THIS ISLAND EARTH is a 1950s science-fiction pulp magazine shroud brought to life: clunky spacecraft, battling planets, wicked aliens, and screaming heroines in wound. The special effects are 1955 state-of-the-art, and they serene enjoy up very well today, for unlike ultra-realistic computer generated graphics they have a fantasy feel that is very, very entertaining–a sort of “Wizard of Oz goes sci-fi” study that is very inspiring to the gawk.
As already illustrious, the anecdote concerns several of earth’s best minds who are kidnapped by aliens and ordered to invent an endless source of energy for a dying planet. The script is laced with 1950s sexism–one line, for example, is “Don’t snort me that as woman you’re not inviting? “–but this is actually less offensive than it is rather funny, in keeping with the magazine veil sensibility that pervades the fragment. The cast plays with spacious sincerity: Rex Reason is appropriately dauntless, Faith Domergue screams the house down, and the aliens all have high foreheads–excepting, of course, that really contemptible looking one with claws for hands!
Some humorless-type science-fiction fans won’t be pleased it, and if you’re not the type to glean a kick from period visuals you might want to give this one miss. But for pure 1950s matinee fun, you can’t do better than THIS ISLAND EARTH.
Here’s an lively bit of trivia (okay, maybe not so considerable challenging, but worth noting, at least) …seems the film This Island Earth (1955) was one of the first major science fiction features filmed in Technicolor, a process that actually had been around, in various states, since the early twentieth century. Directed by Joseph M. Newman (The Gunfight at Dodge City, Tarzan, the Ape Man), the film stars Rex Reason (The Creature Walks Among Us), Faith Domergue (It Came from Beneath the Sea, Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet), and Jeff Morrow (Kronos, The Giant Claw) . Also appearing is Lance Fuller (The She-Creature), Robert Nichols (Giant), and Russell Johnson (Attack of the Crab Monsters), probably best known as `The Professor’, from the mid 1960s series “Gilligan’s Island”.
Buy,Download, Or Stream This Island Earth! Click Here
Buy,Download, Or Stream This Island Earth! Click Here
As the film begins we meet a scientist named Dr. Cal Meacham (Reason), preparing to leave Washington D.C. after attending a conference on atomic energy. Anyway, Cal borrows a jet to waft home (must be nice), and upon arriving, his plane conks out due to some showboating (nice play, Shakespeare), but Cal is saved as a mysterious force takes control and lands the vehicle safely, powerful to the amazement of Cal and his dopey assistant named Joe (Nichols), who I judge is supposed to provide a comedic element for the film, failing miserably I might add. But wait, there’s more…shortly after Cal’s return he receives a catalog featuring advanced electronic components related to assembling something called an `interocitor’, which turns out of be a care for, schmancy triangular television with some glowing unbelievable and far out capabilities (actually, it looks a bit like the drive-thru order box at a swiftly food restaurant, but that’s neither here nor there) . Once constructed, Cal receives a message from a melon headed, white haired nerdlinger type named Mr. Exeter (Morrow), who invites Cal to join a mysterious brain trust whose purpose appears to be development of recent forms of atomic energy. His curiosity piqued, Cal hops a plane (one which he isn’t piloting, thankfully), and ends up in a remote region somewhere in Georgia where he hooks up with Exeter (apparently he’s dropped the `Mr’ routine), Dr. Ruth Adams (Domergue), another scientist named Steve Carlson (Johnson), among others…eventually Cal learns Exeter is not of this Earth (well duh) and his motives for assembling Team Brainiac not as altruistic as originally stated, which leads to Cal and Ruth trying to flee, only to earn beamed aboard Exeter’s spacecraft (originate the probings), complete with swishy doors, and transported to Exeter’s home planet called Metaluna (once you advance Neptune, hang a fair and go about three billion miles, witness for the Stuckeys and you’re there) . As far as what happens next you’ll honest have to glance the film, but I will fraction this, there’s aliens, an objective to goodness flying saucer, ookie mutants with big brains and oversized claws with a penchant for pinching, killer remote-controlled meteors, some dude named The Monitor (sound ominous, doesn’t it? ), matte paintings of astonishing alien landscapes, and so on…
I really liked this film a lot…distinct, the acting leaves something to be desired (Rex Reason probably could have been replaced with a tree and few would have noticed), but there appeared to be a proper sense of ambition towards the presentation of the material. The main strength of this film is the special effects, which, in my concept, reach off ravishing well. Certainly compared to today’s standards they’ll seem hokey, but I’m betting when the film was originally released audiences were amazed and I’ll doubt few left the theater feeling like they didn’t secure their money’s worth. The bits I opinion really unique were how some of these so called scientists, at least the ones who didn’t have their minds `toyed’ with, at the Georgia facility seemed so tiresome on the uptake with regards to figuring out their host was an alien (I would have notion the ginormous cranium a uninteresting giveaway) . And then once they did figure it out, no one seemed that surprised or stunned. Honestly, had it been me being abducted and taken a bazillion miles into outer region, ending up on some alien planet I would have been seriously freaking out, but neither Cal nor Ruth really seemed all that upset. Perhaps scientists are made of sturdier stuff than us non-brainy types, of which I think myself one. As far as the characters there was some promising development early on, but it eventually broken-down as those introduced fell into homogenous roles (Reason the rugged, masculine hero type, Domergue the sparkling screaming mimi in misfortune, etc.) . Morrow’s character of Exeter did seem to have the most potential, in terms of his altering definite plans based on his developing an plan of humans after spending time with them, but this sort of petered out a bit, taking a backseat to the visual aspects point to in the film, which is a fairly accepted pitfall in the genre, especially in today’s films, in terms of flashy effects superseding the more expansive elements of the account. All in all you can certainly win plenty of fault with this feature, but I’d suggest viewing the film with a slightly less important contemplate, as not to miss all the fun.
Buy,Download, Or Stream This Island Earth! Click Here
The narrate, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), does spy really helpful, despite areas that show some minor signs of age (there weren’t any frames missing, but there was some specking here and there) . As far as the Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio, I notion it came through very well and had no complaints. There’s not mighty in the method of extras except for an novel theatrical trailer and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French. I was a miniature surprised at the lack of an audio commentary, especially since I’ve always considered this staple film in the classic science fiction genre, maybe not to the extent of those like The Day the Earth Stood Aloof (1951), The Thing from Another World (1951), or Forbidden Planet (1956), but one level-headed favorable of attention.
Cookieman108
Incidentally, This Island Earth was given the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment, as it was the flick featured when the explain made the leap to the sizable conceal assist in 1996.
william2551151