Earth vs the Flying Saucers

This Columbia Pictures sci-fi film was directed by Fred F. Sears, produced by Charles H. Schneer, and stars Hugh (THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL) Marlowe, Joan (20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH) Taylor and Morris (THE GIANT CLAW) Ankrum.

The storyline was suggested by the bestselling non-fiction book ‘Flying Saucers from Outer Space’ by Major Donald Keyhoe, though the plot in the movie goes the full-on route of pulpy, full-scale alien invasion. Yes! This is what we want!

The iconic Ray Harryhausen-created flying saucers, of course, are the main draw for this fun flick. They are so, well, flying saucer-ish! This is how UFOs should look!

Ray's super-cool saucers! — Ray’s super-cool saucers!

I like how, at one point, the aliens initially try to negotiate a takeover without conflict because they don’t want to rule a messed-up world, but when they realise this isn’t going to happen… they simply throw their two human captives out of one of their craft mid-flight! Spiteful, nasty aliens!

Ray Harryhausen had considered portraying the aliens as animated worm-like beings, but the extraterrestrials in the movie were eventually portrayed as aliens wearing body armour made from solidified electricity (via men-in-suits, not stop-motion models). We do get a glimpse of an alien’s hairless, lined visage when its helmet is removed. ..

An alien's face is revealed — An alien’s face is revealed

This is one of the few 50s extraterrestrial invasion movies to actually deliver on what the posters promised: mass saucer attacks and lots of property destruction!