_(film)
Captured: 2026-06-07. Authoritative facts on Dean Alioto's 1989 found-footage film and its hoax-mistaken-for-real history. Analysis: ../../sources/alioto-experiencers-documentary.

1989 American film

The McPherson Tape (a.k.a. UFO Abduction)

UFO Abduction (aka The McPherson Tape) is a 1989 American science
fiction horror, found-footage film, written, produced, and directed by Dean
Alioto. The film centers on a family who are terrorized by extraterrestrials
during a birthday celebration.

Title misconception

[edit]

Originally conceived as UFO Abduction by Dean Alioto, the film is now more
commonly recognized as The McPherson Tape.

The film begins with a brief introduction that purports the film as legitimate
and explains that it is one of the strongest pieces of evidence for
extraterrestrial life.

On the evening of October 8, 1983, the Van Heese family gathers in the
Connecticut mountains to celebrate the birthday of 5-year-old Michelle. The
family consists of Ma Van Heese (Shirly McCalla), her three sons Eric (Tommy
Giavocchini), Jason (Patrick Kelley), and Michael (Dean Alioto), Eric's wife
Jamie (Christine Staples), his daughter Michelle (Laura Tomas), and Jason's
girlfriend Renee (Stacey Shulman). Michael uses his hand-held camera to record
the night's events, much to the amusement and irritation of his family.

The early evening passes relatively uneventfully as the family celebrates;
however, after briefly turning off the lights for Michelle's birthday candles,
they discover that they will not turn back on. Eric, Jason, and Michael
inspect the breaker outside, and are startled by a red light that passes
overhead. Curious, they walk to the neighboring property to investigate. While
walking, they reveal through their discussion that their mother has become an
alcoholic since their father's death, despite their attempts to help her.

The three eventually come across what appears to be an extraterrestrial
spacecraft in the woods, and are shocked to see three diminutive aliens
standing outside. However, they flee after the aliens notice their lights.
Returning to the house, they alert their family, lock the doors, and load
shotguns, but are divided on whether they should remain in the house or leave.
They see more red lights through a window, and theorize that the aliens may
have left. After calming down, they attempt to continue the party, noticing
that all their watches have stopped.

With the evening getting late, they conclude the festivities, and Eric and his
family attempt to leave. Soon after, Jason and Michael come across one of
Michelle's drawings, which resembles one of the aliens they saw in the woods.
They rush Eric and his family back inside, and are terrified when the aliens
attempt to enter the house through the windows and chimney. Eric manages to
shoot and seemingly kill one after hearing it on the roof, which appears to
dissuade the aliens from further attempts. He brings the alien's body inside
and places it in a back room, despite the others’ protests.

After debating, Eric and Jason plan to retrieve Eric's truck and bring it by
the front door so the family can escape. They do not return, so the others go
after them but only find the empty truck and their shotguns. They flee back to
the house, dragging a hysterical Jamie. Inside, they come to the hopeful
conclusion that Eric and Jason must have gone for help, and attempt to occupy
themselves by playing cards. Soon after, they narrowly prevent Renee and Ma
from opening the front door in separate attempts. Both have no memory of the
incident and claim they heard a voice in their head telling them to open the
door. Michael also discovers the alien's body is gone and the back door is
open. After securing the house once more and turning up the radio to block out
voices, the others finally convince Michael to put down his camera and resume
their card game. From its position across the room, the still-recording camera
violently glitches and records the three aliens emerging from the back room.
The tape ends as the aliens close in on the unaware family.

The film claims that the Van Heeses’ whereabouts are still unknown and that
viewers should contact the producers if they have any information.

The Van Heese family and aliens:[2]

Tommy Giavocchini as Eric Van Heese
Patrick Kelley as Jason Van Heese
Shirly McCalla as Ma Van Heese
Stacey Shulman as Renee Reynolds
Christine Staples as Jamie Van Heese
Laura Tomas as Michelle Van Heese (the birthday girl)
Dean Alioto as Michael Van Heese (cinematographer)
Ginny Kleker as Alien 1
Kay Parten as Alien 2
Rose Schneider as Alien 3

UFO Abduction was written, directed, filmed, and produced by Dean Alioto,
through IndieSyndicate Productions.[3][4] The film is presented as found
footage, portraying the final recordings and last known whereabouts of a
Connecticut family named the Van Heeses just before they are abducted by
extraterrestrials.[2] Dean Alioto produced the no budget film using $6,500
from the company IndieSyndicate Productions.[5]

Release, reception and legacy

[edit]

UFO Abduction had a limited release through Axiom Films. Designed to appear
to be a genuine 1983 home video recording, the film depicts the alien
abduction of a Connecticut family as they celebrate their relative's 5th
birthday.[2] The materials for UFO Abduction were destroyed in a warehouse
fire at the distribution company, precluding the film's wide-release on
video.[6]

Prior to the remake a decade later, common criticism of the original film
included sound quality, visual effects and low standard aesthetics.[7]

In 2018, the film was first officially released to DVD and Digital download
through the director. It was re-released in 2020 by AGFA [8] on Blu-ray with a
new upscaled transfer of the original, presumed lost, 3/4" tape.[9] The
release also includes the 2017 director's cut of the film, as well as a
commentary track by the director.

Dean Alioto and Paul Chitlik remade UFO Abduction in 1998, with a much
larger budget and professional actors, under the original title The McPherson
Tape which was changed by the network executives to Alien Abduction:
Incident in Lake County.