Dr. Robert Morgan, played by Vincent Price, is the last human alive after a mysterious plague sweeps away humanity. Now only the undead is left to roam the earth. Morgan must spend his days alone preparing for the night, hunting the creatures and disposing of them in “the pit”. At night the undead rise to beat on his door while memories taunt him of loved ones lost. Is he truly the last man on earth or are there others?

The movie is narrated by Vincent Price which gives it a sense of loneliness and solitude. This is an important aspect of the movie and is played out very well by Price. The black and white format gives the film an eerie feeling deepening the feeling of isolation of the main character.

This movie is based on the novel “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson. “Omega Man”, staring Charlton Heston, and “I Am Legend”, staring Will Smith, are both based on the same book, but not remakes of the 1964 version.

Recommended!

The movie is now in public domain and can be viewed online here:
Internet Archive

Directed: Ubaldo Ragona

Stared: Vincent Price (The Fly, The Raven, Edward Scissorhands and the music video Thriller).

A strange ship lands in Washington with a warning to Earth. Klaatu brings a message about war and nuclear weapons. Of course, he is shot by the army. Now, Klaatu is on the run and in hiding. He befriends a young boy, Bobby, and his mother, Helen. Klaatu seeks out an Einstein like Professor Barnhart to help get his message out. He demonstrates his power by stopping all transportation on Earth (hence the title). Once the army finds Klaatu, he’s on the run again and it’s up to Helen to save the Earth from his giant robot, Gort. Klaatu Barada Nikto!

This is classic science fiction. No cheesy special effects or strange monsters from outer space (except for the robot). Klaatu has odd behavior, but not odd enough to stand out as a space man. The message of the movie is not overwhelming and works well with the story. Excellent acting and very good special effects (for a movie made in 1951).

The movie is based on the story by Harry Bates.

Recommended!

Director: Robert Wise

Starring:
Klaatu: Michael Rennie	(The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936), The Lost World (1960), Batman (1966) as the Sandman, Cyborg 2087 (1966))
Helen Benson: Patricia Neal	(Stranger from Venus (1954))
Tom Stevens: Hugh Marlowe	(World Without End (1956), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962))
Prof. Jacob Barnhardt:	Sam Jaffe (Gunga Din (1939), Ben-Hur (1959), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980))
Bobby Benson:	Billy Gray (Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949), Werewolves on Wheels (1971), The Vampyre Wars (1996))
Mrs. Barley:	Frances Bavier
Gort: Lock Martin	(Invaders from Mars (1953), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957))

Memorable Lines:	“I’m impatient with stupidity.“
	“Klaatu barada nikto!“

Something strange is happening in Santa Mira, Ca. Returning home, Dr. Miles Bennell is confronted by several towns’ people claiming their family isn’t really their family. Later, they change their minds and claim that everything is fine. Mass hysteria is to blame for the behavior, until Dr. Bennell’s friend Jack finds a body in his closet with very little facial features and no finger prints. This “body” strangely resembles Jack. The pod people are on the move and Dr. Bennell and his girlfriend, Becky, are on the run. Don’t fall asleep or the pod people will get you!

For a 1950’s black and white science fiction movie, it has a few chilling scenes. This movie didn’t need elaborate special effects or guys in rubber monster suits. Falling asleep and waking up not yourself can be just as scary has a hockey mask wearing psycho.

Fun Fact: Kevin McCarthy played Dr. Miles Bennell in both 1956 and 1978 versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers as well as Dr. Bennell in Looney Toons: Back in Action.

Memorable Line: They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next!

Recommended!

Director:
Don Siegel

Staring:
Kevin McCarthy – Dr. Miles Bennell
Dana Wynter – Becky Driscoll

Wikipedia Entry

Something has crashed in the Arctic! Air Force Captain Hendry, his facetious crew and a reporter, Scotty, are sent to help a small expedition investigate it. At the crash site, they find a strange circular ship flash frozen in the ice. They fail to “blow” the ship out of the ice, but were able to recover the sole occupant still frozen solid. Back at the camp, the “alien” is accidentally unfrozen by one of the crew members and decides to have dinner, human is on the menu. Dinner fights back.

This is a fun classic black and white movie with little special effects. The cast and crew must have had fun making the movie; it comes out in their performance. The alien makes an appearance in the last part of the movie and only has less than 10 minutes of screen time. It’s worth the wait.

This film was very loosely based on the short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell. It was later remade by John Carpenter which follows the original short story more closely.

Recommended!

Director:
Christian Nyby

Staring:
Kenneth Tobey (Captain Hendry)
Margaret Sheridan (Nikki)
James Arness (The Thing)

Wikipedia Entry