THE SPACE CHILDREN (1958)

THE SPACE CHILDREN (1958)

Tagline: Slowly...and with horror the parents realized THEIR CHILDREN WERE THE SLAVES OF 'THE THING' FROM OUTER SPACE!

(Sci-Fi, Mystery, A Giant Blob That Isn’t The Blob) [G]

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

Bud's telling the truth. I saw it too. It fell out of the sky. Well, you've got to believe him!

In this one, a group of scientists is working on a bomb to end all bombs. Everything about this is top secret (like the Manhattan Project) but the families of the scientists are allowed to live on the base where the work is being done. It doesn’t take long before we find out some incredible alien force is starting to gain control over the children at the base. No mom…we don’t have time for green beans and potatoes. We are the space children! 

First off, the first thought I had when I found out the name of the main kid in this movie (played by Michel Ray) was “Bud”, I immediately thought about FLASH GORDON during the airplane scene when the pilot asks Flash to sign an autograph for his son “Buzz”. It made me wonder if back in the 50s there was some sort of writer's block where screen writers were just being surrounded by Budweiser and bees and we ended up with characters with these super simplistic “world around you” names. 

Anyway, this movie is not loaded with a ton of effects but instead relies heavily on a blob-like alien effect and a really intriguing script that kind of makes this movie stand out among the sci-fi flicks of its day. Unlike a lot of sci-fi movies back then we actually get a mysterious “faith” element in this movie kind of akin to something like the newer BATTLESTAR GALACTICA only the reference is more direct complete with a bible verse at the end of the movie. 

Using kids is always risky especially if they suck at acting, but most of the kids including Michel Ray, do a decent to great job in this. Probably the biggest stand-out among the child actors had to be Sandy Descher. She is best known for the sci-fi classic THEM! as the girl that just loses her freakin mind. The main storyline revolves around one family and the mother in that family’s name is Anne Brewster (played by Peggy Webber also known for THE SCREAMING SKULL). The Brewster family which is the main focus of this flick is actually fairly functional aside from the fact that Anne doesn’t stop complaining about everything. I am a little surprised no one made a movie called “THE COMPLAINING SKULL” and cast Peggy Webber in it, just because she was so effective at it in this role. This isn’t a knock on her by the way, she was a very accomplished actress, it’s more a statement on the character she played. Adam Williams plays the scientist husband named Dave. Williams is good in this and was also in a few episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. 

This movie kept me intrigued from start to finish and I really thought this was a bit of a clever, very “TWILIGHT ZONE” like way to get a message across. It also has the distinction of being directed by the legendary Jack Arnold who was involved in multiple fantastic sci-fi flicks from THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON to TARANTULA. 

This won’t be for everyone and the poster is at the very least misleading. For me it’s a 5 out of 7 I wouldn’t mind revisiting from time to time.

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

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