A. Martian invasions! Or wherever you like in the universe; they are coming to: colonize, eat us, set up a commie-syle dictatorship, or just wipe us out. Mind control is sometimes a theme--most memorably in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

We get an array of flying saucers, locals who are witnesses or skeptics, and a growing sense of alarm and panic. The best part are the aliens themselves; what do these hideous creatures want? Mostly, they want us.

Invaders From Mars, 1953.

******** 8.0

Still get the creeps hearing that eerie music as people get sucked down to the underworld. Telling the story from a child’s point of view enhances the horror in Invaders From Mars. It also helps make a simple plot, and the earnestness of the ‘good guys’–the doctor, the scientist, and the colonel–more acceptable and believable.The sergeant disappearing into the sand, as he desperately grabs the fence rail and shoots off his rifle, remains one my earliest recollections from classic sci-fi.

The dream premise is aptly created by the expressionistic Martian caves and spaceship, as well as the Kafka-esque police station.The ending hints at a further or revolving nightmare, as we’re shown that the boy, after his dream, really does see the spaceship. Or is it just a thunderstorm? The taut pacing stirs fear, panic, and a sense of urgency amongst the characters.Having said all that, I came away this time wishing that the Martian scenes had begun earlier.

There’s plenty going on throughout, but it might have been more interesting to ‘drop-in’ on the Martians along with their first victims. Invaders From Mars influenced many subsequent sci-fi films, most obviously Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It could use a few more scenes, but not many films of this type can match the truly alien atmosphere.

War of the Worlds, 1953.

******* 7.0

The better of the War of the Worlds movies; I think for the most part because it was made not many years after the 1938 radio hoax of Martian landings in New Jersey, itself preceded by the H.G. Wells novel of 1898. Other than the post-war nexus of sci-fi having shifted its focus from Victorian England, and then from New Jersey to the West coast of the U.S., this follows the book version in many ways, while a religious theme was a key addition. War Of The Worlds was remade, with some acclaim, in 2005, and it looks that (according to IMDb) there’s a version in the works for next year, 2020 (interestingly, it’s set back in Wells’ England).

Like many good sci-fi movies the plot is simple: an alien invasion– motive–straight extermination of humanity. That is to say, the Martians are totally evil. And a hidden, fatal flaw is their downfall. Religion is invoked as a strength for humanity, as all conventional force proves inadequate (that’s familiar stuff though).

Gene Barry is the lead as scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester, Anne Robinson is the love interest, Sylvia. Les Tremaine is General Mann, there’s Robert Cornwaithe as Dr. Prior, Sandro Giglio is a Dr. Bilderbeck, Lewis Martin is Slyvia’s uncle and also a pastor, Dr. Collins, Sir Cedric Hardwicke is our narrator.

War of the Worlds in known for good special effects, for which it won an Academy Award. For people who demean specific effects from this era as ‘fake’, I’d like to know what ‘reality’ they contrast it with. For me, it’s how well-done, and therefore how convincing the special effects are that matters.

The nice thing is, thanks to the crashing meteor, we see the effects in action immediately. It is kind of ridiculous that there’s almost no security at the crash site. Luckily for Clayton and Anne, there’s a square-dance that night. Meanwhile, the meteor (hey, its got portholes, it’s a spacecraft!) gets active. A probe of one of the smaller craft pokes out.

It’s plainly silly that the three ersatz watchmen decide to approach the craft–of course they get blasted. The power’s out, and the Martian blast has started a fire. More mayhem, so the military’s called in. Plenty spacecraft ‘cylinders’ are landing around the world. Slyvia is reduced to serving coffee and donuts at the original site. The General shows up.

At night, the manta-ray-shaped craft emerge from the cylinder. The Pastor wants to “communicate” with the Martians. That’s usually a bad idea; the pink ray gets him. In reaction, the army opens fire. Problem is, of course, the Martians are protected by their force field. Really spectacular use of color with the action “This type of defense is useless!”

Next idea is a jet attack. Meanwhile, in L.A., a meeting of big-wigs. Evacuation is set. The bombing didn’t do anything to the Martians. Cool scenes of wildlife fleeing, as Clayton and Slyvia are stranded in the sticks. They find an abandoned house, putting Slyvia back into domestic duty. Dinner time is interrupted by more cylinders landing. Now we get up close with the Martians. A creepy probe slithers in a window..but then withdraws. Now a sentient alien appears outside, and comes inside.

Cleverly, the triple-eyed motif is repeated in the creature, the probe, and the spacecraft. Time for stock footage of what looks like wartime film overlayed with Martian spacecraft, firing and glowing. At U.S. Headquarters (probably in D.C.), there’s a conclave of the world’s military representatives. Now we decide to A-bomb the Martians. Sylvia and Clayton get back to civilization. Clayton made off with one of the Martian eyes to examine.

From that example, the scientists are able to view how the Martians see. Anyway, who cares–we deliver the A-bomb with the very exotic jet-engined Flying Wing, an XB-49 (?). Completely absurdly, though, there’s no lack of spectators to the nuclear bombing. Wouldn’t we have known that the radiation would be dangerous–given the effects from Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Well, we’ve got some dark glasses on…just not enough for everyone. The result of the attack: nil. “They (the Martians) haven’t even been touched!”

Now it’s time to evacuate. We at least do know that their blood is anemic, that they’re physically weak. The evacuation scenes are extremely well-done: we see not just city streets, but highways, and pathways choked with refugees. The destruction scenes are as good as any of the Japanese sci-fi movies from the ’50s.

Adding some tension is that Clayton, hauling critical scientific stuff, is basically carjacked by a mob. Clayton finds clues of Slyvia’s whereabouts. He looks into churches, in one, somewhat defiantly, a service is in progress. In other churches, refugees and injured people huddle. He finds one of the scientists; then, finally Slyvia.

Pretty much at that point, all the Martian craft go still, everything’s silent. Yes, they’re dying. Church bells ring, our germs have killed them. A final panorama of thankful crowds. Although the ending is abrupt, it’s not entirely unanticipated. Since the anemic condition was discovered earlier, we have to figure that the Martians are inherently weak. Because of the focus in the last part of the film on the evacuation and the romantic subplot, there aren’t any more meetings of big-wigs where the Martian vulnerabilities were discussed.

