Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

Extraterrestrials traveling in high-tech flying saucers contact a scientist as part of a plan to enslave the inhabitants of Earth.

Director:

Fred F. Sears

Writers:

Bernard Gordon (screenplay), George Worthing Yates (screenplay)

Stars:

Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Hugh Marlowe	...	Dr. Russell A. Marvin
Joan Taylor	...	Carol Marvin
Donald Curtis	...	Maj. Huglin
Morris Ankrum	...	Brig. Gen. John Hanley
John Zaremba	...	Prof. Kanter
Thomas Browne Henry	...	Vice Adm. Enright (as Tom Browne Henry)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Gen. Edmunds
Larry J. Blake	...	Motorcycle Cop (as Larry Blake)

Storyline

While driving through the desert with his wife Carol Marvin to a military base to send the eleventh rocket into Earth orbit to assist the exploration of outer space in Operation Sky Hook, Dr. Russell A. Marvin and Carol see a flying saucer and accidentally records a message on their tape recorder. Once in the base, Dr. Russell is informed by his father-in-law and general that the ten first satellites mysteriously fell back to Earth. When Dr. Russell decodes the message, he encounters the aliens, who ask him to schedule a meeting with the leaders of Earth in Washington in 56 days in order to invade Earth without panicking the population. Dr. Russell develops an anti-magnetic weapon that becomes the last hope of the human race against the hostile aliens.

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Plot Keywords:

sonic weapon | alien | rocket | flying saucer | invasion | 

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Taglines:

Warning! Take Cover! Flying Saucers Invade Our Planet! Washington, London, Paris, Moscow Fight Back!

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Invasion of the Flying Saucers

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch - 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Clover Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character or history of any persons, is entirely accidental and unintentional.

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Goofs

When the Marvins are trapped below ground after the attack on Skyhook, Dr. Marvin turns on a flashlight once the power goes out. However, whilst the light goes on, it casts no beam anywhere. Similarly, when Marvin later drives his car to his hotel in Washington, its headlights, whilst lit, cast no beams.

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Quotes

Russell Marvin: [into tape recorder] July 16, to Internal Security Commission, re: Sky Hook. Summary and progress report, from project director, Dr. Russell A. Marvin.
Carol Marvin: And Mrs. Dr. Russell A. Marvin, without whose inspiration and untiring criticism this report could never have been written.
Russell Marvin: Married two hours and already she's claiming community property!
[directs his attentions to her neck]
Carol Marvin: Now that you're married, Dr. Marlowe, you don't have to sneak up on me.
Russell Marvin: You always did have eyes in the back of your head.
Carol Marvin: ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in 21 Jump Street (2012)

User Reviews

Good Special Effects Effort Undone By Budget

A model of restrained, professional film making, EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS would be one of the best 50s sci-fi efforts had Columbia studios provided more of a budget. Hugh Malowe plays a scientist attempting to launch earth satellites. After repeated failures, he discovers that flying saucers are destroying his satellites. After the destruction of Cape Canaveral by the "saucermen," Marlowe discovers a method of "toppling" the anti-gravity saucers.

From there the story pretty much unravels. The "saucermen" give Marlowe and his team plenty of time to develop a weapon capable of defeating them. Worse, the final assault on Washington is as senseless and ineffectual as the typical US Presidential debate. The aliens pick virtually no targets of tactical or strategic importance. Ray Harryhausen's flying saucers, the alien's "exoskeletons" and sound effects in this movie are especially standout.