Sunday, 8 November 2015

Monster Month Review: Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

Less of a monster movie and more of a prototypical alien sci-fi, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers sees Harryhausen face the challenge of portraying vehicles in flight, and regardless of its corniness, it holds up surprisingly well – as do the saucers themselves whose wire suspensions are barely visible whatsoever. Once again, from a technical standpoint, it’s a major achievement, even if the stop-motion animation is somewhat less impactful than in the traditional monster flick. But the story is, well, a little underwhelming.

The film focuses on Russ Marvin (Hugh Marlowe), a scientist, and his new wife Carol (Joan Taylor), who spot a flying saucer. Marvin is coincidentally head of Project Skyhook, a space programme that has already sent a number of satellites (or ‘birds’) into orbit. However, General Hanley, Carol’s father, informs him that they have all mysteriously crashed, leading Marvin to suspect alien intervention. Before long, Skyhook is laid siege to by the saucers, who proceed to brainwash Hanley, and gain powerful information about Earth and its inhabitants. The aliens then request to meet Earth’s world leaders in Washington, while the people of Earth prepare to fight back.

Needless to say, this film is downright ridiculous. I’m willing to accept that it’s fairly dated now, but the issue is not the effects themselves. For the most part, they’re outstanding – when it comes to the saucers themselves at least. The problem is that there is absolutely no suspense at all – and Russ and Carol, for the majority of the film, don’t seem the least bit fazed by the presence of the alien ships. Take the opening scene, for example. A huge saucer flies overhead with little build-up. It simply appears, making it seem more like a parody than a real sci-fi flick. And the couple – particularly Carol – evinces little to no emotion. Of course, one must accept that features such as this were a fairly innovative concept at the time, but even so, you’d think the presence of an *alien spaceship* and the obvious destruction of their satellites would incite a greater response than “Come on, let’s finish our dinner!” In addition, the solution to the problem of the saucers seems to be simply to blow them to smithereens, which unintentionally invites you to laugh out loud at its hilariously idealistic conclusion in which Marvin and his wife are seen casually reminiscing on a beach, grinning from ear to ear. Oh, those silly aliens.

I’ll admit I’m being a tad harsh here. Contextually, this film was well-received, mostly due to its visuals, which, I concede, are of an incredibly high standard. Harryhausen’s stop-motion animation is utilised to good effect, although by comparison with other efforts, it’s lacking the eerie detail of his armatured creatures present in a vast array of other monster media. This, of course, is hardly the fault of a visual effects artist, but a compromise of budget constraints. According to his online bio, even Harryhausen himself apparently disliked the conspicuous latex alien suits* and I must concur that they’re probably the most unconvincing aspect of the movie. In any case, the remaining visual effects, such as the saucers and the destruction they wreak upon the world, are no less impactful than they were upon the film’s initial distribution. The saucers are mystifying enough to maintain the viewer’s interest, even by today’s standards – even if the script itself falls flat.

Overall, however, one cannot be too critical. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers is your quintessential alien flick, and a prototype for a vast quantity of subsequent features throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. While the plot isn’t nearly complex enough to compete with today’s films, and its script is all too ridiculous and overblown to be taken seriously, the visuals are irrefutably outstanding. While it hardly represents Harryhausen’s most impressive work, it nonetheless proved to be profoundly influential for years, and likely will remain so for years to come; a powerful feat.

Image Sources:
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. [DVD] (2008) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Other Sources:
Ray Harryhausen. http://www.rayharryhausen.com/biography.php. Date Accessed: 08/11/2015.
 

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