Although this science fiction film is out of the paranoid school so popular in the Fifties, the end message is far from watch out for invaders of all kind. The world, although we don't see it from other than an American point of view actually comes together to help fight off an invasion from a dying race of aliens.
As is usual in these kinds of films the aliens have been monitoring us pretty closely, but it also turns out that they're as paranoid as the earth people. They shoot down rockets carrying satellite probes into space, man's first step in that direction. Then they contact Hugh Marlowe, the scientist in charge of the project and want a face to face. Transmission's kind of difficult as they move at a speed far greater than human. This same gambit was used in a famous Star Trek episode.
It's a race against time even though the aliens give us two months to decide on surrender which we use in the greatest crash science program of all time. Hugh Marlowe, wife Joan Taylor and scientists around the world discover the weaknesses of the invaders.
I think the real star of this film is special effects guru Ray Harryhausen. When the attack begins and it occupies the last twenty minutes or so of Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Harryhausen steps in and takes the film away from the human cast members. The animated sequences showing the attack on Washington, DC with some familiar landmarks being damaged and destroyed are the highlight of the film.
One thing about the film did bother me. I wish they had given the aliens some kind of generic name, Krell, Klingon, whatever. Other than that Earth vs. The Flying Saucers is one of the better science fiction films from the Fifties.
As is usual in these kinds of films the aliens have been monitoring us pretty closely, but it also turns out that they're as paranoid as the earth people. They shoot down rockets carrying satellite probes into space, man's first step in that direction. Then they contact Hugh Marlowe, the scientist in charge of the project and want a face to face. Transmission's kind of difficult as they move at a speed far greater than human. This same gambit was used in a famous Star Trek episode.
It's a race against time even though the aliens give us two months to decide on surrender which we use in the greatest crash science program of all time. Hugh Marlowe, wife Joan Taylor and scientists around the world discover the weaknesses of the invaders.
I think the real star of this film is special effects guru Ray Harryhausen. When the attack begins and it occupies the last twenty minutes or so of Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Harryhausen steps in and takes the film away from the human cast members. The animated sequences showing the attack on Washington, DC with some familiar landmarks being damaged and destroyed are the highlight of the film.
One thing about the film did bother me. I wish they had given the aliens some kind of generic name, Krell, Klingon, whatever. Other than that Earth vs. The Flying Saucers is one of the better science fiction films from the Fifties.