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It! The Terror from Beyond Space

  • 1958
  • Approved
  • 1h 9m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
6.1K
YOUR RATING
Ray Corrigan, Shirley Patterson, and Marshall Thompson in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
The first manned expedition to Mars is decimated by an unknown life form which stows away on the rescue ship.
Play trailer1:12
1 Video
53 Photos
HorrorSci-FiThriller

The first manned expedition to Mars is invaded by an unknown life form, which stows away on the rescue ship.The first manned expedition to Mars is invaded by an unknown life form, which stows away on the rescue ship.The first manned expedition to Mars is invaded by an unknown life form, which stows away on the rescue ship.

  • Director
    • Edward L. Cahn
  • Writer
    • Jerome Bixby
  • Stars
    • Marshall Thompson
    • Shirley Patterson
    • Kim Spalding
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    6.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Edward L. Cahn
    • Writer
      • Jerome Bixby
    • Stars
      • Marshall Thompson
      • Shirley Patterson
      • Kim Spalding
    • 144User reviews
    • 76Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:12
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    Photos53

    It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Ray Corrigan in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Ann Doran, Paul Langton, Shirley Patterson, and Marshall Thompson in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Ray Corrigan in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Ray Corrigan in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Shirley Patterson and Kim Spalding in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Robert Bice in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
    Ann Doran, Shirley Patterson, and Kim Spalding in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marshall Thompson
    Marshall Thompson
    • Col. Edward Carruthers
    Shirley Patterson
    Shirley Patterson
    • Ann Anderson
    • (as Shawn Smith)
    Kim Spalding
    • Col. Van Heusen
    Ann Doran
    Ann Doran
    • Mary Royce
    Dabbs Greer
    Dabbs Greer
    • Eric Royce
    Paul Langton
    Paul Langton
    • Lt. James Calder
    Robert Bice
    Robert Bice
    • Maj. John Purdue
    Richard Benedict
    Richard Benedict
    • Bob Finelli
    Richard Hervey
    • Gino Finelli
    Thom Carney
    Thom Carney
    • Joe Kienholz
    Ray Corrigan
    Ray Corrigan
    • It
    Stuart Hall
    Stuart Hall
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Mike Morelli
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Monty O'Grady
    Monty O'Grady
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Bert Stevens
    Bert Stevens
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Pierre Watkin
    Pierre Watkin
    • Spokesman at Press Conference
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edward L. Cahn
    • Writer
      • Jerome Bixby
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The mask of the monster suit was altered considerably. When Ray Corrigan was fitted for the suit, the mask was initially too tight. Paul Blaisdell, who made the suit, had to remove and rebuild the monster's lower jaw so the mask would fit better. Unfortunately, Corrigan's chin stuck out through the opening made in the mask. Blaisdell made up his chin to look like the monster's tongue. The mask's original eyes (large and catlike, a Blaisdell trademark) were also removed; the eyes you see behind the mask are actually Corrigan's.
    • Goofs
      The talk used to distract the monster includes talk from dead characters.
    • Quotes

      Lt. James Calder: Mars is almost as big as Texas. Maybe it's got monsters.

    • Connections
      Edited into Invisible Invaders (1959)

    User reviews144

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    THE ORIGINAL ALIEN
    Out of the fifties 'B' Science-Fiction monster movies, this easily ranks as the best. It's most notable as the film that ALIEN is an unaccredited remake of, thus giving it a certain historical significance.

    The intriguing plot is about the rescue of the only marooned survivor (Col. Carruthers) of an ill-fated expedition to Mars. The authorities, pig-headed as usual, falsely assume that he murdered his fellow crew members, so that he'd have more provisions to survive; hence he is being brought back to Earth to face court-martial for murder. (There is also a somewhat interesting plot reversal here: Most movies of this nature usually begin with the ship leaving Earth, enroute to its otherworld destination, while, in this case, the "story" is believed finished, and begins as the characters take-off from the other planet, returning to Earth). As the rescue ship is leaving Mars, a lurking, ominous shadow is seen in the lower compartment. (A frightening, atmospheric moment, accomplished through sheer economy and simplicity).

