INVADERS FROM MARS

US, 1953, 78 minutes, Colour.
Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Leif Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Morris Ankrum.
Directed by William Cameron Menzies.

Invaders from Mars is a brief Science Fiction film from, the early 50s, from the period when Science Fiction was generally expected to be B Budget and a supporting feature. However, the film was designed and directed by the noteworthy production designer (Things to Come), William Cameron Menzies.

It was made for 3D effects and for startling the audience. The film is a variation on H.G.Wells War of the Worlds, the Martians invading, taking humans and transforming them - echoes of The Invasion of the Bodysnatchers - and wanting to sabotage American facilities. There are very strong themes of infiltration (and people being planted to sabotage the United States.

The film is above average of its kind, yet it has a lot of stilted dialogue and only adequate performances especially by the stars, with Arthur Franz giving particularly stilted speeches with scientific background. Leif Ericson and Hillary
Brook are far more effective as the transformed parents.

1. Entertaining science fiction? Of its time? background of the Cold War and the film as a parable of the Cold War?

2. Elaborate production design? The Californian settings? The special effects? Make-up for the Martians? The musical score?

3. The title and audience response at the time? The tradition of HG Wells and The War of the Worlds? Outer space, UFOs? Information given in the screenplay)? Security from the Martian infiltration?

4. The focus on David, astronomy, his bond with his parents and their support of his science studies? Seeing the spaceship land? Telling his father? His father and mother transformed and his fear? Talking to the scientist? The explanations? The little girl and her transformation, the burning down of the house? Going to police chief and his being transformed? In the cell, the doctor and her help, saved from his parents? The growing anger, going to the scene of the disappearance? In the Martians chambers, the threat and the rescue?

5. The parents, love for their son, their being transformed? The change in personality? Hostility, going to the prison? The attempt at sabotage?

6. Scientist, His knowledge, explanations of astronomy, of life on the planets, of the psychologist and her helping David? Involved in difficulties, the psychologist being taken, almost transformed, rescued?

7. The local police, the search, transformations, sabotage, deaths? The death of the girl? The police chief? The general - and the soldiers attacking their? Sabotage on a large scale?

8. The presentation of the Martians, visually, intelligence, yet physically repulsive? The plans for taking over the earth? The device of transforming people hostile to the Martians?

9. Popular views of science fiction at the time? B Budget films of the time? The beginnings of the tradition that were to he changed in the 70s and 80s with the boom in science fiction?