EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCER (1956)

EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCER (1956)

Tagline: Warning! Take Cover! Flying Saucers Invade Our Planet! Washington, London, Paris, Moscow Fight Back!

(Action, Sci-Fi, Alien Invasion) [G]

Note – This movie did not originally have an MPAA rating, but I think it would be rated G. 

Yeah. Yeah, today I've got a hot date with a three-stage rocket.

In this one, Carol and Dr. Russell A. Marvin believe they see a flying saucer while driving through the desert. They are able to get a recording of it on their tape recorder and report it to Carol’s father who is a General in the U.S. military. He then relays to them that 10 satellites have also been taken out. It doesn’t take long before the world realizes it’s got a pending alien invasion on its hands. They have 56 days to come up with a defense against the most technologically advanced race mankind has ever faced! 

First off for me this is one of the stand-out sci-fi flicks of the 50s. We actually get some of Ray Harryhausen’s still motion effects in this movie including the extremely laborious shots with buildings falling down which Ray Harryhausen stopped doing after this film. Apparently, this was his least favorite of the movies he worked, on which is saying a LOT of his work, because this freakin movie is awesome. 

One of the knocks on this movie is that due to budget and time constraints, some stock footage was used, but that really wasn’t that uncommon in the 50s. The flying sauces are made mostly from aluminum held up by piano wire, which has effects “cheese” smeared all over it, but it’s wonderfully done and just amazingly fun. The cast is also fantastic.

Acting-wise the lead is Hugh Marlowe as Dr. Russell A. Marvin who was also in WORLD WITHOUT END and the sci-fi classic, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is outstanding. I felt like he and Joan Taylor who plays his wife Carol had great chemistry. Joan had a career that spanned from 1949 to 1963 but was probably most famous for her role in 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. We also see a good amount of Donald Curtis as Maj. Huglin (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS) and Morris Ankrum as Brig. Gen. John Hanley who are both very solid. Morris was a great actor who also starred in lots of other sci-fi stuff including THE GIANT CLAW and KRONOS. 

The pacing for this movie is pretty good, but I will say there are a few parts in the 2nd act that drag just a bit for a movie that is already just under 90 minutes long. I get that they were focussing in some sections of this, on diplomacy, but I kind of felt this was drawn out a bit too long. The score was essentially pitch-perfect. In spite of its imperfections, this movie is an absolute blast and I recommend the black and white version over the color version. I loved this thing so much I have watched it twice already and can’t wait for another visit. Some of this may be a credit to the acting talents involved, but I also have to commend Fred F. Sears regarding his directing and getting the most out of everyone around him in regards to getting his actors to convey a genuine sense of seriousness and fear at the right times.

Overall I have to give this one a 6 out of 7. If anything I might not have shown the alien helmets close up, but the overall design of the aliens was pretty rad for its day.

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

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