It Came From Outer Space
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
One of the things I absolutely love about 50’s Sci-Fi is the hero was rarely a soldier, or a cop, but always rather a scientist, amateur astronomers, or author. Or, in the case John Putnam in It Came From Outer Space, all of the latter. It always made things seem more fantastical to me. They still always seemed somewhat capable of dealing with the problem, but went about it in a different manner, choosing diplomacy over aggression. It’s why I always root for these characters more. They’re more relatable.
I love the setup for It Came From Outer Space. The idea of a spacecraft accidentally crashing on Earth and just needing time to repair itself before It carries on on its journey. Just stopping by lol. Such a great idea. Add in the body snatching and the sheriff rustling up a posse to put an end to them and you can’t go wrong.
Thought this one was really interesting with the camera work too. Jack Arnold is always reliable and once again doesn’t disappoint trying something new with the first person perspective of the aliens, and he hazy photography in the desert. It gives the film a dreamlike quality, but also a slight uncomfortableness like the characters are always being watched, which is kind of a theme of the movie with the townsfolk keeping close tabs on the cooky author. (Or maybe it was just to enhance the 3D aspect, but I choose to ignore that.)
The relationship between the two leads is great, and the sheriff third wheel adds to the fun, especially after Ellen is kidnapped and the two men have to decided how best to rescue her. Talk to the fugly aliens, or shoot the hell out of them?
As it’s a 50s sci-fi you have the normal overly dramatic acting which we should definitely bring back. The defining sounds of the genre with the music we all recognise as sci-fi. Some fun dialogue and stock townsfolk characters. It’s all there in this classic.
Add to that, the story is by Ray Bradbury so its a little more complex than a standard B-Movie affair, and you have a thoroughly enjoyable film with just enough mystery to keep the pace ticking over while you wait to see just how ugly these aliens are, and whether they can fix their craft and be on their way.
It Came From Outer Space is one of those easy watches for me. I like all the characters and the story. Yeah it drags in the middle like they all do from this time, but once again as a 50s sci-fi it’s full of big ideas, creative concepts, and wacky effects. A classic in my opinion.
