IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

US, 1953, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake, Russell Johnson.
Directed by Jack Arnold.

It Came From Outer Space was made in three-dimension, one of the popular B-budget science fiction films of the period which also included War of the Worlds.

In hindsight, this film has become something of a classic. It was directed by Jack Arnold who made a number of science fiction films at this particular period, The Creature from the Black Lagoon in the following year as well as The Revenge of the Creature, also The Incredible Shrinking Man and Tarantula. (He also made the very entertaining Peter Sellers film The Mouse That Roared.)

Richard Carlson and Barbara Rush are a couple who witness a meteor crashing to earth – and encounter aliens. It is not so much an Invasion of the Body Snatchers but something of a precursor to Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Looking back over many decades, we see that these science fiction films, despite the limitations of their budgets and special effects skills, were interesting stories, told fairly directly and still make some impact.

1. The popularity of science fiction, the science fiction presenting other worlds and comparisons with ours, new insights about our world, other worlds, differences? The shook of the confrontation, Earth's ability to cope? Aggressive attitudes and thoughts of attack, corresponding fear?

2. This film within the fifties boom of popular science fiction, yet the studio's giving it only B-budget attention? The basic issues of science fiction as they began to be introduced into film like this, invaders, machinery, popular reaction and sensationalism and fear?

3. The film was made in 3-Dimension. Was this obvious? The gimmicks and special effects for the 3-D? The technical aspects of the film? the arrival of the space ship, the crater, the visualising of the people from outer space, the taking over of human forms and the contract with the real people? The brevity of the film, the action sequences, imaginative fantasy, philosophising about invasion from other planets?

4. The story was by Ray Bradbury, the classic science fiction writer. The more intelligent understanding of the issues of an invasion, peace or war, human admiration, human fears? The imaginative idea of the space creatures taking over human form to repair their machine?

5. The title, its tone and sensational 'Saturday matinee' style? The opening with the direct presentation of coming from outer space and the repetition of this at the end? Popular response to these basic themes and story, the puzzle, fear and suspicion?

6. The presentation of the encounter of Earth with aliens? The eventual revealing of the look of the aliens after they explained how ugly they were to human eyes? Yet their technology, their explanation of their error? Their coping with space flight and fixing their machine? The pathos of their being killed by human beings? Their comment that this was not the right time for an encounter? When would the right time be? Would it be a friendly encounter or not?

7. John as hero, his work, sympathy? His article-writing and his being looked on as something of a crank? (Are these the only people able to appreciate aliens because of their imagination and not being restricted by mere facts?) His exploration of the crater, the avalanche, his seeing the aliens? The inevitability of his not being believed, the sensationalizing by the media? His driver and the expressions of scepticism? Ellen and her sharing his experience in the car? The encounter with Frank and George and their being taken over? His eventually seeing them and the reasons for the aliens allowing him top see them? Their relying on him for trust and for help? His helping, persuading the Sheriff? He himself being doubled? His eventually being believed? The confrontation with the alien Ellen? The possibility of his death in the chasm? The fact that he saves the earth people? Protects the aliens by blasting the mine opening? The man of Imagination and open mind?

8. The role of Ellen? conventional romantic interest, sharing John's experience supporting him, her help with George's wife? Her being taken and audience sharing - this experience with her? The audience seeing the false Ellen? alluring but unreal?

9. Matt and the contrast with John? The ordinary unimaginative aggressive human being, relying on law and order, the expressions of his beliefs? His eventually being persuaded? mainly by his love for Helen? Then his being persuaded the other way by the pressures of the group? The violence of the posse? Representing the reaction of ordinary people? and not prevailing?

10. The drawing of the characters of Frank and the miners and their being taken over? The audience seeing Frank and the others at their ordinary work, then seeing them as taken over by the aliens? The emotional touch with the romance with the wife and girlfriend?

11. The film's comment on television, the press, popular reaction and scepticism?

12., How well did the film build up its suspense? Its exploration of human reaction to the unknown and what to different? fear, aggressive? Audience response to seeing the doubles, the aliens being saved? As the times have gone by since the making of this film has the content become more plausible? Why?