Actually, I think it was a good idea to refocus on Slyvia and Clayton, as it does play well dramatically. Usually in this type of film, the focus moves away from the particular to the generic, but here it comes full-circle. I just would’ve like a little more build-up to the quick denouement.

Having read a bunch of other reviews in preparation for this viewing, I was paying particular attention to the religious content. Many folks feel that that this motif (Slyvia’s uncle as a pastor who tries to understand the Martians, the church scenes, etc.) is not quite a good fit. I somewhat disagree. For one thing, Slyvia’s uncle acts on his own; he’s a little too trusting–no one thinks he’s very smart to take such a chance. He ends up as just a victim.

The church scenes are very different in that the purpose is to comfort, encourage, and give shelter to people, not despair or take risks. In other words, we can say that religion has many functions and manifestations, and life-affirming goals. This theme is reinforced by stock footage from all over the world, implying very clearly that ‘we’re all in this together.’

What didn’t work so well was some rather uneven performances; in some ways the crowds were as interesting as the main characters. Barry is fairly good; Robinson is constrained too much by her role to create much empathy, Tremayne seemed to stand out the most.

War of the Worlds is very entertaining, and visually stunning in places. The plot was maybe a bit too simplistic; the Martians never communicate in any way (in this context the pastor’s role, with his communicative intention, could’ve been developed a bit). As a result, the Martians are a monolithic, impersonal force. It might’ve been good to see more than snippets of them, away from their machinery. All in all, well-worth watching.

The Day The Earth Stood Still, 1951.

********* 9.0

"He Made Me Feel Like A Third-Class Witchdoctor"

Not much question that The Day The Earth Stood Still is regarded as one of the best of ’50s sci-fi movies. I’d put it up there with The Thing, Invaders From Mars, Forbidden Planet, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It’s unusual in some crucial ways: intellectuals and scientists aren’t depicted as goofy ’nuts’ getting in the way, but take a rather more reasonable view towards the alien visit than the authorities. That’s possible, of course, due to Klaatu’s (Michael Rennie’s) apparently benevolent mission. That mission’s purpose gets kind of fuzzy, though, as there is an implicit danger; I’m not sure if that’s a contradiction or not.

On the other hand, ordinary folks have more nuanced views of Klaatu/Carpenter. Some are suspicious because he’s different, others don’t mind him at all. Prof. Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe) treats him as a peer. The scenes of domestic and everyday life give the movie more of an authentic flair, making suspension of disbelief very easy. A nice blend of this down-to-earth with otherworldly drama is Tom’s (Hugh Marlowe’s) eagerness to turn Carpenter in, not least because he sees Carpenter as his rival for Helen (Patricia Neal). Revealing Carpenter’s identity leads to the frightening sequence in which the authorities are completely reactive and one-dimensional; referring to Carpenter’s taxi as "the target vehicle" and then shooting him down in cold blood.

Some have mentioned film-noir aspects in The Day the Earth Stood Still. The scenes with Carpenter and Helen in the elevator, Klaatu emerging from the shadows as he enters the boarding house, the spacecraft site when Gort sneaks up on the guards, and the chase scene, are some of the more tangible noir moments. The creepy music accentuates the generally menacing tone. One could see the Klaatu/Carpenter role as a noir wronged-man protagonist on the run from an array of enemies, with only a few faithful buddies.

Even with the Klaatu-Helen-Tom-Bobby subplot, the pacing is excellent. As many have noted, the movie begins as quickly as possible, with just enough of the worldwide backdrop for verisimilitude. The typical sci-fi pitfall between the local and the global situation is deftly handled. Some of the details get crossed-up, though. Why doesn’t the spacecraft land in New York City so Klaatu can address the U.N.?

I recall a Twilight Zone episode having a similar visiting-alien premise incorporating a U.N. meeting. And (to repeat other reviewers a bit), if the aliens have studied us so much, to the extent of learning our language(s), why is Klaatu ignorant of our history? And why can’t Gort cook up some greenbacks so Klaatu doesn’t have to go around with a pocketful of diamonds?

The movie gets a bit preachy at the end, after we’ve already had a ton of political hints. I still can’t figure out if we’re asked to buy into the universal peace message. Do we really want to give up "the freedom to act irresponsibly"? The robot "policemen" he refers to seem too arbitrary; "they act automatically against aggression". As he puts it earlier, if we don’t accept his conditions "the planet Earth would have to be eliminated." Doesn’t sound like peace to me. Maybe it’s good that Klaatu is talking out both sides of his mouth. We can both reject the paranoid response to outside influences and still be wary of utopian quick-fixes.

The Day The Earth Stood Still is great film-making as well as entertaining sci-fi. There’s a lot of thought-provoking stuff going on here, so, despite some flaws, this is definitely worth standing (or sitting) still for the ninety minutes.

Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers, 1956.

******* 7.0

Entertaining sci-fi, with no lack of flying saucers. This makes up for a ton of classic-era sci-fi movies the barely show any alien stuff. The premise is the good old we-need-your-planet-as-ours-is-in-the-recycling-bin sort of deal. Our response is to lash together a wonder-weapon in 56 days or we’re doomed. All the way there’s alien abduction, brain-washing, and an array of special effects.

The couple Dr. Russell Marvin and Carol Marvin (Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor) get top billing, supported by Professor Kanter (John Zaremba), and the military might of Major Huglin (Donald Curtis), Brigadier General Hanley; also Carol’s dad (Morris Ankrum), Vice Admiral Enright (Thomas Browne Henry), and General Edmonds (Grandon Rhodes).

Quick start–with narration of swooping UFOs all over the world. Then, out in the Southwest desert, with the Marvins tootling along. Russell’s talking about the upcoming satellite launch from ‘Project Skyhook’. But, they’re being buzzed by a flying saucer. Time for a smoke. And onto the military base where the launching will take place. Their taped dictation is overlayed with alien buzz. General Hanley shows up, and wants to cancel the launch; but it’s too late.

The space program (‘Project Skyhook’) isn’t doing well–all of the satellites have been destroyed. Russell tells Hanley about the saucer sighting. Then He’s notified that the latest satellite is gone missing. What looks something like saucers hover on the horizon, but weirdly, Russell launches into an Aurora Borealis/St. Elmo’s Fire explanation for it (that’s later shown to be correct). Stubbornly, and somewhat naively, they go ahead with the twelveth launch. UFOs sighted too.

