This Island Earth (1954)

[Foxbat]

It's true what they say....good things come to those who wait....

Now, it might not be the best Sci-Fi movie ever made but it's one of my personal favourites - and has caused me to produce much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the past.

Why? Because it had a limited release on DVD and many copies fell into the hands of dealers who decided to ask ridiculous prices. At it's worst, a copy would have cost you around $550. At best around $70. I might be a collector of movies but I am not a fool and decided not pay these prices in the hope that it would eventually be re-released. And that is exactly what has happened. It will be available on Region 1 DVD from August 22nd 2006 for around $12 (Amazon is taking pre-orders). So get it while it's hot folks!

Now all I need is a release of The Time Travelers and my life will be complete

[steve12553]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

It's true what they say....good things come to those who wait....

Now, it might not be the best Sci-Fi movie ever made but it's one of my personal favourites - and has caused me to produce much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the past.

Why? Because it had a limited release on DVD and many copies fell into the hands of dealers who decided to ask ridiculous prices. At it's worst, a copy would have cost you around $550. At best around $70. I might be a collector of movies but I am not a fool and decided not pay these prices in the hope that it would eventually be re-released. And that is exactly what has happened. It will be available on Region 1 DVD from August 22nd 2006 for around $12 (Amazon is taking pre-orders). So get it while it's hot folks!

Now all I need is a release of The Time Travelers and my life will be complete

Good Deal, I've been warming up the Interociter for some strange reason lately. At least now I know why.

[clovis-man]

I've often (well at least a couple of times) wondered why the story portrayed in the film This Island Earth made no sense. Great fodder for the MST3K send-up, but shoot, even the title doesn't seem to fit.

Well, I got my hands on a Barnes & Noble publication from 1994 called Reel Future. It provides reprints of a number of stories that were the basis of SF movies/films. As it turns out, the movie in question (1955) was based on a novella of the same name from 1952 by Raymond F. Jones. After reading it, I can say that I now understand why the film was so disjointed but, at the same time, it's hard to understand why anyone would try to make a movie from it.

In the film, bulgey-headed aliens from the far off planet of Metaluna, led by Jeff Morrow in one of his more glamorous roles (much hotter than Kronos or The Creature Walks Among Us) recruit Earth scientists in elaborate fashion to assist in developing a means to combat a far off alien menace. Then inexplicably they pull up stakes and warp back to their own world just in time to witness its destruction and get all snarky about it. The two humans (Rex Reason and Faith Domergue) in tow act as unwilling witnesses to the event.

In the written story, the common denominator with the movie is the building of an "Interocitor" as an entrance exam in the human recruitment program. The difference is that the aliens only use humans as glorified assembly line workers (There's even a labor dispute). A quote from the alien recruiters: "We do not require your help, any more than your armies had to have the help of some savage tribe to clear their jungles." (In WW II, this happened on islands. So now you know why Earth is referred to as an island.) In the end, Earth is threatened by the villainous aliens because of the bulgey-headed aliens incompetance in strategic thinking in wartime scenarios. I won't go into more detail in case anyone wants to read it afresh.

Suffice to say, a reasonably entertaining film was made from a convoluted and tedious written story. If the filmmakers had been a little more creative than the author, the story might even have made sense. YMMV, of course.

[Dave]

Threads merged.

I have wondered about the title of the film before. I assumed that it just referred to the Earth being small and insignificant but that WWII parallel makes some sense.

[warstarcerberus]

did you know the professor from gilligans island was in this and the monster was used in galcitca 1980.

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by warstarcerberus

did you know the professor from gilligans island was in this and the monster was used in galcitca 1980.

Russell Johnson. He also played George the telephone linesman in It Came From Outer Space.

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

I'm pretty fond of this one too, despite the plot holes.

[Captain Campion]

That's one I used to watch a lot when I was a kid (Saturday afternoon monster/SciFi movies on indepedent stations, etc.).

It was part of the regular rotation (or so it seemed), along with It Came From Outer Space, Them!, and The Mole People.

This was the one where they snatched the scientists as they were flying a plane, right?

[Constantine Opal]

I just think 'This Island Earth' is a fabulous book/film title, I really do. I loved the film even if it didn't make alot of sense, and I enjoyed the book too. As for MST3K, I appear to be one of only a few Brits that's ever heard of it. No one I know has a clue what I'm on about, and they're just missing out on SO much.

Still, back to This Island Earth. Whatever the story should have/could have been, it's a nice bit of space fluff on a Sunday afternoon if you fancy watching a 50's B movie about aliens. And I like doing that ALOT.

[Ursa major]

The Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (which was contained This Island Earth) was on terrestrial TV in the UK.

While watching it, I did have a feeling of déjà vu (the word, interociter, sounded vaguely familiar), so I may have seen the original film (again probably on the TV).

[Constantine Opal]

Really? I must try and get hold of that. I can only find Region 1 DVD's of MST3K, although Chez Opal does now have DVD players that are multi-regional. Hark at me and my fancy pants technology! NOT.

[clovis-man]

Not that it's important, but the MST3K version of This Island Earth is heavily edited. But since it's all for laughs anyway, it's not all that noticeable. Most of the MST3K humor catalogue is replete with potty humor (almost literally) and sexual innuendo. But I love it anyway.

I will admit to choosing to watch the actual film instead if I have to ponder the option, even though it's hard to resist such lines as "Why that's the nicest weather Earth has ever had!"

[Starbeast]

This Island Earth is a remarkable film for it's time, with very good special effects (over 2 years in the making). The mutant from the film is so well recognized and has been copied for many years, even in comic books.

And on the lighter side, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 group did an excellent job of poking fun at this movie. My favorite moments are with the Interociter. The first time I watched it with the MST3K commentary, I laughed so hard my eyes were tearing.

Both versions of this movie are still fun to watch.

[TheTomG]

Ah I remember watching the original as a wee lad, and enjoying it. And I remember watching the MST3K version at a much older... err I mean wiser... age, and thoroughly enjoying it again.

Must admit I like MST3K. High brow all the way, me.

[mr kite]

This a great Sci Fi film .
I must admit I have seen it in the shops !
That`s why it is`nt in my collection .
I now have a mission to buy this classic .
Thanks for the nudge Foxbat .

This is one of those films when I were a kid that slowly dragged you into the brilliant Genre of Sci Fi.