This Island Earth, starring Rex Reason, Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Russell Johnson
This Island Earth is one of the iconic science fiction movies of the 1950’s. And with good reason. It introduces a cast of characters the audience cares about, and involves them in a mystery …
Synopsis of This island Earth
This Island Earth begins with an atomic scientist, surviving when his jet plane suddenly loses all power for no reason. He should be dead, but a mysterious green energy safely puts his plane on the ground. Adding to the mystery, once inside his lab, he finds strange electronic parts. Things well in advance of current technology. And later a book arrives, describing how to build a mysterious device. A strange book, printed on flexible paper, describing how to build an “interociter”. And once completed, it’s a strange communications device, allowing him to contact an unknown scientist named Exeter. By constructing the device, he’s passed an aptitude test. And receives an invitation to join a mysterious group of advanced scientists …
Arriving in Georgia
Once he arrives in a very strange plane, he’s greeted by Dr. Ruth Adams. Someone he’s met previously, but she either doesn’t remember him, or pretends not to. Likewise, Dr. Steve Carlson seems distant. And the head of the project, Exeter, if very strange indeed. And some light eventually gets shed, away from the project. Most of the other scientists seem drugged, but not Ruth nor Steve. And poor Steve’s killed as they’re moving away from the project. The secret of which sees to explain everything.
Exeter’s motives revealed
Exeter is not truly human, He’s a representative of an alien race, under attack, that is desperately looking for alternative energy to power their defenses. Even though Earth’s less technologically advanced, they’re hoping that Earth’s finest minds can see something they’ve missed. And Exeter, who’s actually kind and considerate, has been ordered to bring our protagonists to his home planet. But they find out it’s simply too late …
Exeter: Yes, they’re concentrating all their attention on Metaluna. Those flashes of light… they’re meteors… hundreds of them! Intense heat is turning Metaluna into a radioactive sun. Temperature must be… thousands of degrees by now. A lifeless planet. And yet… yet still serving a useful purpose, I hope. Yes, a sun. Warming the surface of some other world. Giving light to those who may need it. Now, into the converter tubes! Ruth, you take the first tube. You the next.
Dr. Cal Meacham: What about you?
Exeter: I’ll use the third tube.
Cast of characters
- Jeff Morrow (The Giant Claw) … Exeter.
- Faith Domergue (Cult of the Cobra) … Dr. Ruth Adams. The female protagonist.
- Rex Reason (The Creature Walks Among Us) … Dr. Cal Meacham. The male protagonist. Brilliant scientist, who’s unwittingly given an IQ test by an advanced civilization. Which he passes, and opens the door to what comes next.
- Lance Fuller (God’s Little Acre) … Brack
- Russell Johnson (Gilligan’s Island, Attack of the Crab Monsters) … Dr. Steve Carlson
- Douglas Spencer (The Thing from Another World) … The Monitor
- Robert Nichols (The Thing from Another World) … Joe Wilson. Carl’s assistant and friend.
- Karl Ludwig Lindt … Dr. Adolph Engelborg
Trivia
- Released June 15, 1955.
- In a magazine article, the special effects department admitted that the “mutant” costume originally had legs that matched the upper body. They had so much trouble making the legs look and work properly they were forced by studio deadline to have the mutant wear a pair of trousers. Movie posters show the mutant as it was supposed to appear.
- Some props were re-used from Abbott and Costello Go to Mars.
Product Description
Prepare to blast off from planet Earth in one of the most popular classic sci-fi films of all time! When atomic scientist Dr. Meacham (Rex Reason) is chosen to take part in a top-secret research experiment in a remote lab, he quickly discovers that he is really involved in an evil scheme by alien Metalunans to take over Earth. After he and the gorgeous Dr. Adams (Faith Domergue) make their escape shortly before the lab explodes, they are whisked away in a flying saucer to Metaluna, where they are blamed for the destruction. Will interstellar negotiation save the day or will the scientists be forced to take part in a treacherous battle to the death? Featuring incredible special effects that were 2 1/2 years in the making, this is one adventure that you have to see to believe!