One of them lands. From a force field a couple of aliens appear–we only nail the one who leaves the protected area. They proceed to annihilate our men and weapons. Meanwhile, the rocket keels over, and rays projected from the aliens extended arms continue destroying the base. Eventually, the saucers lift off. But not without sucking in Hanley. In a cool interior shot, they speak to him “Whoever you are, whatever you are” he responds, astonished. Over his head looms a crystalline device that lights up Hanley’s brain.

The Marvins are hunkered down in the HQ building, deciphering the alien’s message. Well, miscommunication. Anyway, the Marvins are rescued. Over to the Pentagon. Incredibly, the brass there is skeptical of their story; isn’t it obvious what happened? There aren’t any more witnesses from that particular base, but the sightings have been going on worldwide. I’m wondering how they got their Mercury sedan across country when we see them traveling back East by plane…oh well. Russell is able to communicate with the aliens since he knows the frequency.

He’s stuck going to a clandestine meeting with them. “It’s started now, and I’ve got to go through with it” he tells Carol, and splits. He’s tailed by a motorcycle cop, and Carol and Major Huglin. At a remote beach they all see the saucer. And they’re all vacuumed up in the cylindrical shaft that telescopes into the bottom of the craft. In outer space, a view of earth. The same deal as in the previous interior shot; aliens lurking on the perimeter of the central area with the crystal speaking device overheard. They demonstrate their power by showing a saucer wiping out a destroyer.

A zombie-like Hanley emerges. They’ve harvested his brain to ‘learn about us.’ They brain-drain the patrolman too. Anyway, the purpose of the skyjacking is to have Marvin arrange a U.N.-like meeting of world governments to negotiate/communicate with the aliens. Meaning, to accept their surrender terms. “You will have two of your lunar days” to comply. Very obtusely, the brass is skeptical again.

Marvin has an idea for an “ultra sonic gun” for defense. Now, the destroyer sinking confirmed, they get full Pentagon backing. Soon enough, they have a working prototype of the sonic gun; but it’s just a miniature. Working on Professor Kanter’s theory of what-not, they try a different tack–which works perfectly. Very eerily, an alien drone is spying on them, but it crashes.

A saucer lands and an alien goes inside the building, looking for them. Luckily, they’ve anticipated that, and ambush the craft from an ersatz weapons platform. Kanter is disintegrated. but the Major drops one of the aliens with a rifle. Man, these guys are ugly! And decompose quicker than Dracula at high noon. Stock footage of a B-29 going down. And death-ray destruction all around.

Disgustingly, one of them hovers long enough to drop the corpses of the General and the patrolman. Next up, the brass watch as the Marvins demonstrate the alien’s communication device, sourced from the dead one’s gear. But, check out that hokey computer! looks like a gigantic foosball table, with all the figures wiggling around. The alien helmet has sensory enhancing ability. Now, the aliens tell us that they’re going to mess with our environment–by tweaking the sun to produce meteorological mayhem.

That seems nuts, why would they risk destroying the earth if they want to take it over? Anyway, the timeline is short. Nine days left. Ok, I guess we have to ramp-up production of the new weapon. So, storms wreak havoc: stock footage of flooding. Alerts, troops mobilizing, jets and missiles deployed. Strange how the Shooting Star jets turn into prop-driven planes. Panicky crowds in D.C.

But our new weapon starts downing the saucers. The destruction scenes are very convincing; especially as the saucers appear very large, very low. Man, landing in front of the White House: nervy aliens! That intrusive saucer crashes. Particularly cool is the saucer crashing inside of the train station. Now, to the Capital Building. More wreckage–most spectacularly, the capital dome is sheared off. But, thankfully, an announcement that the danger has passed. We’re all good, at least locally. On the beach, Carol asks Russell “Do you think there’s are any more?…” His comeback: “Not on such a nice day.”

I remember snippets of Earth vs. the Flying Saucers from its showings on tv in the early ’60s. It’s amazing how many scenes stick with me: “whoever you are, whatever you are,” the four people abducted, the blown-up destroyer, the sonic gun, the amazingly authentic scenes of destruction, and, most of all, the incredibly well-done flying saucers. In some ways, these scenes and dialogue is memorable because they’re pretty much iconic stuff that recurs in other movies of the era.

If you only ever see one sci-fi movie from the era, this is the best example of the genre. I don’t necessarily mean that this is the best sci-fi movie of the ’50s, but that it creates a plausible scenario for an alien invasion that successfully covers all of its bases. There’s some minor miscues (the world leader meeting not only doesn’t take place, we sort of drop the subject towards the end) but the dramatic tension, surging along with quick pacing, never lets up. There’s no miracle ending, such as in War of the Worlds. There’s a miracle weapon, but it takes a lot of doing to get it sorted out, which makes sense.

Just enough time is given to each aspect of the plot so that the movie’s even more than the sum of its parts. There’s romance, but since the couple’s already married, that doesn’t intrude. Russell isn’t a fish-out-of-water like some local experts in this type of movie–so he fits right in everywhere. Similarly, so does Carol and her father, the General. There really aren’t any subplots to waste time, and the supporting characters do just that, reinforce the actions of Russell, Carol, and the General without needless comic relief or rival interests.

The Thing From Another World, 1951.

********** 10

Just the Thing

Probably the best science fiction movie of the early atomic age, and one of the best sci-fi movies ever. Even performances from the cast, a suspenseful, well-written plot, and an iconic man vs. (alien) Nature conflict add up to amazing entertainment.

I’ve seen The Thing From Another World many times since the early 1960s, and it never fails to hold my interest throughout. This time around I noticed some ’Things’ that hadn’t really occurred to me before. The Thing clearly influenced another classic sci-fi thriller, 1956’s Invasion on the Body Snatchers. The little pepper-shaped alien pods growing in the greenhouse, with the implicit threat of limitless aliens taking over the Earth, is the core premise of Body Snatchers.

The remote location for The Thing also resonates with other monster/alien movies; the difference here is that we never leave the polar outpost, as the alien is destroyed before he and his potential replicants can wreak more havoc. The more interesting strand in The Thing isn’t what it influenced, but the horror genre that influenced it.

