On an alien planet named Pluton, a specialized garbage disposal converts a monstrous mutant called a Hungry Beast into energy and blasts it into space, a shocking act that sets the stage for chaos to ripple across worlds. Back on Earth, the Putterman family is chasing a shaky satellite signal through a temperamental DIY antenna, hoping to bring home television which, in turn, promises a night of unwinding horror films. The household includes Sherman Putterman, [Chad Allen], and his ex-military grandfather [Bert Remsen], with Sherman’s parents—Raquel Putterman, [Mary Woronov], and the others—getting pulled into a plan that will soon collide with extraterrestrial trouble. The home life also features Suzy, Sherman’s sister, and her rocker boyfriend O.D., whose arrival adds another layer of distraction to an evening already primed for suspense.
As the clock ticks, the night unfolds with a lineup of quirky personalities. A show hosted by the buxom Medusa, [Jennifer Richards], draws Sherman into a frame of mind that mixes fear with fascination, while the adults mingle with guests including the swingers Cherry, [Randi Brooks], and Spiro, [Alejandro Rey], who bring their own offbeat energy to the gathering. The family’s attempt at a normal night collapses when the Hungry Beast materializes out of the television and violently makes its presence known by devouring Sherman’s elderly grandfather, the first of several shocking takes on “home entertainment” gone wrong.
What follows is a surreal sequence of discoveries, misreads, and attempts at containment. Sherman’s parents rush to help the situation, and the house soon fills with unexpected visitors, including the dangerous intruder duo Cherry and Spiro. The Beast dives back into the family’s life with a chilling tact—entering through the TV and slipping into the home’s intimate spaces, even exploiting the sex-themed “Pleasure Dome” to trap its victims. The creatures’ hunger is matched only by the humans’ stubbornness to survive, and the Beast proves it can imitate its victims, creating unsettling echoes of the people who vanished. In the midst of the panic, Sherman and Suzy realize they must think outside the box to outsmart the creature. The siblings experiment with a combination of food, television imagery, and a few stubborn words to subdue the Beast, learning that the very things the Monster wants—screens and sound—can be turned against it.
The situation escalates when the alien captor Pluthar, [William Paulson], appears on television to threaten Earth’s destruction unless the planet destroys its own television equipment. This dramatic moment is complicated by a miscommunication: O.D., [Jon Gries], provokes the Beast in an effort to soothe it, inadvertently provoking a deadly response. A police officer arrives, only to be eaten by the Beast, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the danger to everyone inside the home. In a bid to regain control, Sherman acts decisively, breaking the televisions with explosive force, a drastic move that buys time for the remaining family members.
As the tension peaks, Medusa arrives at the house, driven by promises of a TV appearance and a shot at fame. Yet the moment she steps into the chaos, she mistakes Pluthar for the Beast they’ve described, and tragedy follows as the real monster returns with a vengeance, pulling the group into its mouth with a powerful gust of air. The climactic confusion leads to a fatal misidentity that leaves Medusa reeling and the others scrambling for safety. In the end, the threat from Pluthar is neutralized, but the Beast’s rampage leaves an absurd, eerie wake—an echo of a night when television is more than just a pastime, it becomes the portal for horror.
By morning, the lingering oddity of the night remains. Medusa’s chauffeur is awakened by a startling sight: someone who imitates her employer hides in the back seat of the car, demanding to be taken to the TV station. The world outside seems unchanged, but the events inside the Putterman home have altered the family forever, a reminder that entertainment can be a doorway to danger as easily as it can be a doorway to escape.
In this wild blend of sci-fi, comedy, and horror, the film threads together a chaotic late-night scenario where a broken TV signal, a hungry alien creature, and a group of eccentric human characters collide in a single, unforgettable experience. The result is a satirical yet unsettling look at how media and consumption can blur the line between fascination and fear, leaving viewers with a strange mix of disbelief, nausea, and reluctant awe at the power of the screen.
