Invaders from Mars
Dir: William Cameron Menzies
1953
*****
William Cameron Menzies' Invaders from Mars is the king of the 50's UFO/sci-fi horror B-Movie/Alien abduction movies. I was terrified the first time I watched it and my spine never fails to tingle each and every time I revisit it. It's influence is very obvious now, not just in sci-fi films but in thrillers and horrors. The eerie sound of a choir getting gradually louder, now synonymous with aliens and other horribles in film, can be heard in many a horror movie made since and has rarely been bettered. The Omen, for example, owes Invaders from Mars a great deal as Ave Satani was a very important aspect of the film's success and Invaders from Mars was clearly an inspiration. Indeed, Mort Glickman's terrifying score is one of many components of the film that have kept it a firm favorite among film fans as well as film makers, Stanley Kubrick being one of the most prominent examples. It was the first alien/UFO movie to be filmed in colour, although it was rushed through in order to beat George Pal's War of the Worlds that came very soon after. The direction is rather clever, every shot composed to either minimize the main character, in order to create a mood of hopelessness or to maximize the alien's and their ship to overwhelm the viewer. The pace of the film creeps forward at a snail's pace but the payoff is well worth it. The unbearable tension is heightened by fourteen year old Jimmy Hunt's pained expressions and ghostly narration. The idea that young David's family and friends are taken one by one and essentially brainwashed, could be considered to be unhealthy cold-war paranoia during the 50's fear of all things red. This may or may not have been the intention but it certainly does feel like western propaganda in it's effectiveness. What really makes it the masterpiece it is though is its subjective ending. Is it real, is it really happening or is it just a reoccurring dream? The viewer is left with unanswered questions, on the edge of their seats and with lots to think about. One thing is for certain though, they won't sleep well that night. An unmissable sci-fi horror classic.