Some have found tracings of film noir in the claustrophobic setting, with the stark black and white lighting adding shadowy depths to the unfolding mystery. But I see the alien as a Frankenstein monster/Dracula figure. He has the lumbering menace of the Frankenstein monster--his fight with the dogs during a blizzard seems very much like a scene from a Frankenstein movie. And then, the alien seeks dirt, and lives on blood: Dracula’s exact habits. The dimly lit passageways of the base look as much like gothic caverns and the hallways of decrepit castles at least as much as the dark corners and alleys of noir.

So I think it’s this blending of horror and sci-fi scenes and motifs that gives The Thing its abiding power; it takes old myths and recasts them with a modern, quasi-scientific veracity.

The Blob, 1958.

******* 7.0

Dig That Crazy Blob!

The Blob is probably the best of the teens & monsters sci-fi movies of the 50s. The ’crazy-mixed-up-kids’ focus actually helps the plot; the teens are an integral part of the community, they might be a nuisance, but can’t be ignored.

It’s almost as though the blob is sort a device for the Steve McQueen-led high-schoolers to win recognition and respect from the adults. It’s the elephant in the room which literally becomes too big to ignore. At the same time the menace the blob represents could be evil incarnate. A reminder, perhaps, that out of nowhere (outer space, in this case) evil is ready to destroy us, and nothing is an effective barrier to its invasiveness until it’s believed and reckoned with.

I think the deadly force of the blob contrasts well with the everyday fun--the hot rod set messing around, pulling pranks, making out, watching creepy films, etc.. The adults have their nutty moments too--the ’way-out’ party of 50s yuppies that one teen happens upon; not to mention the earnest old guy genuinely bewildered about whether to put on his Civil Defense or Volunteer Fire Department helmet when things start going bump in the night.

The pacing is pretty good, McQueen’s restlessness becomes contagious in this isolated town, leading to the iconic blob-bust at the theater and the diner.

I would like to have seen a more elaborate set-up to the Blob’s appearance. A cocoanut-ish meteorite in a tiny crater is about as other-worldly as coals in a campfire pit. I realize there wasn’t much budget to work with, but couldn’t they have made the meteorite bigger? With its majestic trail across the sky before crashing, one expects something at least as big as McQueen’s Plymouth.

The flip-side to McQueen’s star performance is the generic nature of virtually all the other characters. At least Aneta Corsaut has a demure presence, but her younger brother is so wooden that I kept hoping the Blob would get him. Still, his buddies ’make the scene’ convincingly with their cool rods and custom cars. Well worth more than one look, The Blob does the job for me.

Teenagers From Outer Space, 1959.

****** 6.0

Way-Out Lobsters Making the Scene

Almost a fun movie. The premise uses the familiar early sci-fi device of a spaceship landing in a remote area. Feuding aliens with cool ray-guns emerge, and slip into town. The bad one fixes to call down a hundred cattlecar ships to feed on unsuspecting, helpless humans, while the good one hopes to sabotage the mission. So far so good.

The concept of the rebellious alien shows how closely the era’s sci-fi themes mirrored the Cold War rivalry, and how human nature was subverted by the ’alien’ nature of Totalitarian regimes. That’s a thoughtful view which has lost nothing with the passage of time. The residual nostalgia for the aliens’ lost ’humanitarian’ culture survives in a clandestine few (Derek included), amidst the general dystopian culture.

The movie fails, though, in almost every other aspect. As others have noted, the title is virtually meaningless, because there’s no teen culture on display here. Look at The Blob or The Giant Gila Monster for a credible blending of rock-and-roll, high-school hijinks, hotrods, parties, dances, even period slang and dress with a monster/alien-on-the-loose film. In general, the characters are poorly-drawn: the girl’s grandpa, in particular, is just a dolt. Sometimes humor works ok in sci-fi, to establish an atmosphere of an isolated community with a sprinkling of eccentric types, but the guy isn’t remotely amusing, he’s just dumb. Derek and Thor are the only interesting characters.

I realize that this was an extremely low-budget movie, so I don’t really care that you can read the logo on the alien’s whatnot machine, or that there’s display [?] tabs riveted onto some of the skeletons. And there’s successful effects as well: the ray-guns really dish it out. The shock value of the pool water vaporizing as the girl is reduced to a skeleton is one of the best scenes. As a display of superior alien technology, it’s just the thing.

The stylized way both Derek and Thor speak about ’earthling’ life (driving a car, going to a doctor, etc.) is convincing and consistent. Then there’s the mostly realistic car chase near the end (yeah, a different car going off the road, but at least they’re similar 40s coupes), even the small detail of the spacecrafts’ weird spiral landings is unique and interesting.

I just can’t deal with the unrealistic aftermath of the shootout at City Hall. In the first place, there’s not one uniformed officer or police car to be seen. I’d think that police uniforms, and even cars done-up in police livery would be fairly stock items in any studio warehouse. But beyond the prop issue, there’s a huge gap in logic. The police just disappear for the crucial sequence that allows Thor to escape. He’s hiding in a car that’s in the vicinity of the shootout, and yet the cops wait for Thor to leave before they follow up. That brings us to the lobsters, err, the monsters.

All we get is a back-lit/silhouetted lobster looming over his supposed victims. What, did the lobster that was with the aliens in the beginning wander off the set? Couldn’t they have used a pile of lobsters to ’attack’ some toy cars, buildings, etc., as in The Giant Gila Monster? How expensive could that have been?

Thankfully, the plot almost saves the day. Derek fools everyone by convincing the bad aliens that he’s ’back-on-board’, when in fact he manages to lure the waiting ships, filled with the carnivorous monsters, into crashing. But that’s achieved with an explosion so underwhelming that it could possibly account for only one crash, not hundreds. Give us cheap but hairy atomic-test footage instead.

This could’ve been a much more interesting movie, but Teenagers From Outer Space took so many shortcuts that it leaves a uneven, unfinished impression. Still worth seeing once, anyway.

*********************************************************************

B. Those pesky outer space folks always seem to be in some kind of trouble. Got to hand it to them, though, they bother to learn English, and come up with an Earth-like atmosphere. But, why are they upset at us?

