Monday Funday!
KILLERS FROM SPACE, 1954 B&W
Scientist Doug Martin is investigating the results of an atomic bomb test when his plane crashes and he disappears. Later he shows up at a military base and remembers nothing of the crash. After he steals documents and is chased, he crashes. He regains consciousness in a hospital and is immediately given truth serum (thanks doc) and begins to tell his story: Bug-eyed humanoid space aliens (googly-eyed ping-pong balls) show him a Power Point presentation about how they are going to invade Earth and kill everything on the surface. Officials don’t believe him. I mean, who would? Googly-bug-eyes? He takes matters into his own hands and ruins the plans of the bug-eyes. Science fiction or some strange prophetic warning of the future? Either way, I’m staying away from ping-pong balls!
Favorite lines:
Alien: “You cannot find your way out of this cavern. Do not try to leave!”
Martin: Runs away; finds giant insects and lizards. They never listen.
Martin: “Give me 10 seconds after I cut the power…If nothing happens, you can do what you want with me.”
Martin: clicking off power “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, BOOOOOM!” Yippee! I’m not insane!
PHANTOM FROM SPACE, 1953 B&W
Alien invades Santa Monica! Mobile units (pronounce mobeel) keep driving around chasing some mystery signal. In wood-sided station wagons. Two men are killed by some mystery-being in a “diving suit”. Is he…Russian??? Finally we see the myster…ehm, Phantom running around trying to avoid the Mobeel Units, when he takes off his suit and is…invisible. We spend much film time thereafter looking at walls where, we have to assume, the invisib…um, Phantom is standing. Or maybe not. Heck, maybe they film crews just got bored. Kinda like me. Let’s see what’s going on in Facebook for a few minutes… Phanto…no, wait, that’s right…Phantom kidnaps Bahbahra who figures out from the tapping of a pair of scissors that he needs his air tanks recharged so he can breathe. That’s…an intuitive leap. I just thought he wanted to remind her not to run with the scissors. Anyway, the Phantom dies, they have no idea what he wanted or where he was from, aaaaannnd that’s a wrap. Everyone can go home, mystery solved.
Favorite lines:
Major: “Hmm, let me just think out loud for a moment.” No, please don’t.
Lt. Bowers: “Well hello there.”
Bahbahra: “Hello.”
Scientist: “That’s Mrs. Randall.”
Lt. Bowers: “I’ll be right back.” Yes, scurry away in your embarrassment!
Narrator: “By 12:30 am the dragnet was in operation.” Hey, that’s a different show!
Major: “Don’t touch the suit. It’s highly radioactive!”
Bahbahra: “I’d better put on these rubber gloves.” Oh yes, that’ll protect you.
Scientist: “Vell Major, ve are goingk to be here for a vhile.” Yes, please another ex-Nazi scientist.