    Carruthers insists of his innocence to his fellow captors, claiming that his original crew mates were slaughtered by a hostile, unseen presence on the desolute red planet, but three-guesses as to their reaction to his unusual plea. Naturally, he can't prove it, and 50's space authorities were not very alien conscience at the time. (As a side-thought, "unseen menace" may remind you of that highly "original" BLAIR WITCH).

    As everyone sacks out, a hapless supporting charactor whose name is at the bottom of the casting list (guess what will happen to him?) hears something in the lower compartment. Despite your futile "don't go down there, you jerk!" pleas, he does just that, and is appropriately killed (more like thoroughly obliterated) by the shadowy figure with insatiable blood lust on its mind. In the victim's case, dereliction of duty and sheer cowardliness would have been the wise decision. The scene is actually well-directed (for a change) and develops much suspense, as the entire film surprisingly does.

    The crew finally catches on that they have an unwanted ship crasher on board, and try every possible means at their disposal to eliminate it, but the unknown creature seems to copping an anti-death attitude. Proving to be an even more clever, worthy adversary, 'IT!' also hides out in the ventilation shafts of the ship (now that should ring a bell). Cahn's forceful direction generates considerable tension as the malevolent stowaway works its way up from one level of the confined ship to the next, eventually leaving the remaining characters trapped at the top. The movie's suspense is blunt and right to the point: "IT!' has to kill them or starve, hence they have to kill "IT!" or die. Nothing like those "no two ways about it" choices. Rent it, or check for it on cable if you wish to know the outcome.

    For a low-budget quickie, IT! is quite impressive and memorable. The dreaded sense of claustrophobic tension, rendering the characters' helpless entrapment, is highly effective. This is a production in which the limited budget and small sets actually work in favor of the plot's scary ambience. The black & white photography (Yes, it's one of those!) helps to enhance its dark, creepy mood, and the sense of apprehension is quite high. (Modern day color freaks never seem to take that into consideration). The plot is also somewhat cynically ironic: If the creature hadn't stowed away on the ship, Carruthers would have most likely been found guilty of the charges against him.

    The intelligent script (see what I mean about "rareity") was penned by noted Science-Fiction author Jerome Bixby (remember Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life")? The picture's taut editing eliminates any extraneous dross. (ALIEN tended to drag in its first hour with its sophomoric dialogue, and why did it have to include that stupid and ultimately counter-productive sub-plot of Ash being a robot, and further dragging the story down to another big bad conspiracy cliche? UNNECESSARY!!!)

    Director Cahn astutely keeps the rubber-suited monster off-screen and in the shadows through-out most of the proceedings, keeping your paranoid imagination on constant alert. Unfortunately, perhaps at the studio's commercial insistance, it is a little over-revealed at the climax, but I haven't claimed this to be the perfect masterpiece. The performances, though nothing award-winning, are nevertheless cool enough so that one becomes sincerely concerned as to their fates. Not many movies in recent times ever come close to achieving that. They can be over-produced from here to eternity, and usually only succeed in being gloriously annoying.

    This film's story is not really totally original (what is?), for it is based on A.E. Van Vogt's "VOYAGE OF THE SPACE BEAGLE." All ALIEN fanatics should track down an old used copy to see where the initial influence came from.

    As long as you're not craving another CGI wind-ding, you may find it worthwhile. Just don't expect the women to be Ripley precursors. This was still the sock-knitting fifties, sad to say.
    helpful•59
    10
    • danr51
    • Jan 19, 2000

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    FAQ6

    • What is 'It! The Terror from Beyond Space' about?
    • Is 'It!' based on a book?
    • In what year does the story take place?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 9, 1958 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • MGM Studios (us)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Terror from Beyond Space
    • Production company
      • Vogue Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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    Ray Corrigan, Shirley Patterson, and Marshall Thompson in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
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