We invaded them, after all. One problem for our fictional astronauts has nothing to due with interstellar politics. It’s that exploring outer space is expensive; even to simulate. These can be the most elaborate productions--Forbidden Planet is widely-regarded as a pacesetter with its excellent sets of all sorts--or, in much lesser productions, a dismal heap of cardboard structures like stuff left over from a high-school dance or play.

Let’s visit examples of the tony space set, and the grubby also-rans.

This French effort from 120 years ago is brilliant, beautiful, and fun.

A Trip To The Moon, 1902.

********** 10

The first thing notable about this earliest of sci-fi movies is the expressionist sets. Very quaint and avante-guard at the same time. They’re theatrical, but oddly dreamlike. The moonscape actually looks somewhat realistic; but the surreal human faces in the sky, living stars, as they’re called, are bizarre. We see them again in the underground moon civilization.

So, there’s aliens, the Selenites. They’re kind of toyishly creepy bird-like creatures. And fragile, as they basically disintegrate when hit by the ‘astronomers.’ Our guys, after landing and exploring a bit–first lunar snowstorm I bet), escape from captivity, and have a very improbable return journey. Pretty much we’d have to buy that the Moon is flat, as the spacecraft literally falls off its edge to launch.

The very helpful TCM introductory and concluding comments tell us that director Georges Melies was a magician. He hoped to incorporate cinema into his acts, which explains the theatrical elements. Not to mention that some of the cast were recruited from acrobats (for the Selenites), and dancing girls (the women for the star-faces, probably also for the ‘man-servants’ accompanying the launch and return festivities).

The narration has a sort of fairytale aspect, as the French-accented English is very expressive. It complements rather than intrudes. Plus there’s background music. The actual return to earth is prophetic, in that the capsule lands in the sea, and is retrieved by a ship. In some ways, that sequence is one of the highlights, as, unlike the sets (modeled for the most part) in the other scenes, this part is animated.

Another fascinating scene–among a whole movie of fascinating bits–occurs when an astronomers’ umbrella sprouts into a mushroom in the subterranean part of the moon. It has a sort of ’60s style hallucinatory feel; a sensory blurring, as the only connection between the two objects is their similar shape.

Also surprising is that all of the movement is very natural. There’s little of that notorious jerky quality that was still evident in many films for twenty or more years after this one. The film quality was similarly much more modern than expected. Not grainy; in fact, there’s very distinct contrasts that admirably showed all the painstaking detail that went into the sets, costumes, and special effects.

There’s a sort of mixture of the futuristic with the quasi-obsolete. The introductory scene, with the astronomers’ meeting, seems positively medieval. The guys look like wizards; it has an aura of magic. But then we get the dance-hall girls, in militaristic garb, a Moulin Rouge motif; same thing at the ending scene. Plus soldiers–these groups in uniform seem to function in both festive and official roles–another playful touch.

Also anachronistic would be the absurd, jocular portrayal of the moon as a sort of human face. Maybe it’s more accurate to say that this is simply fanciful, child-like. In fact, A Trip to the Moon is much more fantasy than science-fiction. As such, it does deliver on its adventure premise. The ‘science’ is obviously absurd, even by the standards of its time. For example, I’m pretty sure that enough was known about ballistics such that if any living thing were encased in an artillery shell (which is what the spacecraft is essentially) it would die when the shell’s explosive charge went off. The non-propelled return journey sets the whole deal on its head anyway.

But I don’t think that Melies loses anything with these pseudo-scientific elements. He’s positing a fantasy world, which the new century seemed to promise (and eventually delivered too, albeit with rocketry and a few subtleties like spacesuits). What he’s left us with is something as miraculous in its own way as space travel; the ability to see a simulation of it, wrapped in a sort of comfortable enchantment.

Forbidden Planet, 1956.

********** 10

Krell-ed Out At Altair IV

Possibly the best sci-fi movie of the classic era (1946-1964, per my boundaries that is). Beautiful and comprehensive special effects, with good use of color, an intriguing if complex story (as Shakespeare, among others would attest), and well-earned suspension of disbelief. The attention to detail builds a world within a world: from Robby the Robot to the shuttle car, from Morbius’s subterranean home--its attractions and its secrets--to his subconscious delusions.

Walter Pidgeon, as Dr. Morbius, is at the center of this tragic tale. He’s a veteran of the first expedition to Altair IV. As such, he’s inherited the remnants of Krell civilization. The relief expedition, twenty years late, it seems, finds Morbius and his daughter, Altaira (Anne Francis) basically living it up in what we might call a mid-century palace.

The rescue ship’s crew is headed by Commander Adams (Leslie Nielsen) Lt. Farman (Jack Kelly), and Lt. ’Doc’ Ostrom (Warren Stevens). The rest of the crewman are more or less just regular guys, but the cook and bosun are just a bit too hokey. Robby actually is well-suited for comic relief, but he’s more on-point than his human ’buddies.’

The Freudian scheme is a little heavy-handed. We see that Morbius is obsessed with power and control--of knowledge, of Altair IV, even of his daughter--so obviously there’s something unhinged, or at least lacking in him. He’s become a superman; his tangible power is all around him, but even his intangible power manifests itself. So that’s where the monsters come from; not a mutant, alien specie, but essentially supernatural beings. That’s unique stuff for science fiction. Maybe the monsters are are a tad too insubstantial; tantalizingly grotesque, they’re dangerous, but could’ve had more presence.

It’s interesting that Morbius didn’t invent the Krell stuff; he’s sort of adapted it for his own purposes. He’s become something of an addict of the Krell intelligence. In fact, the monsters from the id are like violent, disturbing reactions or side-effects of his experimentation. Only an outsider, the Commander (and his men), can sabotage the destructive process.

The romantic subplot is pretty much a staple in this sort of movie. Altaira is more than just a love interest though. Her naivety and isolation not only provide a motive for her ultimate escape, but give her perhaps the only rational aspect of existence on Altair IV. She’s the underdeveloped ego between the out of control id and superego that Morbius represents.

I’ve picked over Forbidden Planet quite a lot here; it’s just so entertaining and well-realized that I can hardly hurt its impact with some quibbles. This is a treat. 10/10.

This gem has us both on Earth an on another planet; becsuse of the nice alien world sets , we’ll keep it with the other alien movies.

This Island Earth, 1955.

