A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings.A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings.A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination
- Sgt. Baker
- (as Bill Phipps)
- Mrs. Wilson
- (uncredited)
- Kelston's Secretary
- (uncredited)
- Brainard - Wilson's Aide
- (uncredited)
- Old Cop Blaine Who Vanishes
- (uncredited)
- Mutant
- (uncredited)
- MP
- (uncredited)
- Mr. Turner
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Richard Blake
- John Tucker Battle(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaLuce Potter, one of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz (1939), played the Martian "head" enclosed in glass in the film. For years she received letters from fans of the movie telling her how much she had scared them as kids.
- GoofsThe same shot of a soldier manning a searchlight on a tower beside the side of a building is used in both the scene at the rocket base of the attempt to blow up the rocket, and (three times) in scenes in the field where the Martians landed: this latter use is particularly ridiculous because there is no such building as is seen behind the light tower in that location.
- Quotes
Mary MacLean: [waking up] What is it?
George MacLean: Well, ah, David says something landed in the field out back. It doesn't make sense, but he seems so convinced.
Mary MacLean: What do you mean "land"?
George MacLean: Well, he says he saw a bright light or something. He's not the type of boy that given to imagining things. After all the work at the plant is secret. And we have orders to report anything unusual. And there have been rumors.
Mary MacLean: Rumors?
George MacLean: Oh, Dear, you know I can't talk about it.
- Alternate versionsThe material added to the planetarium sequence for the British version includes a serious discussion of several American UFO incidents such as the Mantell case. Several UFO models, based on American UFO sightings, are also displayed and discussed.
- ConnectionsEdited into Batman: The Joker's Flying Saucer (1968)
But at a time when computerised sleight-of-hand can achieve the impossible in depiction of alien worlds, few modern science-fiction films can match the portrayal of a young boy's fear and wonderment of the unknown as depicted in the original version of Invaders from Mars.
Nostalgia probably has a lot to do with my affection for this film. Although the original release date of the film was before my time, even some years later the early 1960's Irish schoolboys were still endlessly fascinated with the possibility of flying saucers. And while we wanted to believe that there really was something out there, the Red Planet was seen as this great evil place which we had to be constantly wary of.
So I really do identify with Jimmy Hunt and his sense of wonder. But the film is more than just a festival for nostalgia-freaks.
The wonderful design and look of the film, those marvellous garish colours; the feeling of alienation (sorry) by Jimmy when it seems that not only can he not trust the local police but even his parents seem to be under the control of the aliens. And that wonderful ending when it seems that the nightmare will never end.
Of course you can pick faults: the master alien is rather ridiculous looking. And the scenes of the aliens running through the tunnels would never strike dread in you. But I'm sure the budget, even by the standards of the time was not much above Poverty Row. But these are minor quibbles. Its the overall impact that matters most. And the accurate portrayal of the concerns of the time.
I know there are many films of the 1950's which Americans maintain are allegories of the McCarthy witch-hunts and the Cold War. I don't know about that. But I do know that however much I may admire the computerised sci-fi films of the 80's and 90's, this film will always have a special place in my collection.
- Joseph_Gillis
- Apr 22, 2000
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $290,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 18 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1