Invasion of the Star Creatures
Invasion of the Star Creatures (1961) is one of those movies that has a good premise, but a lousy execution.
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Science Fiction
Donovan’s Brain
Donovan’s Brain (1953), starring Lew Ayres, Gene Evans, Steve Brodie, Nancy Reagan Davis
Synopsis of Donovan’s Brain
In Donovan’s Brain, when a rich, selfish, multimillionaire is critically wounded in a plane crash, a nearby doctor uses an experimental procedure to preserve his brain after the death of the body. And Donovan’s brain survives … and thrives … and controls .. and kills.
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The Terrornauts
The Terrornauts (1967) starring Simon Oates, Stanley Meadows, Zena Marshall
In short, The Terrornauts looks and feels like a bad 1960’s episode of Dr. Who — which is disappointing, since the first third or so of the film was very promising.
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Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), starring Hugh Marlow, Joan Taylor, special effects by Ray Harryhausen
Synopsis of Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Dr. Russell Marvin heads up Operation Skyhook, which is tasked with sending rockets into the upper atmosphere to probe for future space flights. Unfortunately, all the rockets are somehow disappearing. While investigating this strange occurrence, Russell and his new assistant/wife Carol Marvin are abducted by a flying saucer, where the aliens demand to meet with certain people in order to negotiate. But it was a trick; the aliens only wanted to kill them. The invasion has begun and if Russell and Carol can’t find a way to get past their defenses and stop these creatures, it may be the end of the human race.
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It Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space (1953) starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake, Russell Johnson
It Came from Outer Space (1953) – After seeing a spaceship crash into the desert, a local writer is treated like an insane person – until people start acting out of character, and heading to the old mine shaft …
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The Day Mars Invaded Earth
The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963), starring Kent Taylor, Marie Windsor
The Day Mars Invaded Earth isn’t a cheesy monster movie — but a subtle one. It’s an invasion that happens so gradually, that the characters, and the audience, isn’t sure at first that anything is going on. It’s in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but in my opinion, more subtle, and therefore more frightening.If you think “ashes in the pool,” you’re thinking of this movie — and if that means nothing to you, that simply means that you haven’t seen the movie yet. And I won’t spoil your viewing pleasure by explaining what that means in this review.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World
movie review of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1960) starring Michael Rennie, Claude Rains, Jill St. John, Fernando Lamas
This is the Irwin Allen version of the movie, where the “dinosaurs” are plainly lizards with fins and horns attached, making the “frightening” monsters laughable. And that’s a crying shame. The acting is fine, and the interaction between the various A-list actors (Michael Rennie, Claude Rains, Fernando Lamas, Jill St. John, David Hedison) is one of the best things about the movie. It should also be said that, despite the title, the movie takes large liberties with the basic story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, in the original novel, there were no female characters at all.
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Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet (1956) starring Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis
What can be said about Forbidden Planet that hasn’t been said already? It was a beloved part of my childhood. And it has become part of my children’s childhood as well. What makes is such an enduring story?
Deep Space
Deep Space (1988) starring Charles Napier, Ann Turkel, Ron Glass, Julie Newmar
The question is not, is Deep Space a cheesy rip-off of Aliens? — because, of course, it is. The question is, how did these actors get into a movie this bad?
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Journey to the Seventh Planet
Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962) starring John Agar, Greta Thyssen
Synopsis of Journey to the Seventh Planet
Journey to the Seventh Planet is a campy science fiction movie. It’s set in the “distance future” of 2001. In this utopia, the United Nations now rules the planet. And poverty and war are gone. Humanity now has the resources to explore their solar system. By this time, humanity has explored most of the solar system. Except for the seventh planet, Uranus. So they send a team to explore … But instead of a lifeless world, they find … a Danish village?