This Island Earth (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| This Island Earth | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster. |
|
| Directed by | Joseph M. Newman |
| Produced by | William Alland |
| Written by | Raymond F. Jones (story "The Alien Machine") Franklin Coen Edward G. O'Callaghan |
| Starring | Jeff Morrow Faith Domergue Rex Reason Lance Fuller Russell Johnson |
| Music by | Joseph Gershenson (music supervision) Henry Mancini (uncredited) Hans J. Salter (uncredited) Herman Stein (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Clifford Stine |
| Editing by | Virgil Vogel |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures International |
| Release date(s) | June 1, 1955 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 87 min |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
This Island Earth is a Technicolor, 1955 science fiction film directed by Joseph M. Newman.It is based on the novel of the same name by Raymond F. Jones. The film stars Jeff Morrow as the alien Exeter, Faith Domergue as Dr. Ruth Adams, and Rex Reason as Dr. Cal Meacham. Being one of the first major science fiction films produced in color, This Island Earth opened the door to high-budget space-themed productions such as MGM's Forbidden Planet. In 1996, This Island Earth was also edited down and lampooned in the film, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie.
When initially released, the film was praised by most critics, many citing the special effects, well written script and eye-popping color (prints by Technicolor) as being its major assets.
[edit] Plot
Dr. Cal Meacham, a noted scientist, receives an unusual substitute for electronic condensers that he ordered. They are un-Earthly in their ability to carry overloads of electricity; he sends a letter to the company that supplied the parts, and receives a package which appears to be a catalog. He begins ordering parts from it, and eventually is given a kit to build a very complex communication device called an interocitor. When finished, Meacham receives a message on it: A mysterious man named Exeter tells him he has passed the test he was given. His ability to build the interocitor demonstrates that he is gifted enough to be part of the special research project Exeter is running.
Intrigued, Meacham accepts an invitation to visit Exeter's facility, and finds an international group of top-flight scientists already present--including an old flame, Dr. Ruth Adams. But Cal is almost immediately suspicious of the odd-looking group of men leading the mission.
Cal and Ruth decide to slip away from the facility, but as they take off in a small plane, they watch as the facility and all its inhabitants are incinerated, and their plane is drawn up inside a flying saucer.
It is then that Cal and Ruth learn that Exeter and his band are aliens from the planet Metaluna, come to Earth seeking scientists to help them defend their planet in the war against the evil Zagons. Though they protest, Exeter informs them that he is taking them back to his war-torn planet, in the hope that they can do something to aid it.
After a mind-bending journey, they arrive to find the planet under full bombardment and falling quickly to the enemy. Metalunan society is breaking down and there is little hope. The Monitor (Exeter's leader) reveals that the Metalunans intend to relocate to Earth and insists that Meacham and Adams be subjected to the Thought Transference Chamber in order to subjugate their free will when they object to this plan. Exeter believes this to be immoral and also wrong since it sets up unconscious barriers in the minds of the subjects and thus constrains their ability to help the Metalunans. Exeter decides to help Meacham and Adams escape, thus revolting against his own kind, before they enter the brain-reprogramming facility.
Cal overpowers the mutant creature accompanying them (but not before it wounds Exeter) and the three make their escape and journey back to Earth. As they enter Earth's atmosphere, Exeter sends the two on their way in their small plane, but as he himself is too wounded to continue and his ship is nearly depleted of energy, he allows the saucer to crash into the sea. Cal and Ruth return home.
Many critics cite the strongest point in This Island Earth being its special effects, which were ground breaking for their time and are considered by many film buffs to be comparable to modern special effects.
[edit] Trivia
The film was one of the last films to use the three strip Technicolor filming process. Even during production, the film's special effects were shot on the more conventional Eastman color process, which most studios had already switched to[citation needed].
The Mutant seen in this film was one of several potential aliens for Universal's 3-D film It Came from Outer Space (1953). Universal used it in This Island Earth after it was rejected by the other film's director, Jack Arnold.[citation needed]
Some European film reviewers noted the similarity to the Earth scientists being recruited by aliens to help them fight a war against other aliens with the American acquisition of German and other European scientists to help fight the Cold War[citation needed].
A brief homage to This Island Earth is seen in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). E.T. turns the TV on to This Island Earth, at the scene when Cal and Ruth are being abducted by the aliens and Cal says, "They're pulling us up!"
The original motion picture This Island Earth is more than 20 minutes longer than the edited version featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie, which removes several sequences, some important (like a sequence of the Zagon fleet attacking Metaluna), both in order to make the film fit a shorter 73-minute running time and to accommodate several "host segments". Also, producers from Universal Pictures demanded the film be shorter. Ironically this makes Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie shorter than This Island Earth, or even the average MST3K episode.[citation needed]
The bug mutant character in this film has a cameo during the Area 52 sequence of the Joe Dante film, Looney Tunes: Back in Action
