TARGET EARTH (1954)

TARGET EARTH (1954)

Tagline: You'll be paralyzed with fear!

(Sci-Fi, Horror, Dryer Vent Tubes) [PG]

Note – This movie did not originally have an MPAA rating, but I think it would land at a PG just because the movie introduces a human murderer.  

You don't need a reason to die, Frank. Just one to live.

In this one, several people that seem to have missed a major event that evacuated Chicago, wake up to find that their city is mostly void of people. As events take place they realize the city has been invaded by freakin giant robots from outer space…and their target…is earth!!!!!!!! 

First off, this movie and NIGHT OF THE COMET have a few things in common. They both revolve around a small group of people stranded after a major event, and they both were filmed in LA mostly during morning hours when the streets would be mostly empty. They are also regarded as “horror” but by today’s standards, and even with the zombies in NIGHT OF THE COMET, both seem more just like fun “let’s see where this goes” sci-fi films. 

The robot alien we see in this movie is goofy looking as they get. I know I say that about a lot of goofy-looking sci-fi stuff, but man oh man. The legs look like they are clearly made from dryer vent tubes and honestly, I can’t see how any 5th-grade class play in America couldn’t come up with a better robot design than this. Having said that, this glorious layer of cheese on top of a pretty decent script and good acting makes this thing genuine cinematic gold. I love this damn movie.

I love Richard Denning as an actor so seeing him in several great sci-fi flicks is a treat and this is no exception. He was also in CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and THE BLACK SCORPION to name a few. We also got some great acting out of Kathleen Crowley who plays Nora. Her career really didn’t have any other sci-fi films in it, but she was in a horror flick called CURSE OF THE UNDEAD. Her character in this gets the most character growth out of anyone from being in total despair to fighting for her life. The backstory for her also goes from heartbreaking to inspiring. The film also features Virginia Grey who plays Vicki Harris who is kind of a wise-cracking man-eater. Virginia is probably most famous for this movie but was also in UNKNOWN ISLAND. Robert Roark plays a man named Davis who is literally a killer in the movie. He got the role because his father was one of the producers. He made the best of it and became a producer himself and secured 26 more acting roles after this movie. He also had a brief role as a guard in KILLERS FROM SPACE. 

I don’t know if there is a color version of this out there, but skip that and go for the black and white if you can. The sheer seriousness with which this is handled, backed up against how silly this robot looks is the stuff of legends.

Overall this gets a 5 out of 7. I would have liked to have seen at least an army of robots rather than just the one they used to indicate there was an army by moving it all over the place.

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF ABTCON PICTURES AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. 

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