Action

Science Fiction

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

Clover Productions

Columbia Pictures

United States of America

English

Hugh Marlowe

Joan Taylor

Donald Curtis

Morris Ankrum

Thomas Browne Henry

Grandon Rhodes

John Zaremba

Paul Frees

Frank Wilcox

Sydney Mason

Larry J. Blake

Bert Stevens

Forbes Murray

Arthur Tovey

Alan Wells

Nicky Blair

Jimmy Cross

Jack Deery

Charles Evans

Raoul Freeman

James Gonzalez

Duke Green

Ed Haskett

Clark Howat

Harry Lauter

Don Marlowe

William Meader

Sol Murgi

William J. O'Brien

Murray Pollack

Mike Ragan

Alan Reynolds

Dale Van Sickel

Guy Way

Bob Whitney

Beal Wong

William Woodson

Fred F. Sears

Donald E. Keyhoe

Curt Siodmak

George Worthing Yates

Bernard Gordon

Ray Harryhausen

Fred Jackman Jr.

Paul Palmentola

Danny B. Landres

Sidney Clifford

Gene Anderson Jr.

Russ Kelley

J.S. Westmoreland

Jack Erickson

Leon Chooluck

Charles H. Schneer

Sam Katzman

Restrained but still an effective piece of sci-fi pie.

Reports of flying saucers start coming in thick and fast until sure enough alien invaders begin to attack the Earth. Focal point of their attack is the U.S. Space Programe, can hero in waiting Russel Marvin conjure up a defence weapon to save the day?

Obviously a template for many an alien invader film since its release, Earth Vs The Flying Saucers never quite reaches the heights that perhaps it should have. Bogged down by maudlin scripting and restricted by its budget, it often hints at what a great picture it could have been. The lead cast are poor and this hurts the film even more, Hugh Marlowe as Russell Marvin bores us with the scientific speak when really he should be fascinating us, whilst scream queen duties fall to poor Joan Greenwood who forgets that she is actually supposed to emit some sort of terror when the alien hordes attack! However, on the plus side the aliens themselves are certainly creepy enough to grab your notice, Ray Harryhausen's flying saucers animation is of course top dollar for its time, whilst the final battle across Washington DC is classic gold, an all buzzing assault with splurges of death rays at every turn.

An important film in the pantheon of the genre for sure, but it's just a tad too restrained for its own good. 6/10

CinemaSerf

This is another enjoyable little 1950s sci-fi movie with scientist Hugh Marlowe ("Dr.Marvin") and Joan Taylor, his wife "Carol", having to use all their wits guile to save the planet from an alien race who want to invade the Earth and enslave us all. Despite their vastly superior technology our resourceful team work frantically to come up with a very effectively portable, if almost as destructive, solution. The visual effects are quite remarkable for the time, with some input from Ray Harryhausen, and the action is well shot and paced. The end is never in doubt (we are all still here!) but it's a fun ride for eighty minutes of ray guns and competent acting.

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers ≣ 1956 ≣ Trailer

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) Original Trailer [HD]

Joe Dante on EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS

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Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Hugh Marlowe

Joan Taylor

Donald Curtis

Morris Ankrum

Thomas Browne Henry

Grandon Rhodes

John Zaremba

Paul Frees

Frank Wilcox

Sydney Mason

Box office

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