Via Vision’s Imprint label continues to release an array of limited-edition titles, with their on-going Tales of Adventure box sets. The fifth release explores sci-fi, with five mid 50s outer-space flicks, spanning various acting levels and budgets.
Universal’s first sci-fi in color, THIS ISLAND EARTH (86 mins., 1955) is “B” Sci-Fi film in all its glory. A ludicrous plot, cheesy special effects and bad acting. Seventy years after its initial release, This Island Earth remains recognized as a classic of the genre.
Adapted from the 1952 novel of the same name by Raymond F. Jones, nuclear electronics expert Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) (who is also a pilot) has passed an applied I.Q. test by building an “Interociter” kit sent to him by a mysterious agency. He soon finds himself recruited for a secret research team. Among the team of international scientists is a former flame, Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) and a third scientist (Russell Johnson before Gilligan’s Island) are the only ones who haven’t undergone brainwashing administered by bulging eyebrowed alien scientists. The aliens are led by the sophisticated Exeter (Jeff Morrow). Exeter selected these humans to aid his home planet Metaluna, which needs more atomic energy to rebuild its space defense shields against Zahgon warships. Cal and Ruth eventually find their plane pulled into a flying saucer headed for Metaluna.
From the décor to the man-in-suit monsters and huge, exposed brain, it must have been revelatory to 1955 audiences. Every frame could appear on the popular pulp magazines of the era. The screenplay is rather simplistic, but This Island Earth has everything sci-fi fans of the era expect.
Imprint’s Blu-ray includes both 1.33 and 1.85 aspect ratios plus the original mono sound. Extras are as follows:
- NEW Audio Commentary by Heath Holland from Cereal At Midnight
- Trailers from Hell: Joe Dante on This Island Earth
My personal favorite in the set, the first of two Columbia productions, THE 27TH DAY (76 mins., 1957) centers on War of the Worlds star Gene Barry as one of five people who are given a device that could eradicate mankind. Recalling the classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, a human looking alien comes down to earth, this time delivering a device. One can’t miss the anti-communist propaganda. China was just emerging as a world power. Interestingly, the Chinese peasant girl Su Tan (Maria Tsien) opts to commit suicide, rather than face the decision of what to do with the device. In contrast, Russian private Ivan Godofsky (Azemat Janti) would rather die than tell his superiors about the device. American journalist Jonathan Clark and English woman Eve Wingate (Valerie French) team up to solve their predicament. They decide to live out twenty-seven days hiding. Meanwhile, German scientist Klaus Bechner (George Voskovec), survives an assassination attempt by foreign powers.
Well-acted across the board, The 27th Day deserves to be better known than it is. Hopefully, its inclusion here will result in a larger audience.
Imprint’s Blu-ray has the film in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, with 2.0 PCM mono sound.
No extras are available.
THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED! (64 mins., 1957) clocks in at just over an hour, playing more like an episode of The Twilight Zone than an actual movie. Dr. David Conway (William Leslie) has just completed construction on a machine that will predict earthquakes. Naturally, it predicts a massive quake will hit Southern California (Of course, that’s right where they are!). David flies to Sacramento hoping to convince the governor to evacuate the area, but his plea falls on deaf ears. The quake hits, causing massive damage. That’s only the beginning of the world’s problems.
With the world continuing to quake, Dr. Conway and his assistant “Hutch” (Kathryn Grant) and colleague Dr. Morton (Tris Coffin) are soon at Carlsbad Caverns climbing deep into the earth, determined to find the cause of the quakes. Hence the discovery of Element 112. Charmingly ridiculous, the film deserves credit for having a woman taking a central role in saving the world. Even as she’s buried alive, Hutch keeps providing necessary data.
Imprint’s Blu-ray has the film in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, with 2.0 PCM mono sound.
No extras are available.
DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS (77 mins., 1954) stars Roger Corman favorite Hazel Court in a film perhaps best described as The Day the Earth Stood Still lite. (Yes, I know I mentioned The Day the Earth Stood Still, already. It was rehashed a lot throughout the 1950’s). it concerns a group of guests at a remote Scottish inn who witness the landing of an otherworldly craft. They are subsequently kidnapped by Nyah (Patricia Laffan) who is accompanied by Chani, one of the goofier robots in sci-fi. Is desperate to find men to bring back to Mars and repopulate her planet. She carries a ray gun, and she isn’t afraid to use it on anyone who interferes in her mission. The available men want nothing to do with her plan and will do anything to stop her!
Easily the weakest title in this set, Devil Girl from Mars suffers from several issues, chief among them, the inept acting of Hugh McDermott who plays a key role as a newspaper reporter in the film. His clownish acting kills any drama the story may have had. On the other hand, Patricia Laffan tries (and nearly succeeds) in elevating the material with her menacing portrayal of Nyah.
Imprint’s Blu-ray has the film in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio, with 2.0 PCM mono sound. Extras are as follows:
- NEW Audio Commentary by film historian Phillipa Berry (2025)
- Audio Commentary by novelist/critic Kim Newman and writer/journalist Barry Forshaw (2024)
- NEW Invasion From Outer Space – interview with author Jon Towlson (2025)
- Interview with novelist and critic Kim Newman (2024)
The second title in this set licensed from Columbia, THE GAMMA PEOPLE (79 mins., 1956), is based on an original story by award winning director Robert Aldrich (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?)
American Mike Wilson (Paul Douglas) and British photographer Howard Meade (Leslie Phillips) play chess while traveling through an unnamed Eastern bloc country on a train. Sent to cover a music festival in Salzburg, they find their railroad car mysteriously unhooked from the rest of the train. Forced to disembark in a country they’ve never heard of, they soon find themselves mistakenly jailed by a bumbling colonel (Philip Leaver) Released the next day, they stay at a luxury hotel. Oddly, there’s no telephone or way to communicate with the outside world. Making matters worse, there is no transportation out of town. They eventually discover that a mad scientist named Dr. Boronski (Walter Rilla) has been the country’s dictator for the past five years. He has secretly been experimenting with children and exposing them to gamma rays. Some turn out to be emotionless geniuses, other idiots, who do Boronski’s dirty work. With the help of Paula (Eva Bartok) who has been forced to work for Boronski, Mike and Howard bring about Bronski’s demise.
Anyone one who has read or seen George Orwell’s 1984 will see immediate parallels.
Imprint’s Blu-ray has the film in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, with 2.0 PCM mono sound. Extras are as follows:
- Bonus film: The Underwater City (standard-definition)
- Trailers from Hell: Joe Dante on The Gamma People