It Came from Outer Space (1953)

People are voting emotionally.

Excellent but underrated film

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

I recently found this movie on Netflix and was so excited about it. I've always liked these kinds of old horror/alien movies and this looked to be very entertaining.My first thoughts upon hearing the narration and seeing the desert landscape was that it reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone (before it's time). On the other hand, the true appearance of the alien and its abilities reminded me of the creature from The Thing. I thought the bubble-like perspective of the alien itself was also very interesting.This was a great movie if you consider when it was made and the lack of advances in technology at the time. Unfortunately, the sub par acting and the lackluster story line made this movie a little hard to enjoy. Although this wasn't a very long movie, I still feel like it could've probably been shortened into a Twilight Zone episode (without a major twist).With all this being said, I still feel that this is a good movie to watch. If not for it's interesting perspective on an alien encounter, for the interesting atmosphere and dialogue that only a movie from the 1950's could produce.I really did enjoy watching this movie, even in 2017, and I feel that since its initial release, it has been enjoyed by many others.

In the desert an alien presence is made known. It looks like a disembodied eye and could have been a cheesy film. What follows, however, is a really intelligent movie where the realities of such a report are made to be realistic. The press is a factor. There is a sense of disbelief by some of the principle characters. Also, there is serious effort to get a handle on what this thing is. As time goes along, we begin to embrace the characters and their needs an wants. And the alien is enough of a mystery to force us to speculate. Most of the outer space personages of the fifties were killing machines rather than sophisticated beings. See this. It's pretty good.

Universal Studios could always be counted upon to devise some interesting stories in the sci- fi genre at a time when the genre simply exploded. Also among their undeniable classics during this period are gems like Creature from the Black Lagoon, Tarantula, and The Incredible Shrinking Man. This particular tale (although the final screenplay is credited to Harry Essex, the original treatment by Ray Bradbury was left largely intact) explores that theme of mankind seemingly always fearing and distrusting anything it doesn't understand, and reacting to it with aggression.Likable, earnest Richard Carlson stars as John Putnam, an amateur astronomer in the small town of Sand Rock, Arizona. One night he (and others) witness a "meteor" violently crashing to Earth (in one of the most startling introductions to a film of this kind). The aliens on board stealthily go about abducting local citizens and altering their appearance to look like these people. All they really want is to be able to work on their ship in peace, and leave before too long, but naturally there are humans who don't want to get with the program, like hot tempered sheriff Matt Warren (Charles Drake).Lovely Barbara Rush is Carlsons' appealing leading lady in this extremely well directed, succinct film with as much moody black & white atmosphere as one could ask from this kind of entertainment. One will notice that all we get at the beginning is the title; the cast and crew credits are all saved for the final few minutes - an interesting (but not THAT uncommon) innovation for an older film. There's fine use of stock music from such composers as Henry Mancini, and the cinematography by Clifford Stine is excellent. The aliens are effectively hideous looking in their natural guise, but they begin to be revealed perhaps a bit too soon into the story. The alien P.o.V. shots are pretty cool.As was said, Rush is very appealing, but it's unfortunate that her role keeps requiring her to scream at things: a Joshua tree, a kid in a costume, an undisguised alien (well, at least that one is understandable). The supporting cast is impressive, right down the line: Drake, Russell Johnson, Joe Sawyer, George Eldredge, Bradford Jackson, Dave Willock.Although originally filmed in 3-D, "It Came from Outer Space" works just as fine without it.Seven out of 10.

First Contact from the Star Trek series explores a lot of the same issues that It Came From Outer Space Does. Of course First Contact was made presumably in this century when the optimistic Gene Roddenberry felt that man would grow up and mature a bit. As opposed to those humans in this small Arizona town who except for Richard Carlson who is an astronomer and writer believe in the old west tradition of shoot first.It Came From Outer Space is set in the paranoid Fifties and Richard Carlson who is courting Barbara Rush along with sheriff Charles Drake is on an outing with Rush when what he believes is a ship crashes to the earth and leaves a nice deep crater hole as it burrows into the ground.Carlson has his problems first authorities don't believe him, second when people start disappearing, everyone goes into panic mode. What's a thinking scientist to do. Remember it's not the scientists who were working on making First Contact that the aliens will be dealing with.These issues are explored and most carefully by author Ray Bradbury who wrote the original story on which It Came From Outer Space is based. The special effects are outmoded and the issue at times is dealt with simplistically, but the message is as strong now as it was six decades ago. I suppose it comes down to will enough of us on both sides of the First Contact be mature enough to handle it and respond appropriately.