This Island Earth (1955)

Director:

Joseph M. Newman

Writers:

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

Release Date:

1 June 1955 (USA)

Genre:

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 | Doctor | Flying Saucer | Dying Planet

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)
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)

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:

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

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

After the dinner at the secret facility, what the German scientist says is: "Ladies and gentlemen, the meal was excellent, but after Mozart's marvelous music I need to be alone with myself for a while. Good evening."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the last scene of Cal and Ruth inside the small airplane, one sees not sky, but a blue matte process screen outside the plane.

Quotes:

Joe Wilson:Half an hour late. That's my boss - the only guy in the world who can travel by jet and still be late.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'War of the Worlds': Revisiting the Invasion (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: 2nd Movement

A Nice Sci Fi Movie of the Fifties

"This Island Earth" is not the greatest science fiction movie of all time, but it deserves more respect than it is often granted. The boys at MST3K (whom I think are great) may have done this film a great disservice. In its day, it was thoughtful, imaginative, and the special effects were excellent. I disagree with those who say there is no plot. The cold war fears and xenophobia were once again at the center of this fifties effort. The alien as our "friend" was later used in many settings, including one of the best of the "Twilight Zone" episodes, "To Serve Man."

I was young when I first saw this in a movie theater, but even then I found the home planet, Metaluma, very striking and its fate frightening. I fear that often our smugness in criticizing older films, judging them by standards that they could not have hoped to approach because of the limitations of the technology, keeps us from acceptance of their good points and their contributions. I have an acquaintance who can't watch the Maltese Falcon because it is in black and white. What a loss. The sets are striking in this film. The aliens are a bit of a stretch, but I still like what they are. I saw this movie a couple times in a theatre (not the MST version). As people left they were captivated and involved. When we left, we had had fun (not from ridiculing but enjoying). Granted there are no computer morphs and no giant metal bugs sucking brains out, but it is still good stuff.