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It Came from Outer Space | Year: 1953 Classification: Science Fiction Directed: - Jack Arnold Actors/Actresses: - Richard Carlson - Barbara Rush The DVD Falls Just Short of Meteoric This is a wonderful movie, even in the flat 2-D we are offered on this DVD. I've actually never seen this movie in its original 3-D splendor, but I've been told it was stunning. The story is, by today's standards, typical for the 1950's science fiction film. Handsome, rugged scientist (Richard Carlson of Creature From The Black Lagoon fame) and beautiful girlfriend (Barbara Rush) witness a meteor crashing to ground in the Arizona desert, only to learn it is a spacecraft from another world. No one believes them until people begin to disappear, and later return as almost robotic zombies. But this story was based on a Ray Bradburry short story, and that story, combined with wonderful script writing, takes this from a bland sci-fi popcorn muncher to a thinking man's (at least on the B-grade movie level) story of paranoia and terror that ultimately shows the weaknesses, and the strenths, in humankind. What most young people today don't realize is that this film was a first of many kinds. It was the first science fiction movie to portray aliens as anything but blood thirsty. It was the first of the desert sci-fi films. It was one of the first films to use the theremin for the eerie, wavering, electronic music we all associate with science fiction films from that era. It's the first time a movie used the perspective of the "monster", by letting us see through its cyclopian eye. The lonely desert landscapes are almost alien in themselves, sweeping and harsh, and seen many times in the long shadows and gray light of dusk. The soundtrack is mono that has been encoded to stereo, which sound wonderful on a home stereo system. The acting is top notch, and the special effects, though dated, have that comic book Buck Roger's feel that was bigger than life in the 1950's. The extras here are nice, as well. There's a really nice documentary about the movie and a few other films in the same genre. There's a audio commentary with film historian Tom Weaver. There also a nice photograph and poster gallery, as well as the theatrical trailer, production notes, and a brief cast and filmakers section. The only reason I don't give this DVD five STARS is because they didn't include a 3-D version of the movie. Maybe that's asking too much for the ... price tag, but darnit, Univeral has been so commited to releasing wonderful horror and sci-fi gems to DVD in wonderfully restored condition, that I can't help but wonder why it was decided not to offer this rare and exciting way of viewing the movie. Especially after the glowing way it is described in the docummentary included on the DVD. What a missed opportunity for Univeral and for the fans of this wonderful movie. That aside, this is a lovely package and a wonderful edition to any science fiction film fans collection. Interesting effort in the 1950's Sci Fi genre I always find the 1950's Sci Fi efforts a pleasure to watch and despite being the target of many modern day reviewers commenting on the early special effects and out dated dialogue/situations. I think that their freshness and innocence in a way is their most appealing quality compared to todays extravagant and special effects filled opus's which dont contain half as much interest in my belief. "It Came From Outer Space" benefits from alot of expert assistance in all those areas that make a production memorable to watch. It has veteran director Jack Arnold, an expert in telling convincing and often intelligent sci fi stories during this period, expert location photography set in the arid desert regions that add tremendously to the eerie qualities of the story, and a haunting musical score that really adds a sense of possible menace to the proceedings. The film benefits greatly from also displaying a slight variation on the usual invading monsters from outer space theme. Here the visitors are not necessarily violent or evil, simply travellors who have had to stop on Earth to carry out much needed repairs and are not wanting to bother anyone before they get on their way. This variation makes for an interesting premise and is well served in the story where dedicated star watcher John Putnam with his girlfriend Ellen Fields witnesses what seems like a gigantic meteor crashing in the desert near his home but on closer examination discover that a space craft has landed and been covered over by falling rocks. The story builds pace as John can't convince the townspeople that there are aliens among them even after one by one the locals are being replaced by duplicates to help on the repairs to the space ship. Richard Carlson and Barbara Rush as the two leads here do a great job as the pair who know the truth and try desperately to warn everyone about the possible danger that has developed. Carlson, normally a fairly bland actor as a rule in my belief, here gives an excellent account of himself and his encounters with the alien duplicates are quite scary and handled with finesse. The aliens of this story also are displayed in a much more original way than most of your 1950's monsters are. Here alot of the action involving them is seen through their eyes which gives the scenes of their encountering humans a strange surreal quality. The shots of the aliens seemingly floating over moving cars are very well staged and keep the tensions rising all the time. While not the best of the 1950's alien films it still is an entertaining watch and benefits from above average performances by the leads and a marked lack of tentacled creatures etc, so common in this period of film making. You will enjoy "It Came From Outer Space" where for once humans are revealed as the villians who are quick to jump to conclusions and not prepared to understand others that are different to themselves. It's an interesting slant on an old story and handled here wit Surprisingly Good! When I first saw this film last November, I was expecting your average alien film where people are attacked by hostile aliens. Was I ever wrong! Instead of hostile aliens, you have aliens who landed on earth by mistake and have to shapeshift into human beings so they can get the necessary tools and supplies they need to repair their ship. Buy It Came From Outer Space at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on It Came From Outer Space Search with the Priority Search Engine on It Came From Outer Space This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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