Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
| Earth vs. the Flying Saucers | |
|---|---|
|
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| Directed by | Fred F. Sears |
| Produced by | Charles H. Schneer |
| Written by |
Curt Siodmak George Worthing Yates Bernard Gordon Raymond T. Marcus |
| Based on |
Flying Saucers from Outer Space 1953 book by Donald Keyhoe |
| Starring |
Hugh Marlowe Joan Taylor |
| Music by | Mischa Bakaleinikoff |
| Cinematography | Fred Jackman Jr. |
| Edited by | Danny B. Landres |
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Production
company |
Clover Productions
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| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,250,000 (US rentals) |
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (a.k.a. Invasion of the Flying Saucers and Flying Saucers from Outer Space) is a 1956 American black-and-white science fiction film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Charles H. Schneer, directed by Fred F. Sears, that stars Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers was released on a double bill with The Werewolf
The film's storyline was suggested by the bestselling, non-fiction book Flying Saucers from Outer Space by Maj. Donald Keyhoe.
The film's stop-motion animation special effects were created by Ray Harryhausen.
Scientist Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) and his new bride Carol (Joan Taylor) are driving to work when a flying saucer appears overhead. Without proof of the encounter, other than a tape recording of the ship's sound, Dr. Marvin is hesitant to notify his superiors. He is in charge of Project Skyhook, an American space program that has already launched 10 research satellites into orbit. General Hanley (Morris Ankrum), Carol's father, informs Marvin that many of the satellites have since fallen back to Earth. Marvin admits that he has lost contact with all of them and privately suspects alien involvement. The Marvins then witness the 11th falling from the sky shortly after launch.
When a saucer lands at Skyhook the next day, a group of aliens in metallic suits exit, and the infantry guards open fire, resulting in the death of one alien, while others and the saucer are protected by a force field. The aliens proceed to kill everyone at the facility but the Marvins; General Hanley is captured and taken away in the saucer. Too late, Russell discovers and decodes a message on his tape recorder: the aliens wanted to meet with Dr. Marvin and landed in peace at Skyhook for that purpose, but instead, they were met with violence. Impatient to conduct that meeting after everything has gone sideways, Marvin contacts the aliens and steals away to meet them, followed closely by Carol and Major Huglin (Donald Curtis). They and a pursuing motorcycle patrol officer are taken aboard a saucer, where the aliens extract knowledge directly from the General's brain. The aliens explain they are last of their species, having fled from their destroyed solar system. They have shot down all the launched satellites, fearing them as weapons. As proof of their power, the aliens give Dr. Marvin the coordinates of a naval destroyer that opened fire on them, and which they have since destroyed. Horrified by the cold, unempathic nature of the aliens, Carol begins to break down, and the patrol officer, despite an attempt by Marvin to stop him, pulls his revolver and fires on the aliens; he is subjected to the same mind control process as General Hanley. The alien explains that they will eventually return General Hanley and the patrol officer. As the interaction continues, Carol becomes increasingly irrational, while Marvin tries to remain calm. Major Huglin and the Marvins are released with the message that the aliens want to meet with the world's leaders in 56 days in Washington, D.C. to negotiate an occupation of Earth.
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Wikipedia