********** 10

Cal’s Interositor Curiosity

I always thought This Island Earth was one of the more thoughtful, inventive movies of the classic sci-fi era. The premise is intriguing: how cool to get a otherworldly science kit (the de luxe Interositer) from aliens? Pretty much solid gold stuff to most kids, or even adults.

The scientists are key characters here. Drs. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue), Cal Meachem (Rex Reason), Steve Carlson (Russell Johnson), Adolf Engelborg (Karl Ludwig Lindt), and Hu Ling Tang (Spencer Chan). Also, the chief aliens are significant Exeter (Jeff Morrow) and Brack (Lance Fuller). There’s alien abduction, the threat to world peace, not to mention good guy rebel aliens, creepy mutants, and other special effects. Unusually, it’s in color.

Cal starts off talking about "The industrial application of atomic energy." Next thing he knows, his Shooting Star fighter jet gets beamed by a green glow. Then into a cool lab scene--some nuclear reaction going on--which blows up. The guys (Cal and Joe) getting some unusual spare parts from an unknown source. Another weird package arrives: some kind of manual, for an Interositer. So they order the thing. No budget issues, I guess.

Soon they’re busy assembling it. The video monitor lights up immediately, talking to them. Exeter comes into view. "My colleagues don’t appear out of thin air" says Cal, more than a bit surprised. So he’s invited to a seminar. Already color has livened things up dramatically. The backgrounds are in drab colors, so that the fiery glowing colors stand out.

Anyway, he rendezvous with Exeter’s craft. Cal seems rather naive at basically being abducted by completely inexplicable powers. Dr. Ruth Adams picks him up at an intermediate location. Apparently, she’s working for Exeter. The other scientists are in residence at what’s an isolated mansion. Finally Cal meets Exeter.

"Who we are and what we’re doing here?" Exeter anticipates Cal’s curiosity. It’s the world peace idea. Exeter boots up an Interositer to show Cal some of their other sites. In secret, Exeter consults with his superior, who is anxious that he "proceed with Plan A." All of the scientists are involved in nuclear energy. Brack sort of skulks around, suspicious. Cal corners Ruth and Steve; they tell him about a lobotomy-inducing device, the "transformer" used as a form of mind control.

Exeter’s immediate purpose is to develop nuclear energy. He demonstrates a sort of laser beam emitting from the lab’s interositer. A warning, and threat. Steve and Ruth tell Cal about an recently-excavated cave nearby; it’s just big enough for a full-sized UFO. The big boss basically tells Exeter to be ready to split. Meanwhile, the scientists are trying an escape, but Exeter nukes the car with his projector beam.

Steve’s killed, but Cal and Ruth make it out on foot. Just now the giant UFO emerges from its lair. They get into a little plane at the same field they arrived at; the mansion explodes, and their plane is beamed up to the UFO. Now we’re inside the huge spacecraft. Into outer space. Really cool bridge/control room scene. Exeter more or less comes clean, apologizes for what’s happened to the others, they’re going "To a planet called Metaluna."

More cool stuff--they have to get into Star Trek-like tubes to get "conditioned for life on Metaluna." They dodge meteors as they approach the "enemy control sector". Aha! So Metalluna’s under attack, from Zahgon (why are ’bad’ aliens associated with ’Z’ names?). Anyway, we discover Metaluna’s need for atomic energy; their defenses against Zahgon depend on a nuclear-generated shield.

Finally, we’re over the crater-dotted moonscape planet of Metaluna. The craft zips into an entry-way, an underground city. Soon they’re brought before "the Monitor" who explains that Metaluna’s ultimate purpose is to relocate to Earth (i.e., to take over). Fairly plausibly, this slimy dictator-type lets on that they have recruited "the earth creatures" because Zahgon destruction has killed all of their scientists and destroyed their labs.

Exeter tries to save our Earthlings from the "transformer", but only a Zahgon attack and the resulting chaos serves to truly set their escape in motion. The Metaluna city, including the Monitor, is wiped out. Just to complicate things, there’s some more-or-less out of control mutants lumbering about. Exeter guides Ruth and Cal safely back to the still-intact spacecraft. They’re able to launch. Exeter’s too wounded to do more than drop Cal and Ruth off at Earth before his spacecraft, the last thing left from Metaluna, ditches into the ocean.

This last part of the movie is especially well-done, very quickly-paced, and looks stunning. There’s enough special effects--including more effective use of lighting and color--to stock a dozen sci-fi movies. This is not to detract from the Earth-bound first part; it’s a great set-up for what comes later. The transition between the two parts, effected by Exeter leaving Earth with Ruth and Cal, is plausible and deftly accomplished.

The suspension of disbelief, despite all that goes on here, is natural. That’s partly because of the clever introduction to Exeter--and Metaluna--contrived by the "Interositor". Once we buy into Cal’s scientific curiosity, it’s entirely believable that he would take this first step. Like I said, it does strain credulity a bit that he would just board the drone airplane without any backup. Maybe should’ve had Joe at least track the flight to the mansion or something.

The mansion/lab facility, with its grab-bag of international scientists, as well as Exeter and Brack, is a sort of way station between normal earthly existence and the otherworldly. Cal is sort of like a folk tale hero who’s curiosity sends him down a slippery-slope on a journey of danger and discovery. The fact that he and Ruth return in exactly the way they left, on the little plane, implies that they can pick up where they left off. In a word: dreamlike.

The only loose ends being the destroyed mansion and some dead bodies. That would be hard to explain, but who knew that Cal was there anyway? (Not even Joe). The spacecraft explosion would certainly be seen, but it didn’t look like there was much left.

Another interesting element was the pretty good acting all around. Exeter’s character in particular; it’s a very nuanced role. He starts out as more-or-less a paternalistic and mysterious authority. But we see that he rebels against the inherently dehumanizing mandate that he’s been given. He successfully saves Ruth and Cal, his end is tragic, but strangely uplifting.

This Island Earth is about as good as this genre gets. Along with other gems from the classic sci-fi era: The Thing, Them!, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Forbidden Planet (the film this somewhat resembles), this is beautifully done, very entertaining, and an imaginative treat.

The War of the Planets, 1966.

