‘Creeping horror… from the depths of time and space!’
Invasion of the Saucer Men is a 1957 American science fiction comedic horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn (The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake; Invisible Invaders; Zombies of Mora Tau; et al) from a screenplay written by Robert J Gurney Jr and Al Martin was based on the 1955 short story “The Cosmic Frame” by Paul W. Fairman. The distinctive alien monsters were designed by Paul Blaisdell.
The Malibu Productions movie stars Steve Terrell, Gloria Castillo and Frank Gorshin (The Riddler in 60s Batman series). It was co-produced by James H. Nicholson for his American International Pictures (AIP). The film’s working title was the rather blander Spacemen Saturday Night. It was released in the UK as Invasion of the Hell Creatures.
In 1965, the film was remade in colour for an AIP TV package by trash auteur Larry Buchanan as The Eye Creatures.
Plot:
A spaceship lands in the woods. A teenage couple, Johnny Carter (Steve Terrell) and Joan Haydon (Gloria Castillo) driving down lover’s lane without headlights, accidentally run down one of the aliens. Joe Gruen (Frank Gorshin) a drunken opportunist, comes across the alien’s corpse. He plans to keep the body in his fridge, but the aliens arrive and kill him by injecting alcohol into his veins via their hypodermic fingernails.
Having reported their close encounter to the police, Johnny and Joan return with the Sheriff, only to find Joe’s body in place of the alien. The police plan to charge them with manslaughter. Meanwhile, the dead alien’s hand detaches itself, grows an eye, and runs amok…
Reviews:
“Invasion of the Saucer Men is almost painful to watch when it’s trying to be funny, but nothing short of hilarious when it’s trying to genuinely scare its audience. There’s no better example of this than the super-shitty rubber aliens, courtesy of the inimitable Paul Blaisdell; even if this movie were a completely unbearable turd, it would still be worth watching for those monsters.” 1000 Misspent Hours… and Counting
” … Invasion of the Saucer Men is an enjoyable time waster. Everyone involved seemed to understand that they were making a bad film, and the film has a lighthearted, jokey atmosphere that makes it more engaging than many better-made 50’s sci-fi flicks.” Booze Movies
” …it’s directed with a certain energy, features some truly memorable aliens courtesy of Paul Blaisdell, juggles its three storylines with ease (the two opportunists, the teenagers, the military), and in its own way, it may be the quintessential aliens vs. teenagers movie.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“The most successful aspect of the film, satirically and in conventional monster movie terms, is Blaisdell’s design of the saucer men. Many 1950s creatures are slightly (or extremely) ridiculous, but these are unusual in that – as in the story – they are supposed to be archetypal rather than credible, and so boast all the features (bug-eyes, swollen brains, claws, snarls) ascribed to ‘little green men’.” The Kim Newman Web Site
” … if you look at the poster for this (or most films for that matter) and think that it accurately shows what is going to happen in the movie, you had better prepare for massive disappointment. If, on the other hand, you go into the movie expecting something fun and kitsch, you’re in for a little treat with Invasion of the Saucer-Men.” The Midnight Monster Show
” …although the movie attempts to send up the conventions of the genre, it ends up as being unintentionally funny in its own right.” Alan Frank, The Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Handbook, Batsford, 1982
Choice dialogue:
Joan: “I expected to be frightened on my wedding night, but nothing like this.”
Colonel: “Our job is to prevent a possible nationwide panic by keeping the information from the public.”
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Cast and characters:
Steven Terrell … Johnny Carter (as Steve Terrell)
Gloria Castillo … Joan Hayden
Frank Gorshin … Joe Gruen
Raymond Hatton … Farmer Larkin
Lyn Osborn … Artie Burns
Russ Bender … Doctor
Douglas Henderson … Lt. Wilkins, USAF
Sam Buffington … Colonel Ambrose – USAF
Jason Johnson … Detective
Don Shelton … City Attorney Hayden
Scott Peters … USAF Sergeant with Bullhorn
Jan Englund … Diner Waitress
Kelly Thordsen … Sgt. Bruce
Bob Einer … Soda Jerk
Pat Lawler … Irene (as Patti Lawler)
Calvin Booth … Paul – Best Man
Ed Nelson … Tom
Roy Darmour … Sgt. Gordon
Audrey Conti … Bobby’s Girl
James Bridges … Bobby (as Jim Bridges)
Jimmy Pickford … Duke
Joan Dupuis … Liz
Buddy Mason … Policeman
Orv Mohler … Duke’s Friend
Angelo Rossitto … Saucer Man (as Angelo Rossito)
Floyd Hugh Dixon … Saucer Man (as Floyd Dixon)
Dean Neville … Saucer Man
Edward Gibbons … Saucer Man (as Edward Peter Gibbons)
Paul Blaisdell … Saucer Man (uncredited)
Bob Burns … Saucer Man (uncredited)
Technical details:
69 minutes
Black and white
Aspect ratio: 1.85: 1
Audio: Mono
Release:
American-International Pictures (AIP) released the movie on a double-bill with I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
Film Facts:
The recurring alien character Morbo in Futurama (1999 – 2013) was modelled on the aliens in the film.
