Although I grew up watching old sci-fi and horror films on TV in the 60's, this is one I don't remember seeing. Not until I got it in a Mill Creek collection of 100 Sci- Fi Classics. What appealed to me immediately was that it was reminiscent of my many favorites from the 50's; pure nostalgia.
The story of an alien from another planet, crash landing off the coast of L.A. and simply trying to escape capture to survive, killing as necessary, is serviceable yet certainly could have been portrayed more compellingly. The acting is typical 'B' melodrama, the effects are fairly good for the era, and the story is just OK. Staging much of it as a police procedural, which was very popular at the time, is an effective budget device. I don't think it's a stretch to suppose that the budget and shooting schedule were insufficient to do much more with the film. That and it's seventy-two minute run time don't allow for additional story details, action sequences, nor engaging characterization. Not that Billy Wilder's little brother, W. Lee Wilder had what it took to make more out of such meager resources, anyway.
Be that as it may, Wilder did a decent job, as he did with several other lesser 'B' classics including, "Killers From Space," "The Man Without a Body," and "Once a Thief," which just might be his masterpiece.
Nonetheless, this modest piece of nostalgia has an effective soundtrack featuring theremin and an eerie choir. I usually half-watch it when I'm busy doing something else. Far from great, but I still like it.
The story of an alien from another planet, crash landing off the coast of L.A. and simply trying to escape capture to survive, killing as necessary, is serviceable yet certainly could have been portrayed more compellingly. The acting is typical 'B' melodrama, the effects are fairly good for the era, and the story is just OK. Staging much of it as a police procedural, which was very popular at the time, is an effective budget device. I don't think it's a stretch to suppose that the budget and shooting schedule were insufficient to do much more with the film. That and it's seventy-two minute run time don't allow for additional story details, action sequences, nor engaging characterization. Not that Billy Wilder's little brother, W. Lee Wilder had what it took to make more out of such meager resources, anyway.
Be that as it may, Wilder did a decent job, as he did with several other lesser 'B' classics including, "Killers From Space," "The Man Without a Body," and "Once a Thief," which just might be his masterpiece.
Nonetheless, this modest piece of nostalgia has an effective soundtrack featuring theremin and an eerie choir. I usually half-watch it when I'm busy doing something else. Far from great, but I still like it.