***** 5.0

In some remote future, we need to head off some mysterious mind-controlling aliens. So, a wayward space station, and some a host of other ingenious contrivances bursts the budget for this economy mode sci-fi battleground. Of course the malicious aliens want to take over Earth, or, at the very least, stop our colonization efforts. Although this is an Italian pruduction, the intricate modelling, mostly in miniature, but some of it full-scale and operational, is similar to Japanese sci-fi. The futuristic stuff is great: both close up, and in panoramic view. Even the interiors look about right--none of the tool chest and construction site junk usually seen in our low-rent efforts.

Gamma One is the space station. The astronauts there are having a swinging shindig. There’s a pesky alert of some kind. Man, do they need to make a beer run? Well, not exactly, but a crew takes off in a delta-winged spaceship. Back at the station, someone’s giving orders, while reveling astronauts floating around just outside. Delta Two is the spacecraft, now coming back to base; everything’s "routine, except for some peculiar radiation". That’s why they stop short of it, and send out a team to investigate. With a toy-like communication device, one of the astronauts outside the station gives a report.

The issue is the station itself--everyone inside is dead, or at least paralyzed--half of them are mannikins. "Seems as if they died of fright". Meanwhile, a cloud-like creature attacks the rescuers. They too are killed or frozen in suspended animation. The "UD Council and the Corporations" order them to escape back to Earth. Except for a skeleton crew. We get a cool overview of the space city. Now we see the mind-control in action: Will this unfortunate astronaut do the alien’s bidding? "I will. I will." So they do, they do. To the four guys that stay behind, everything seems ok initially. Headquarters (wherever that is) gets a message from the alien-controlled captain. They are skeptical because he "Doesn’t talk this kind of gibberish!" That, however, is the alien message of "symbiotic friendship".

Guys at snappy-looking control panels guys are...controlling something. Gyroscopes? Anyway, back at the station the small group battles the alien presence, with what look like flamethrowers. Is fog flammable? Anyway, back in a safer spot, one of the frozen-up guys is getting medical help. What they’re dealing with is "some form of organized magic". The General gets distracted, while one crew member sees the alien presence--almost a face--outside a porthole. A co-opted officer gives the alien message in a stereotypical monotone. More crew members fall victim to the blue fog in the porthole deal. Back at Headquarters (which is where, on the moon? Earth?), there’s another nice panorama of ships, buildings, transit vehicles.

But that just means we’re going to have to see the characters and the so-called action soon. Ok, a cool landing scene on the lunar-like landscape. Apparently, it’s a mining colony. Incredibly, they’re fussing around about dinner. Well, here’s a Star Trek-like capsule device; but the focus now is on a garbage disposal. At the bottom of this thing they see crew remains. Just looks like leftover pizza to me. They go out in the mineshaft; cave scenes never fail to have great atmosphere. It gets better. They come upon a den of the brainwashed crew from Delta Two. The good guy bad guy argument heats up. "You will experience power of mind..." is the alien pitch; they’re superior, you see. The converted ones have these nutty tin foil hoodies that make them look like disco devil worshippers.

Finally there’s a fight, flamethrowers and all. That doesn’t change much. One guy is bushwhacked by the fog. They finally get out of the subterranean stuff. We see some guys in their capsules. Plenty of time for some more stupid fights. Anyway, the good good guys are trying to launch themselves off the loser planet. Now this is the best scene of all: four spaceships flying in formation to a red planet. The commander’s getting instructions from the General. "There must be ten million of them!" Who? I’m not at all sure what the crisis is just now, and who is still battling who. Nonetheless, the mining planet is attacked, and everything there explodes in flames.

Which I think is good, judging by how the music gets more upbeat. Yeah, the good guys have prevailed over the foggy-brained bad guys. Finally, we get back to Earth. Dinner time again. "At least there’s Gamma One". Apparently, all of the creatures have been destroyed. I think they mean that all of the possessed people are dead.

This would be nothing without the intriguing special effects. Aside from an occasional lapse (the props, notably the goofy walkie-talkies), these elaborate sets are not only well-done, they convincingly support the inter-stellar theme. Even most of the interiors tell us this is a futuristic world.

A major exception are some of the props the weapons used. The ray-gun like flame throwers are ok, but .38 caliber handguns? Maybe it’s that anything the cast touches becomes unbelievable. The acting is labored, with little distinction among characters. That isn’t helped by a cliche-ridden script, glacial pacing, and a fuzzy plot. Actually, alien mind-control, and even misty, murky aliens are fault well-established sci-fi conventions. So, those ideas are superficially fine; it’s the implementation of what we have to work with that’s very disappointing.

There’s familiar faces in various scenes, but the primary activity seems to be scurrying from one station, planet, or spacecraft to another. Since most of the locations look so similar (except for the cave), there’s no real drama or tension resulting from the action. It’s like the visual equivalent of a synopsis without any continuity or purpose connecting the scenes.

Kind of entertaining in a purely technical way, this fails to entertain beyond the dazzling, but flat surface of a movie poster.

Angry Red Planet, 1959.

******+ 6.5

From the Golden age of sci-fi, Angry Red Planet hits all the targets for this genre. A returning spaceship from a Mars mission, a skeleton crew (an amnesiac woman, and a dying man), a flashback narration of the mission to–a literal red planet. Oh, yes, and some cool monsters. Featuring the only giant amoeba in outer space, as far as I know.

The full crew consists of Dr. Iris Ryan (Nora Hayden), Colonel Tom O’Bannion (Gerald Mohr);, Professor Theodore Gettel (Les Tremayne), and Warrant Officer Sam Jacobs (Jack Kruschen). There’s a bunch of medical staff on hand, as well as base officers, and operatives, but no one stands out amongst them. Don Osmond provides the voices for the the narrator, the newscaster, and an alien.

We start with the array of wooden actors meeting to discuss the probable loss of the Mars spacecraft. But, with tons of some guys (some in uniform, some in sports or plaid shirts) manning controls, they successfully reignite its engines. The following night, it lands in one piece. The top guys wait anxiously, “The hell with radiation! Let’s go!” After all, they’ve got to save “the girl” (Iris).

And the Colonel, with a green slimy growth on one arm. Iris seems to have forgotten what happened on the mission. “Why don’t you start at the beginning…” So, she does–begin a flashback, that is. We see the rocket launch and the crew settle in.

Approaching Mars, they dodge a cherry-red meteor. The colors are super-sharp. Staring out a viewport, Tom tells Iris “I’d like to explore your dark alley” huh? Well, she’d opened the door by quiping that space made Broadway look like a dark alley. His flirty talk already needs a tune-up.

