DVD Review: Invaders From Mars (B)

Invaders From Mars (1953)
Directed by William Cameron Menzies
Starring Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson and Hillary Brooke
MPAA: UR
Grade: B

Review by Bobby Nashville

One of the classics of the 50's sci-fi genre, Invaders From Mars is a solid B movie. It has got just about everything you could ask for in a 50's sci-fi flick: cold war paranoia, a cheesy premise, decent acting and a little bit of freaky Martian voodoo tossed in at the end.

Here's the set up: little David Maclean is an amateur astrologist and one night while he is looking at the stars, he sees a spaceship land out in the sand hills behind his house. Of course no one believes him until his parents turn into evil, tripped out versions of themselves. They look the same, except for a small lesion on the back of their necks (put there by the Martians). The Martians continue to recruit humans into their cause and result is a "half the town has become different" storyline similar to the classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.

The plot moves along nicely and the acting is not that bad. The effects are not the greatest but they are also not laughable. Speaking of the effects I have to point this out though: at the end of Invaders From Mars, there is a bizarre montage scene where everything in the movie flies over David backwards, with strange colors morphing in and out. Its the weirdest thing I've seen since the "Rowers Keep On Rowing" scene halfway through Willy Wonka. I still don't know what the hell that was about but it was pretty cool.

For fans of 50's sci-fi films, Invaders From Mars is a great choice dont be afraid to give this one a try. Or your evil twin just might do it for you.

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