This Island Earth (1955)

I have seen this film a few times over the last two years. I recently decided that it is much better than it apparently seems at first watching. My issue with the film is not the message which I think is very good, or the special effects which really do bear up under time (my 17 year old son commented on the good quality of the effects, much to my surprise), but with the unevenness of the story line. The way the transition between visiting aliens on earth and those same aliens in fear of extinction on their home world was handled did not work too well for me. Perhaps the fact that the film had two directors has something to do with my reaction. I don't know but feel there was a disconnect somewhere. Things did not flow in the film, but were abrupt in transitioning. I really like this film and wish that the people who made it gave it the chance that the people who will view it do. It could have been first rate. As it is I give it an 8 on the imdb scale. I think if anyone who likes the Sci- Fi genre gives this a chance they may agree with the strengths of the film as I see them or find something they too will like.

Fmovies: THIS ISLAND, EARTH is a classic, well made and engaging film from the golden age of science fiction. It stands well above most of its mid 1950s peers in terms of production values, scripting and especially wonderful special effects photography. A lot of care and skill went into creating the latter, and the result is durable even in comparison to the computer generated effects of today. One must remember that the film is approaching 50 years of age, and cannot reasonably be judged by today's standards. Detractors are quick to mention plot holes and dated acting. Perhaps the characterizations are a bit old fashioned and the plot suffers from lack of logic in a few spots. So what? Most all films will reveal plot errors if scrutinized, and in any case, the genre is called science fiction because it is fiction, not fact. The main purpose of any film is to entertain its audience, and THIS ISLAND, EARTH accomplishes that admirably. The entertainment value is superior to most (if not all) of the gore and profanity laced product served up as science fiction in the present day. It is a film that is rewarding and well worth the viewers time.

The electronic engineer Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) is a prominent scientist that is studying industrial application of nuclear energy and also a great pilot. One day, he receives a different condenser and soon his assistant Joe Wilson (Robert Nichols) receives a manual instruction and several components of a sophisticated machine. Carl and Joe build a communication apparatus and a man called Exeter (Jeff Morrow) contacts Carl. He tells that Carl has passed the test assembling the Interocitor and invites him to join his research. The intrigued Carl decides to travel to meet Exeter that sends an unmanned airplane to bring him to an isolated facility in Georgia. He is welcomed by Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) but she mysteriously does not recall their love affair in the past. They team-up with Dr. Steve Carlson (Russell Johnson) and they note that the other scientists in the facility have been transformed, having a weird behavior. They decide to flee in a car, but they are attacked by rays and Steve dies. Carl and Ruth also witness the facility blowing-up and they escape in an airplane. However they are pulled up into a flying saucer and realize that Exeter is an alien. Whal is the objective of the aliens?

"This Island Earth" is an entertaining sci-fi from the 50's, with a story of aliens that need help from the Earthling scientists in their war against another planet. For a film made sixty years ago, the special effects, the monster, sets and scenarios are great. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Guerra Entre Planetas" ("War Between Planets")

Note: On 17 November 2017 I saw this film again.

This Island Earth fmovies. Guess I'll have to watch MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE to find out what is so bad about THIS ISLAND EARTH. The film is intriguingly plotted, beautifully photographed, and has excellent (even by contemporary standards) art direction, costume design and special effects. So what if Rex Reason sounds as if he was dubbed (he always sounds that way), and some of the other performances seem a bit stilted. The Metaluna Mutant was the most memorable outer space monster until ALIEN.

I can only recall one technical error in the film. After the interociter (communicator) has been reduced to molten metal, Rex Reason picks up a Geiger counter and says, "It's no longer radioactive." There IS no set up for this (i.e., when it proved to be radioactive).

I'd certainly rate this film in the top ten of the best science fiction films of the fifties (probably in the top five). It's philosophical, exciting and well made.

I saw this film for the first time when I was about 10 years old and it has always stuck with me and when I saw it was on video I bought it immediately. I think that this is more than a B picture and what people have to remember is the fact that this film was made before all the great advances in special effects. Another thing that made it interesting was the fact that through the first half of the film you really didn't know if Exeter was human or alien. It wasn't until the second half of the film that we did see there was more to this mysterious group. This film is definitely an underrated classic of its era.

This was the Star Wars of the 1950's. What movie are these people watching when they say there is no story? This is great escapist fun, filled with flying saucers, aliens, monsters and explosions! Some movies are just meant to be viewed *surprise* as entertainment! Kick back, turn off your brain, relax and watch a fun movie and be entertained by the lumbering bug eyed monsters! Sure, Rex Reason (cool name) is a walking totem pole, and Faith sure does scream a lot, but that's what women did in the 50's when they were being carried away by a scary monster. The effects are pretty good for its time, and the whole picture is a great time capsule about where we were mid-century when space was unexplored, and the flying saucer craze was still going on.