I love this movie so much

Overrated

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The planet Metaluna is desperate need of Uranium to power its defense . As Aliens led by Exeter , Jeff Morrow , come to Earth seeking scientists to help them against enemy invaders . Two scientific , Rex Reason Faith Domergue , are deceived , menaced , abducted and transported from earth to a weird and ruined planet where occurs explosion and destruction.As our heroes are theatened by unknown forces .Acceptable Scifi movie has thrills , intricate gadgetry , emotion , FX ahead of their time and super mutant monsters .This classic and rare Sci-Fi is considered to be the first serious film about interplanetary escapades .It contains primitive special effects and abundant matte painting . Including passable effects of a flying saucer based on a famous picture of an unidenfitied flying object UFO . Mediocre interpretation by an average cast. Starred by little known actors as Rex Reason as a nuclear scientist , Jeff Morrow as the rare alien , and the beautiful Faith Domergue as a nuclear fission expert who screams lustily . Other secondaries are given little to do such as Lance Fuller , Russell Johnson , Douglas Spencer and Richard Deacon . Here stands out the decent makeup by Bud Westmore creating pulsating cranium FX makeup on a gigantic and ugly Alien monster. Although some reviewers felt that the mutant utterly ruined an otherwise acceptable film . It was shown in US drive-in on a double bill with another classic Scfi titled Forfidden planet . Strange but appropriate musical score from Herman Stein , Hans J Salter and Henry Mancini . Colorful cinematography in brilliant technicolor , by Clifford Stine , as technical details are presented in convincing enough fashion , being the only technicolor scifi movie Universal-International ever made .This genuine and decent science fiction was well produced by Willian Alland and professionally directed by Joseph M Newman . He was a prolific craftsman who made all kinds of genres as drama , gangster movie , Film Noir , adventure , such as : Tarzan ,Jungle patrol , The king of the roaring 20s the story of Arnold Rothstein , Love nest , Great Dan Patch and , of course , Science Fiction with this vintage film of the fifties titled This island earth. Rating : 6/10 , decent movie . Essential and indispensable watching for SciFi buffs . Well worth seeing.

This film is worthy of a higher rating. Apart from including some fine special effects of the times, "This Island Earth" has a good story and a good performance from Jeff Morrow. The acting from the younger leads wasn't so impressive, granted. Regardless, there is much to enjoy. The film includes a rather creepy alien villain! As a 7 year old, I was a bit spooked when I saw the alien for the first time. My late father and I enjoyed "This Island Earth" a few times as my dad was just about old enough to remember this film. The dialogue certainly isn't the worst I have ever heard by a long way. This film has a more intelligent screenplay than the average.

Many thanks for the superb print. The Technicolor process was breath taking. This Island Earth 1955, a Universal International release Was Directed by Joseph Newman, Screenplay by Franklyn Coen, from a story by Raymond Jones. Spoiler Alert; Plot details will be discussed: Its a Classic that rarely gets screened. If you have the chance to see it, do so. The Film stared Rex Reason as Dr Cal Meacham, a hard boiled, jet flying Nuclear Scientist. His Lady associate Dr Ruth, played by Faith Domergue, looked sensational. looking less sensational yet heavily made up, is the mysterious Exeter, played by Jeff Morrow. He's the one who sent Cal, the equivalence of an integrated circuit in the fifties, or in this case a Super resistor. Let us not forget that it was 1954, a year before this film was made, that the newly invented Transistor went into production. I was seven in 1955, This was the movie my parents would not take me to. but I do recall the Bug Eyed Monster on the movie poster. It became iconic for the genera , copied with variation in Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) and Mars Attacks Playing cards. 1994, and Tim Burton's movie (1996) The other iconic image was the flying saucer, up till this movie, the subject of cheesy special effects. Starting with the movie, "The Flying Saucer" (1950). Here we get an attempt at making it more than just a Frisbee an attempt to make it a interstellar vessel. The Saucer here was to be out done one year later with MGM's "The Forbidden Planet, released in 1956.(a better movie for many reasons). I recall ordering and receiving the paperback This Island Earth, before I saw the movie, at a revival theater in NY, The book impressed me, particularly in the opening chapters where the Doctor puts together his first Interocetor. There was a craze of "Build it yourself" products, like quartz radios, and more advanced, tube TV's. I liked the concept of building fantastic machines, over, the later introduced plot line of dictators who follow orders. concept. The title, "This Island Earth" Seems to want to allude to the "Islands in the Pacific that were used in World War Two. The Pacific islands were used as stepping stones to win the war. But sadly it doesn't manifest itself in this movie that follows a more common B movie theme; "Interplantary war is Hell" Leading to the madly declared "We must re populate on your planet, that we will conquer" The low budget movie "Killers from Space" 1954 shared more plot points, to This Island Earth, than a copy write lawyer could shake a stick at. In its attempt to show audiences wonders they had never seen before, This Island Earth breaks more rules of physics in the process. Big explosions in space where there should be no sound, friction flaming the saucer like a marshmallow in space, The movie is special and precious. but it was never meant to be funny, I can not watch this without channeling the spirit of Robin Williams, may he rest in peace. Some where in Mork, is Exeter. I like the visual presentation even if the intellectual discourse on the nature of insane leaders is weak. The visuals is about travel and adventure. The color sequences cover the rainbow. We get a taste of the animation and Matte work, that would be so impressive in Forbidden Planet. The scope of the plot races to get us there and back again, as expediently as possible. Faith Domergue's form fitting outfit did wonders for the plot. and those poor Mutants got the short end of scary, used in only two scenes. This was the movie to take your kids to. though they might be board with the cover up plot, and the romance stuff. This is a Nine out of Ten Technicolor Stars.

This is somehow an unforgettable movie perhaps because its visual was so unusual. The premise of the story was also original, and had more intelligence than the average science fiction of the time.Metaluna, a dying planet sends an envoy called Exeter to earth, hoping to get permission to mine earth's uranium to provide energy for their planet's defense system. But they do this in an unconventional way compared to other alien themed movie. The alien Exeter arrives covertly and established a posh residence among humans, mingling only with scientist of their choosing. Exeter's way of establishing contact is rather unorthodox. He sends parts that is beyond earth's industrial manufacturing capability to a scientist. Next he sends a complete instruction on how to make a communications device to talk to him. Dr. Meacham who's one of the recipient accepts his invitation and visits his mansion.Fast forward a bit in story, Meacham, and Dr. Ruth Adams are on their way to Metaluna. The planet is under attack, and their only hope is to immigrate to earth, but their planned method is not peaceful.The story is totally apocalyptic, and perhaps the creators of this movie had a warning message against nuclear holocaust that was one of the new topic of the post war America. Story is not complex but the delivery is brutal in its depiction, and has a unique kind of terror to it that's different from any other kind of science fiction movie. That is the value of this movie and why I think it continues to have fans after half a century has passed since its making.The producers may have been a closet UFO buffs, as the saucer in this movie is designed after the UFO that was sighted over California in the '50s. That kind of personal interest on their part is probably what made the movie so intriguing watch. Not a masterpiece from a production point of view but but stands out because the ideas, and presentation was so original and shocking.