Kronos (1957)

Aliens from another world send a huge robotic accumulator to invade the Earth and absorb all energy it comes in contact with.

Director:

Kurt Neumann

Writers:

Lawrence L. Goldman (screenplay) (as Lawrence Louis Goldman), Irving Block (story)

Stars:

Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jeff Morrow	...	Dr. Leslie Gaskell
Barbara Lawrence	...	Vera Hunter
John Emery	...	Dr. Hubbell Eliot
George O'Hanlon	...	Dr. Arnold Culver
Morris Ankrum	...	Dr. Albert Stern
Kenneth Alton	...	McCrary - The Pickup Driver
John Parrish	...	Gen. Perry
Jose Gonzales-Gonzales	...	Manuel Ramirez (as Jose G. Gonzales)
Richard Harrison	...	Pilot
Marjorie Stapp	...	Nurse
Robert Shayne	...	Air Force General
Don Eitner	...	Weather Operator (as Donald Eitner)
Gordon Mills	...	Sergeant
John Halloran	...	Lab Central Security Guard

Storyline

Scientists investigate what appears to be a meteorite that crashes into the ocean. After a few days and nights of mysterious lights and noises, a giant machine comes out of the ocean. The machine is the creation of an alien race, that is trying to syphon energy from earth. A true classic, in that it is so different from anything in the time period. To this day, nothing else has come out like it.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | robot | evil robot | hydrogen bomb | pilot | 

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Taglines:

Conqueror of the Universe!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The communication console and screen from Klaatu's saucer featured in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) can be seen directly in the background of Labcentral's "Astro Physics" Laboratory where Vera Hunter and Dr. Hubbell Eliot have their confrontation. A map of the world has been placed behind the glass.

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Goofs

When Les and Arnie are watching the telescope's view plate, they can clearly see an obvious spacecraft moving in a zig-zag pattern. They repeatedly refer to it as an "asteroid."

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Quotes

Dr. Leslie Gaskell: Do you think you'll be able to respect a husband that probably pulled the scientific boner of all time?

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Connections

Featured in Black Holes (1995)

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Soundtracks

Something's Gotta Give
by Johnny Mercer
Heard as truck radio instrumental

User Reviews

Close encounter of a colossal kind

As must always be kept in mind while viewing classic SF cinema, one cannot and should not extricate a film from its historical context. Kronos is no exception. This is 1950's SF movie making at its marginal budgetary best.

Certainly the storyline taxes credibility, involving alien possession of humans, but the ETs at least have a practical purpose for invading than just doing it out of spite. Plus, the dirty work isn't accomplished with sundry flying saucers and blaster rays, but by a huge robot.

The acting is an uneven mixture of serious and melodramatic that oddly adds to the dark overtones of the fims early scenes. The dialogue, littered with quasi-scientific jargon, flows at near poetic tempo.

Ultimately, it is the clever resourcefulness of our nuclear-scientist heroes that wins the day. Now that has to be worth watching!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kronos: Ravager of Planets

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$160,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regal Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1