"This Island Earth" is a fair sci-fi film about aliens with some space travel. It's somewhat unusual in that it isn't aliens planning to invade the earth, but some who have secretly arrived here to get the best of the earth's scientists to help save their planet, Metaluna.
Unlike many of the sci-fi films of the 1950s, this one is more scientifically oriented. Although many of the science aspects are fictitious, the science tends to give the film a more thoughtful plot. It received good notices from the critics at the time, for that and for its very good special effects. Also, unlike most other sci-fi films of the day, the aliens themselves aren't hideous looking creatures. They very closely resemble human beings, but for one very distinguishable physical feature. Elongated, high heads with depressions in the middle of their foreheads.
All of the cast give good performances, except for Faith Domergue as Dr. Ruth Adams. She seems a little wooden, a natural trait with her, and she acts hysterically with screaming that seems overboard in one scene. Then she has the one funny line - actually, quite dumb, in the film. After she, Dr. Meacham, and Dr. Carlson have been talking and collaborating some, she asks if the others have noticed the similarity between Exeter and Brack - their unusually high heads with the indentations in their foreheads. It's not that all of the audience and the other two characters haven't noticed this since first seeing them. Or, maybe that line was put in by the studio and writers intentionally, to be sure all of we dummies in the audience would know and realize that Exeter and Brack were different - and maybe even aliens? That's why I say it's a funny line.
By modern standards and preferences in films since the late 20th century, this movie will seem quite slow to most viewers. The promos, posters and DVD cover show some hideous creatures that the aliens cloned to be workers and slaves. They have very little time in the movie, which could even do without them. But, Universal probably played up the ugly looking creatures to draw audiences for the film. We sci-fi fans enjoy nothing more than a good-looking ugly alien or monster of some sort. Or is that an oxymoron?
Unlike many of the sci-fi films of the 1950s, this one is more scientifically oriented. Although many of the science aspects are fictitious, the science tends to give the film a more thoughtful plot. It received good notices from the critics at the time, for that and for its very good special effects. Also, unlike most other sci-fi films of the day, the aliens themselves aren't hideous looking creatures. They very closely resemble human beings, but for one very distinguishable physical feature. Elongated, high heads with depressions in the middle of their foreheads.
All of the cast give good performances, except for Faith Domergue as Dr. Ruth Adams. She seems a little wooden, a natural trait with her, and she acts hysterically with screaming that seems overboard in one scene. Then she has the one funny line - actually, quite dumb, in the film. After she, Dr. Meacham, and Dr. Carlson have been talking and collaborating some, she asks if the others have noticed the similarity between Exeter and Brack - their unusually high heads with the indentations in their foreheads. It's not that all of the audience and the other two characters haven't noticed this since first seeing them. Or, maybe that line was put in by the studio and writers intentionally, to be sure all of we dummies in the audience would know and realize that Exeter and Brack were different - and maybe even aliens? That's why I say it's a funny line.
By modern standards and preferences in films since the late 20th century, this movie will seem quite slow to most viewers. The promos, posters and DVD cover show some hideous creatures that the aliens cloned to be workers and slaves. They have very little time in the movie, which could even do without them. But, Universal probably played up the ugly looking creatures to draw audiences for the film. We sci-fi fans enjoy nothing more than a good-looking ugly alien or monster of some sort. Or is that an oxymoron?