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This Island Earth (1955)

Approved  |   |  Horror, Sci-Fi  |  1 June 1955 (USA)
5.8
Your rating:
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Ratings: 5.8/10 from 6,398 users  
Reviews: 106 user | 51 critic

Aliens come to Earth seeking scientists to help them in their war.

Director:

(as Joseph Newman)

Writers:

(story), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Title: This Island Earth (1955)

This Island Earth (1955) on IMDb 5.8/10

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Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jeff Morrow ...
...
Rex Reason ...
Lance Fuller ...
...
Douglas Spencer ...
Robert Nichols ...
Karl Ludwig Lindt ...
Dr. Adolph Engelborg (as Karl L. Lindt)
Edit

Storyline

The electronic engineer Dr. Cal Meacham is a prominent scientist that is studying industrial application of nuclear energy and also a great pilot. One day, he receives a different condenser and soon his assistant Joe Wilson receives a manual instruction and several components of a sophisticated machine. Carl and Joe build a communication apparatus and a man called Exeter contacts Carl. He tells that Carl has passed the test assembling the Interocitor and invites him to join his research. The intrigued Carl decides to travel to meet Exeter that sends an unmanned airplane to bring him to an isolated facility in Georgia. He is welcomed by Dr. Ruth Adams but she mysteriously does not recall their love affair in the past. They team-up with Dr. Steve Carlson and they note that the other scientists in the facility have been transformed, having a weird behavior. They decide to flee in a car, but they are attacked by rays and Steve dies. Carl and Ruth also witness the facility blowing-up and ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Two mortals trapped in outer space... challenging the unearthly furies of an outlaw planet gone mad! See more »

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

Approved | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

1 June 1955 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Bloodlust in Outer Space  »

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Perspecta Sound encoding) (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

After the dinner at the secret facility, what the German scientist says is: "Ladies and gentlemen, the meal was excellent, but after Mozart's marvelous music I need to be alone with myself for a while. Good evening." See more »

Goofs

When Faith Domergue and Rex Reason first enter their new lab and see the orange cat, Faith tells Rex that the cat is named "Neutron" because "he's so positive". Any scientist, especially a nuclear fission expert, should know that a neutron has no charge, and that it is the proton that is positive. See more »

Quotes

[a mysterious catalog is delivered]
Dr. Cal Meacham: This isn't paper, it's some kind of metal!
[reads]
Dr. Cal Meacham: "Interociter incorporating planetary generator". "Interocitor with voltarator". "With astroscope".
Joe Wilson: Here's something my wife could use in the house. An "interocitor incorporating an electron sorter."
Dr. Cal Meacham: Oh, she'd probably gain 20 pounds while it did all the work for her. You know, Joe, according to this, there's no limit to what it can do. Laying a 4-lane highway at the rate of a mile a minute would be a cinch.
Joe Wilson: Cal...
[...]
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Diabolik (1999) See more »

Soundtracks

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: 2nd Movement
(uncredited)
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Eeeeek!
5 October 2004 | by (TCM's Basement) – See all my reviews

This was the Star Wars of the 1950's. What movie are these people watching when they say there is no story? This is great escapist fun, filled with flying saucers, aliens, monsters and explosions! Some movies are just meant to be viewed *surprise* as entertainment! Kick back, turn off your brain, relax and watch a fun movie and be entertained by the lumbering bug eyed monsters! Sure, Rex Reason (cool name) is a walking totem pole, and Faith sure does scream a lot, but that's what women did in the 50's when they were being carried away by a scary monster. The effects are pretty good for its time, and the whole picture is a great time capsule about where we were mid-century when space was unexplored, and the flying saucer craze was still going on.


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