This Island Earth (1955)

Director:

Joseph M. Newman

Writers:

Raymond F. Jones (story)
Franklin Coen (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 June 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The supreme excitement of our time!

Plot:

Aliens come to Earth seeking scientists to help them in their war.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Alien | Flying Saucer | Dying Planet | Doctor

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeff Morrow	...	Exeter
Faith Domergue	...	Dr. Ruth Adams
Rex Reason	...	Dr. Cal Meacham
Lance Fuller	...	Brack
Russell Johnson	...	Steve Carlson
Douglas Spencer	...	The Monitor of Metaluna
Robert Nichols	...	Joe Wilson
Karl Ludwig Lindt	...	Dr. Adolph Engelborg (as Karl L. Lindt)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Byron	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Spencer Chan	...	Dr. Hu Ling Tang (uncredited)
Richard Deacon	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Coleman Francis	...	Express Deliveryman (uncredited)
Marc Hamilton	...	Metaluna Inhabitant (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edward Ingram	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Charlotte Lander	...	Metaluna Woman at Decompression Console (uncredited)
Orangey	...	Neutron (uncredited)
Regis Parton	...	Mutant (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Olan Soule	...	First Reporter (uncredited)
Les Spears	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lizalotta Valesca	...	Dr. Marie Pitchener (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Webb (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph M. Newman		(as Joseph Newman)

Writing credits
Raymond F. Jones		(story "The Alien Machine")
Franklin Coen		(screenplay) and
Edward G. O'Callaghan		(screenplay)

Produced by
William Alland	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini		(uncredited)
Hans J. Salter		(uncredited)
Herman Stein		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Clifford Stine

Film Editing by
Virgil W. Vogel		(as Virgil Vogel)

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
Richard H. Riedel

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Julia Heron

Costume Design by
Rosemary Odell		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sergei Petschnikoff	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Frank	....	assistant director
George Lollier	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Robert Pritchard	....	sound

Special Effects by
David S. Horsley	....	special photography
Clifford Stine	....	special photography
Cleo E. Baker	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roswell A. Hoffmann	....	optical printing (as Roswell A. Hoffman)
Frank Tipper	....	effects animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor

Other crew
William Fritzsche	....	technicolor color consultant
Dianna Cyrus Bixby	....	aircraft pilot (uncredited)
Robert Hickman	....	mutant constructor (uncredited)
Dorothy Hughes	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jack Kevan	....	mutant constructor (uncredited)
Chris Mueller	....	mutant constructor (uncredited)
Milicent Patrick	....	mutant designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pioneer (1992) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer LDC (1994) (Japan) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Bounty Films (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• MCA Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Ostalgica Film - Andreas Bierschenk (2012) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Bloodlust in Outer Space" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | West Germany:12 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17098)

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

There was a sequel to this film in the works in 1956. Screenwriter Franklin Coen and producer William Alland submitted a script titled "Aliens In The Skies" to Universal Pictures, and for a short time it was announced as in "pre-production development" at the studio. However, the studio boss, Edward Muhl, shot down their proposal when he looked over the proposed budget for the film, to be shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope, and to co-star Rex Reason and Faith Domergue reprising their roles, to be released in 1957. It was too expensive, he said. Muhl's idea of a science-fiction movie in the 1950s was a cheaply-made B-movie with a monster in it for the kids.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ruth's hair is flat and wet when she and Cal jump into a lake, but looks damp and curly moments after.

Quotes:

Exeter:Yes, they're concentrating all their attention on Metaluna. Those flashes of light... they're meteors... hundreds of them! Intense heat is turning Metaluna into a radioactive sun. Temperature must be... thousands of degrees by now. A lifeless planet. And yet... yet still serving a useful purpose, I hope. Yes, a sun. Warming the surface of some other world. Giving light to those who may need it. Now, into the converter tubes! Ruth, you take the first tube. You the next.
Dr. Cal Meacham:What about you?
Exeter:I'll use the third tube.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Mars Attacks! (1996)

Soundtrack:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: 2nd Movement

Loved it at age 11; still find it great at 56.

When it came out, I thought this was the most fantastic movie I'd ever seen. It was easy to identify with the lead character and to share his fascination with the technology that the aliens used to capture his attention and recruit his talents. I particularly remember being entranced by the special effects; the use of vivid color was outstanding among sci-fi offerings of the time. 45 years later, it's still my favorite of the era. I enjoy watching the movie on video and recalling the thrill of seeing it on the big screen for the first time.