The Thing From Another World!

     Based on renowned sci-fi writer John W. Campbell's short story "Who Goes There?",  horror classic "The Thing From Another World" tells the story of a group of scientists and military personnel who discover an alien life form frozen under the ice in the Arctic.  Of course, being scientists, they take the alien back to their base to study.  And of course, the block of ice encasing the alien life form thaws, and the "Thing" sets off on a bloody rampage.

     "The Thing From Another World" was one of the first films to successfully mesh horror with sci-fi, and came at a time when the country was besieged with UFO sightings.  This film would become extremely influential and usher in a slew of UFO pictures, not to mention paving the way for such classics as "The Day The Earth Stood Still" and "War Of The Worlds".  Let's not forget that in 1951 we were in the Cold War, so it's practically impossible not to read the film's subtext as an allegory to our fear of communism.  But most importantly, it's simply a great monster movie.

     "The Thing From Another World" is without a doubt one of the finest sci-fi/horror films ever made.  Its crisp b & w photography, smart dialogue, and top notch acting help seal the deal as well.  It's a nifty and claustrophobic monster mash that offers some low-budget but expertly crafted scares.  It's brilliant use of light and shadow, on top of the special effects, propel this far above the usual shlockfests of 50s sci-fi.  It's an amazing and influential film, and holds up great today- even with today's standards of shock and gore.  It honestly hasn't aged that much.  This fast-paced, brisk little chiller is a perfect flick for a cold, windy October night to curl up on the sofa to.  "The Thing From Another World" stars Kenneth Tobey, Margaret Sheridan, Robert Cornthwaite, and James Arness as the hulking Thing.

Plan 9 From Outer Space

     In 1959 Ed Wood released a film about aliens from outer space and the living dead here on Earth that was so hilariously amateur and awful, it would go on to become one of the greatest cult classics of all midnight movies.  Universally known as the worst movie ever made, Ed Wood's gloriously terrible "Plan 9 From Outer Space" stars the great Bela Lugosi, (in sadly what would be his last screen appearance), and Vampira- this story of alien graverobbers is one of the all-time greatest of the cheesy sci/fi-horror flicks of the 50s.  Chock full of bloopers, terrible acting, and the same shot of poor Bela used over and over again, it's quite astonishing just how amateur the entire production is- and how these movies ever got released in the first place.  Ed Wood was very imaginative and ambitious, but we all know he wasn't the most talented of directors.  But he had a vision nonetheless, and it's so much fun to watch.  It's a hoot trying to spot all the mistakes in "Plan 9", and it's a camp lovers delight.

     This is one of the most infamous films of the 50s, and definitely one of the most fun to watch today.  The fact that this was Lugosi's last film performance, and the fact that he died three years before the films release, only adds to its cult status.  Wood bravely forged ahead and incorporated the few screen minutes he had of Lugosi already filmed and interspersed them with shots of a not very convincing stand-in, who basically wanders around with his cape pulled up over his face.  It's kinda sad, funny, and eerie all at the same time.  It's perfect viewing for the Halloween season, as it usually pops up somewhere on cable.  "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is most certainly a blast from the past.

   

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN

 

  
     Don't be fooled by the title.  This is one of the best sci-fi/horror films to come out of the 50s- rivaling 1956's "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" as the best, in my opinion.

     Scott Carey and his wife are out enjoying their cabin cruiser one day at sea.  While his wife is momentarily below deck, the small craft passes through a mysterious mist.  Scott is left covered by a strange, glitter-like substance, which eventually disappears.  All seems fine, until a few days later when Scott is accidentally sprayed with an insecticide.  Then, he incredibly begins to realize that his entire body actually seems to be shrinking.    

      "The Incredible Shrinking Man" is an amazingly thought-out movie, and the stunning special effects (for the time) enhance the story greatly.  It also doesn't hurt the fact that it's based on such a well-written story to begin with, and the fact that the author himself adapted the screenplay.  It's not just a bunch of lines delivered with the usual b-movie schlock.  As fantastic as the special effects were for the time, the film is actually just as much a character study.  Grant Williams does a fine job with Scott Carey- it's fascinating to watch him become more and more resourceful in a desperate attempt to save his life and to deal with ordinary, everyday objects (spiders, the cat, etc.) that are now much more dangerous. On top of the repercussions his new fate has on his marriage.  Up until then, there had simply not been a film to deal with the psychology of the over-the-top and fantastic situations portrayed in the movie.  It's just a well-done flick all around.  If you want to see a perfect example of 50s sci-fi/horror, check out "The Incredible Shrinking Man" now!

Cat-Women Of The Moon

     The gloriously bad "Cat-Women Of The Moon" is one of those movies best viewed in a theater chock full of people having an absolute blast with it.  One of the best of the so bad they're great B-flicks of the fabulous 50's, "Cat-Women Of The Moon" is hilariously amateur yet just so entertaining.  Cinema schlock and pure, honest camp at its finest!

     The plot concerns a group of space explorers landing on the Moon and battling not only a giant spider but a horde of beautiful and telepathic women.  The women you see, plan on overtaking planet Earth and haven't seen men in years.  The hilarious special effects alone make the movie, not to mention the dialogue.  If you're looking for something more along the lines of "The Day The Earth Stood Still", look elsewhere.  "Cat-Women Of The Moon" is an absolute hoot from start to finish, but like I mentioned earlier, much more fun with a large group of people.  I mean, I would watch this movie simply because of the title alone.  And it more than lives up to the title. This is a bona-fide B classic, and a nifty addition to any 50's collection.  Sometimes you're just in the mood for a cheesy, black and white, sci-fi flick from the 1950's.  This is definitely one of those movies.

Invasion Of the Body Snatchers (1956)

     Dr. Miles Bennell returns to his sleepy hometown of Santa Mira, California because of many urgent calls from  his patients to see him immediately.  Upon returning, he finds many reports of patients thinking certain loved ones are not who they're supposed to be,  as if they've been replaced by identical look-alikes.  Has a mass hysteria descended upon the small town, or is something more sinister at work here?

     Hands down the best horror movie of the 50's, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a thrilling, almost film noir chiller that's packed with action, suspense, and a creeping, subtle terror.  It's an absolute gem of a movie, full of gorgeously crisp black and white photography and delicious 50's atmosphere.  "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is in my opinion the most original and entertaining of all the paranoid sci/fi-horror films to come out of the 1950's.  The way the story unfolds is chilling, even for 50's standards.   Alien invaders have long been a huge plot element in all kinds or sci/fi and horror movies, but never quite handled so creepily as in this movie.

      "Body Snatchers" has a timeless sense of paranoia, which is why the movie has been remade 3 times.  Made on a low-budget with a very simply plotline, it's still widely considered the supreme sci-fi/horror flick of the 50's.   I can't stop raving about "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"- it's just one of those movies that I can always lose myself in at any given time.  It's frightening, mysterious, suspenseful, and original.  Classic!

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