SAUCERS ON THE SCREEN
As Ufo-mania gripped the West, filmmakers got in on the act: here are six of the best and downright peculiar 50s sci-fi flicks!
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
The first movie released by Universal in 3D, this thoughtprovoking sci-fi film was based on a story by Ray Bradbury. It follows a schoolteacher who witnesses a meteoritelike object land in the desert surrounding a small Arizona town. As strange things begin to happen, tension brews between the townsfolk and whatever is at large in the desert.
Invasion of the Saucer-men (1957)
This quirky little B-movie is best remembered for its alien designs, with oversized heads and huge bulging eyes. With its tongue placed firmly in its cheek, it follows a group of teenagers who repel an alien attack on their town.
Invaders from Mars (1953)
A haunting, dreamlike film, Invaders From Mars follows a young boy who witnesses a spacecraft land in a local sandpit. When his parents investigate they become taken over by a malevolent alien force. A film more interested in exploring a child’s nightmares than an extra-terrestrial attack, it quickly developed a cult reputation.
Devil Girl from Mars (1954)
A campy classic, the titular ‘devil girl’ is Nyah, who (clad in provocative black leather) wants to kidnap the male population of Earth so they can mate with the all-female population of Mars. Being a British film, the action takes place almost entirely in and around a local pub.
Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)
This romp tapped into the flying saucer craze and the new obsession with juvenile delinquency that led to a boom of B-movies aimed at teenagers. A group of aliens land their saucer on Earth, with one young invader falling in with the local teens.
I Married a Monster From Outer Space (1958)
Nowhere near as ludicrous as its title suggests, this film follows Marge, a newlywed who comes to believe that her husband, Bill, is not quite the man he was when she met him. Of course Bill, along with the other men in the town, is revealed to be an alien in a thought-provoking film that continues to be a cult favourite among sci-fi fans.