I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Gene Fowler Jr.

Writer:

Louis Vittes (writer)

Release Date:

October 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The bride wore terror!

Plot:

Aliens from Outer Space are slowly switching places with real humans -- one of the first being a young man about to get married...

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Planet | Marriage | Fiancee | Alcohol

Cast

Tom Tryon	...	Bill Farrell
Gloria Talbott	...	Marge Bradley Farrell
Peter Baldwin	...	Officer Frank Swanson
Robert Ivers	...	Harry Phillips
Chuck Wassil	...	Ted Hanks
Ty Hardin	...	Mac Brody (as Ty Hungerford)
Ken Lynch	...	Dr. Wayne
John Eldredge	...	Police Captain H.B. Collins
Alan Dexter	...	Sam Benson
James Anderson	...	Weldon
Jean Carson	...	Helen Alexander Benson
Jack Orrison	...	Officer Schultz
Steve London	...	Charles Mason
Max 'Slapsie Maxie' Rosenbloom	...	Max Grady (bartender)

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1959) | USA:Unrated | Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The dogs who attack the undisguised aliens near the end of the film were initially too scared to approach the costumed actors. The dogs were then acclimated to the presence of the suited actors - perhaps too well, for when the time came to shoot the scene of the dogs attacking the aliens, the dogs didn't attack the aliens, but jumped playfully around and on them instead. The dogs were then trained to go for the "breathing tubes" on the alien costumes. Apparently, the actors playing the aliens had to guide the dogs to attack the "breathing tubes."

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Marge leaves Captain Collins' office after her second plea for help, the shadow of dollying camera equipment is visible on the wall and floor.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Woman in Bar: Those guys ain't even giving us a hard look.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Indiana Jones 4: The Return of a Legend (2008) (V)

Thunder, Dogs, and Oxygen...A few of My Least Favorite Things!

A pretty good 50's sci-fi film about aliens in need of a home. Their planet is destroyed, their female population is dead, and they scout Earth to see if it is right for them. The film mirrors Invasion of the Body Snatchers in many ways. A woman is out to prove an alien existence whilst no one believes her and aliens-looking-like-humans surround her. Gloria Talbott is the unfortunate bride to an alien. She gives a good performance and looks stunning. Tom Tryon, later the best-selling author of The Other, does an admirable job as an alien learning to adjust to human form yet still very alien in his approach with dealing with "inferior" life forms. Ken Lynch, of McCloud fame, also has a nice role as a doctor. Director Gene Fowler does many things right. He creates some tension early on in the film, delivers some eerie and atmospheric shots, and keeps the pace brisk. the special effect are quite good at times with the alien design being one of the better ones used in the 50's and laughable at times with a fake mist shrouding victims and in particular an early scene of a car hitting an obvious mannequin. Notwithstanding this the film is certainly one of the better alien sci-fi films of the 50's.