INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN (1957)

INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN (1957)

Tagline: CREEPING HORROR... from the depths of time and space!

(Sci-Fi, Horror, Aliens With Giant Heads) [PG]

Note: This movie never had an MPAA rating, back then just told you if it passed or not. If it came out today it would likely be a PG film. 

Our job is to prevent a possible nationwide panic by keeping the information from the public.

In this one, a couple of teenagers Joan (played by Gloria Castillo) and Johnny (played by Steven Terrell) , are making out with a bunch of other couples in parked cars. They decide to leave and in a rush end up hitting an alien with their car. The creature’s claw is severed but grows an eye and immediately starts popping car tires.  It turns out there are actually a group of big-headed alien creatures going around menacing the area. In the meantime, the military knows all about the aliens and decides to try to confront their spacecraft without throwing the nation into a complete panic. 

Something is awfully squirrely around here. This is one of those sci-fi horror flicks from the ’50s that actually started off with a serious premise but ended up being fairly silly. The dialog is almost comedic and like other movies such as NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, it actually pokes fun at other deaths in movies causing kids to do crazy things. This doesn’t mean the movie is entirely humorous, the alien claws look pretty menacing and have these crazy dripping needles coming out of the fingers. The alien designs are actually pretty rad as well and the aliens are only four feet tall, so it’s just all-around amazing. 

One thing didn't like about this movie is that in the opening sequence, we get some low-brow dialog from the narrator Artie Burns (played by Lyn Osborn), and his roommate slash friend Joe. What I did like was when we get to the main characters Johnny and Joan, their dialog is actually pretty cordial and they respect one another. It was just a huge contrast to some of the dialog in movies of the day where the women are almost always treated a bit like dirt. This isn’t coming from a PC standpoint either, I mean in a lot of these older movies I am thinking “If I said that, I would have my eyes scratched out and fed to the nearest cat”. Another interesting element of this movie is that it seems to have an anti-drinking message. The way the aliens killed you had to do with how much alcohol you drank or didn't drink. 

The opening narration was so odd and annoying  I almost turned this movie off thinking this is what we might have to endure for the whole movie (fortunately it wasn’t). Artie’s character is actually better than his narration; it’s kind of hard to explain. It’s almost like the director said, “Now read this narration so everyone will dislike you”. Soundtrack wise this thing has some good and bad moments. There is almost a full-blown comedy track during parts you would think would be serious. The rest of the soundtrack though is pretty standard 50’s sci-fi horror. 

I know this movie influenced at least one character on the TV show “Futurama”, but I also kind of wonder if the alien's aversion to light birthed the idea for the Mogwai in GREMLINS to hate bright light as well. In a very crowded black-and-white sci-fi movie field this one stands out as one of the more fun and interesting efforts. I mean what other movie is going to give you a "bull versus alien" fight to the death? 

For me, this is a solid 6 out of 7. It stuck just about every chord I hoped it would after the first 7 minutes or so. It has just about the perfect amount of self-awareness. 

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF MALIBU PRODUCTIONS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. 

Please check out the link below by clicking on the picture. Because no one should die buttonless.