On the other hand, Iris has occasion to splash on some fragrance, in between serving rations and dusting. At last they’re about to land. By some wizardry (actually stock footage) the rocket has changed its look. Sam wants to be the first to greet the Martians.

Oddly, the sky has changed from bright red to pale blue. Iris is all set; she’s got her purse! (equipment, hopefully). Gettel thinks the absence of movement on the surface might be intentional. They suit-up. At this point Iris sees an alien face in a porthole (looks a little like the Creature From The Black Lagoon).

Back to the present, Iris wakes up screamingr, and then recalls the incident that frightened her. Onward to the flashback. Of course, the guys don’t see the alien; and the atmosphere is bright red again. The Martian landscape is a sort of cartoonish Kool-Aid red. It’s almost three dimensional. Anyway, they have a sort of raygun for heavy weapons.

They mess with the abundant flora. Iris sees what looks like an enormous Venus Fly Trap. Of course it is…a Martian Fly Trap? The raygun dispatches it. Thankfully, they make for the ship. Gettel has the only intelligent comments–he thinks they’re being watched. They’ve only seen plants, where are the critters?

As is usual in this sort of movie, they’ve lost contact with Earth. Tom has this constant leering grin; what an annoying hep-cat. Next day they roll out again and explore. First problem is a gigantic insect-like rat. Gettel is trapped by it; just as it looks like he’s only going to answer roll-call from a Ouija board, the others drive it off using all their weapons.

As a three-eyed creature watches, they slink back to the ship. Gettel convinces Tom to cut the mission short; they attempt to take off, but no go. They figure a “force field” holds them down. With an expectation of finding the Emerald City, they decide to traverse the lake they’d seen the day before. Indeed a magnificent (though cartoonish) cityscape is what they see looming on the horizon.

Interrupting this utopian sight is a giant amoeba surfacing in front of them. They get back to shore in time, but it’s in hot, gooey pursuit. Sam is slurped up before he gets back inside the ship. Tom was slimed by the amoeba, which surrounds the ship. The other creature (it’s the three-eyed guy that appeared in the window earlier) is chilling nearby.

Iris has the idea of electrocuting the thing through the outer hull; assuming the inner hull is insulated, this makes logical sense. So, the necessarily adjustments are made; Gettel gives it the juice. It works, as it melts like hot jello.

Its at this point that the Martian voice warns them to mind their own business. Gettel is dying from a stroke, brought on by exertion and stress. Well, we’re down to Iris, and the slimed-up Tom. Maybe that’s his comeuppance for being such a jerk.

Anyway, having split the crazy Martian scene, Iris feels sad. What a survivor! Ok, we’re back from her flashback. She wants to remember everything the alien said. The docs have gleaned enough from her info on the amoeba to figure that Tom’s ‘infection’ is progressive. Hey, they could electrocute him, that’d kill it…

Iris, now fit as a fiddle, is in her lab gear, working to save Tom. I’m not so off-base, as they do to plan to apply select amounts of electrical shock to the afflicted area. Now, we even get the tape of the alien “Do as you will with your own…but do not return…unbidden.” Ok, bro, just chill. A last look at the red planet from space. The end.

I remember this being much better when I saw it as a kid; I know, I was a kid. But my enjoyment with most movies, especially from the classic sci-fi era, are remarkably unaffected by time. I figured out why. We didn’t have a color TV in the mid-’60s. Seeing the lurid effects of that wretched red-tinted Martian landscape really brings it down.

The color and the fact that much of it is simplistic props or drawnings makes it look doubly unreal. Not so different from an hallucinogenic effect (more 1969 than 1959). The otherworldly sense is the pay-off in this sort of movie–weird is good, but we shouldn’t have to squint to get a look.

What does peep out of this tangy Martian landscape are the monsters. And they’re all pretty good; presumably the three-eyed guy is the intelligent alien (the one sending the message). It would’ve been more interesting if he’d really been a character, instead of just appearing at a distance. Direct interaction with aliens usually adds something to the plot. Otherwise, we’ve just got a bunch of people wandering about waiting to get attacked.

The rat/crab thing is pretty nasty, and the amoeba gives the word ‘monster’ a new image and interpretation. So much for the organic special effects; the technological stuff works fine too. The control panels and screens, both on the ship and on the ground, are suitibly complex and sophisticated-looking. Even the raygun looks formidable.

So, we’ve got an interesting premise, pretty good pacing, and (red tint excepted, even though it can’t be ignored) some cool special effects. That leaves…acting to consider. Or, it would, had there been more than broad attempts at stereotypes in these performances. I could excuse the input of the on-the- ground personnel, as those folks are peripheral anyway.

It’s the main characters that disappoint. Mohr is set-up with about the most disgusting misogynist role possible; in short, he’s a creep. Hayden is pressed right into her nurturing/housekeeper role; I guess it’s a big deal that they let “the girl” come along anyway. Yes, it’s 1959, but rarely does such stuff get so blatant; some of Mohr’s lines would be groaners even in a bar scene.

Kruschen is the handy, but obnoxious guy from Brooklyn. Nothing wrong with types, but these two guys show no nuance, and don’t get an inch outside their characters’ boxes. Actually, Iris does do more than make coffee and get attacked; the amoeba destruction concept was her idea. No one questions her judgement about that or anything else. Plus, she’s the only one to return in one (human) piece.

Tremayne actually isn’t bad; the best of a bad lot. His input almost adds a psychological dimension to the Martians; the concept of the planet’s stillness being intentional is interesting. Clearly there’s more going on than the monster attacks; the force field and the alien’s warning, for example, are on a different plane than the Martian fly-trap.

The instinctive and the intelligent life forms are seemingly disconnected; is the three-eyed Martian also endangered by the ‘wildlife’? We never get to find out. Also, if the alien intelligence is so hostile, why wait until the crew lands to send the warning?

There’s good stuff here; the pacing keeps us wondering what’s next, the flashback is handled well, and there’s enough inner logic for the plot to maintain suspension of disbelief. Angry Red Planet had the potential to follow the truly beguiling Forbidden Planet (1956), but had little of the earlier film’s sophistication.

Next Chapter: Afterword