I think they should have thrown out the first 30 minutes of this film. What a waste of color film. After that, the film was very good. Exeter was good. Faith D., the leading lady was great. The monster was well done. I like the photography. It was imaginative for the 1950's. What did the rest of you think of the first 30 minutes?

The electronic engineer Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) is a prominent scientist that is studying industrial application of nuclear energy and also a great pilot. One day, he receives a different condenser and soon his assistant Joe Wilson (Robert Nichols) receives a manual instruction and several components of a sophisticated machine. Carl and Joe build a communication apparatus and a man called Exeter (Jeff Morrow) contacts Carl. He tells that Carl has passed the test assembling the Interocitor and invites him to join his research. The intrigued Carl decides to travel to meet Exeter that sends an unmanned airplane to bring him to an isolated facility in Georgia. He is welcomed by Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) but she mysteriously does not recall their love affair in the past. They team-up with Dr. Steve Carlson (Russell Johnson) and they note that the other scientists in the facility have been transformed, having a weird behavior. They decide to flee in a car, but they are attacked by rays and Steve dies. Carl and Ruth also witness the facility blowing-up and they escape in an airplane. However they are pulled up into a flying saucer and realize that Exeter is an alien. Whal is the objective of the aliens? "This Island Earth" is an entertaining sci-fi from the 50's, with a story of aliens that need help from the Earthling scientists in their war against another planet. For a film made sixty years ago, the special effects, the monster, sets and scenarios are great. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Guerra Entre Planetas" ("War Between Planets")Note: On 17 November 2017 I saw this film again.

Your opinion of this movie is going to depend greatly on your opinion of this genre, in general. If you are a new explorer to the histories of sci-fi who may like movies like ALIEN and you've heard that this movie had some influence on it and you're her to explore, then beware that you have to have some appreciation for the era of film that this movie comes from. There are laughable effects, bad acting and outlandish plots aplenty.There are those vehement defenders of movies like this who are seething at any condemnation of this movie. This is a science fiction film classic and should be treated with reverence. Yes, I understand that, too, but appreciating a Model T Ford doesn't mean I want to drive it to work each day. It's okay to admit that the modern viewer will find some parts of this movie to be amusing reminders of a simpler era.The plot centers around a scientist, who has a very high opinion of himself, played by an actor who I would guess had a similarly high opinion of himself in real life. One day he has a mysterious plane "accident" followed by the arrival of strange and unexplained mechanical parts. The man does what any scientist/ jet pilot/ genius would do and goes along for the ride. This leads to the creation of the world's largest television set, which only gets one channel. It's overgrown oompa loompas inviting our scientist hero into a plot to gather the world's brightest and create peace on earth. Naturally, our hero doesn't question this peaceful intent even when their giant boob tube is revealed to come equipped with death rays and a self- destruct mode.The scientist abandons his assistant in a dramatic goodbye scene to embark on a perilous journey to...Georgia. It's here where he encounters a former one night stand and the plot is exposed to be a lie. Of course, the real goal of the aliens is the same as every other movie from this era, to invade Earth. Eventually, we get to see their planet Metaluna, which is a devastated looking place full of hideous mutants. It is these final moments that, for me, are the real draw of this movie.I'm having a little bit of fun with the plot, but I'm also a fan of these films and expect to have a little fun with it. The first hour of the film could have used a little bit more work in the editing room as the pace slows at times. It's a plot typical of the 50s sci-fi shockers of this time, with elaborate and, sometimes, silly plot points. The acting, especially from our male lead, is very indicative of its' time. There are some decent effects shots for a a drive-in cheapie, though. The death rays still look pretty good and the chase scene in the station wagon looks better than a lot of movies from this same era can claim.The real draw, as stated, is that final act on Metaluna. This is a desolate planet, full of steaming holes, dark caves and ominous red lighting. Admittedly, it shows its' age some, but it still looks like a terrifying place that I don't want to visit all these years later. You can draw a line from this movie to something like PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES and, eventually, ALIEN. In the years to follow, the real star of this movie has become the mutants, a brilliant creature design, who's image has now become part of the iconic Universal Monsters lineup and is typically included in any toy line or marketing. The legs didn't work and they had to use pants for the monsters, but even with this limitation, these mutants may just be the first truly terrifying aliens ever put onto the screen. The brilliant blue colors and crab-like hands, with those bulbous heads and black eyes go even further towards establishing this movie's rightful place in movie lore and history.It's going to be a little slow for most viewers today, but if you're a fan of classic film, then this is well worth the time.

WE'VE WONDERED ABOUT just how good of a piece of SciFi film this was; for viewing it just seemed to an eluding experience for years. More precisely, this was ever since my younger brother, Bob, (Robert E. Ryan)bought a copy of a record album with (I believe) money received for his 13th Birthday party. That was in May of 1965.THE PARTICULAR 33 1/3 RPM long play record was titled THEMES FROM HORROR MOVIES by one Dick Jacobs & His Orchestra; from Coral Records (a Subsidiary of Decca Records), 1959. Inasmuch as Coral & Decca were both labels owned by MCA (the owner of Universal Pictures), it should have come as no surprise that the chosen selections were excerpts of soundtracks from Universal's output.*BETWEEN THE EXCITING selection from THIS ISLAND EARTH, titled meteors, and the highly dramatic advertising art that decorated the movie posters, lobby cards & the newspaper movie sections, we received an impression that this was a first rate thriller. Added to our expectations was the highly metaphoric title of the movie; which,in itself, brought a feeling of wonderment and eager anticipation to our youthful imaginations.NOW UNDERSANDING THAT expectation seldom approaches reality, we know that so much of what was at play here is good old fashioned Hollywood hype, Madison Street hoopla and manipulating of our emotions.AS FOR OUR long last being able to view the film, we can only say that it is a mediocre production at best. It is a "B" movie, passing as an "A" grade feature. it has a "B" cast with cut rate sets, economic special effects and formula storytelling.WITH ALL THIS negativity, let us interject right here; that the theme music and incidental music was, at least,very good. ONE PARTICULAR SHORTCOMING would be the short time that the story's setting was limited to 'Metaluna'. It seems that the Eartlings had just arrived there; when they were departing on the second leg of the round trip. To quote Groucho Marx's song in ANIMAL CRACKERS, "... Hello, I must be going...!" THAT WE DID, indeed find it somewhat enjoyable would be due to recollecting on the era from which the movie sprang; namely the 1950's. It was during this time, with the Cold War at its coldest and only ten short years since the end of Workld War II, that our neighborhood shows and drive-ins craved this sort of fair to stay going. Basically, countless pictures relied on the simple formula of: the Government/Military + Sciene = Our World Saved! WE HAVE FOUND that many a TV series episode may well have been derived from failed screenplays,that were originally intended for theatrical features, that never got made; which were then scaled down for presentation on the small screen. It appears to us that THIS ISLAND EARTH saw the light of day by taking the reverse route; bring a story intended for a TV Scienvce Fiction anthology series, then padded out for the movie houses.SO, AS WE reluctantly come to a close to another of our delightful reviews, we can all rest assured that we've fulfilled another item on "Red Ryan's Bucket List!"NOTE: In addition to Universal Productions, there were some themes from the British Company, Hammer Films; which were released by Universal. (Get the picture?)