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Studio:Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Director:Fred F. Sears

Cast: Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, Charles Evans

Running Time:82 minutes

Product Description

Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, Charles EvansDirectors: Fred F. Sears

Amazon.co.uk Review

A textbook example of '50s-era science fiction, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers boasts not only a solid script and competent performances, but some genuinely impressive stop-motion effects courtesy of one of the industry's uncontested masters, Ray Harryhausen. Scientist Hugh Marlowe (who faced a more benevolent invader from space five years earlier in The Day the Earth Stood Still) discovers that UFOs are responsible for the destruction of a series of exploratory space rockets launched by his space exploration project. The saucers' helmeted pilots land on Earth and deliver an ultimatum to humanity via Marlowe.

Harryhausen's painstakingly intricate saucers and the destruction they wreak (particularly during an assault on Washington, D.C.) are the film's unquestionable highlights, but Marlowe and Joan Taylor (as his wife/partner) are capable leads, and veteran B director Fred F. Sears doesn't let the dialogue and expositional scenes fall apart in between the barrage of effects. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers is a fun and effective slice of sci-fi that should please younger audiences as well as nostalgic return viewers. Sears later reused some of the effects footage for his jaw-droppingly awful 1957 effort, The Giant Claw. --Paul Gaita

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Reviews

- Alien brainteasers

Too many rockets seem to be going astray lately. Combine this with mysterious lights in the sky and you have some suspicious scientists. This is explained early on in the movie when recently married Dr. Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) and Carol Marvin (Joan Taylor) are making thinly valid romantic overtures and they are approached by (you guessed it) a flying saucer. What can this encounter mean? What are the consequences if they do not figure it out soon, as "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers"?

Why brain teasers? Watch when Maj. Huglin, Liaison Officer (Donald Curtis) is fool enough to look up when he is inside the saucer.

This movie has just about everything you need for a good sci-fi film. It has a 50's feel (probably because it is a 50's movie.) It has Ray Harryhausen effects Vs nondescript CGI. And you recognize Hugh Marlowe from "The Day The Earth Stood Still". At one point you can say don't look up (oops too late). More to the point, it is just down right fun to watch.

Of course, this film was made before Blu-ray yet it is a perfect candidate for the big screen and high definition. There is no fuzzy filming in this presentation.

Bamboo Saucer

- earth vs the flying saucers

this is one of my favourite b grade movies of the 1950s
it is cheesy and corny but downright entertaining.
the special effects are great and the storyline is very well
put together.if you like blu ray buy this you also get the choice
of colourised or black and white versions.if you love films of this era
add this one to your list to buy you won't be disappointed.

- earth vs flying saucers

i am pleased that the disc offered the choice between viewing a colorised version or the original b/w . the original was much more satisfying to watch , as the monochrome picture seemed more in tune with the period in which the film was set . overall , very good .

- Earth vs The Flying Saucers - Blu Ray

I initially bought this Blu-Ray as a bit of a novelty; a 1956 film on BD? Hmm that's really pushing the Hi-Def technology isn't it!!
But I quickly became absorbed by this classic B-Movie;
What really makes this an excellent disc is the additional content;
The explanation & method of the Colourisation was nothing short of astounding, and the Ray Harryhausen interview was both a fascinating insight into the stop-motion animation of the day, and detailing the great man's legacy.
Plus the feature about the 'Hollywood Blacklist',something that I hadn't even been aware of in the history of movie-making, was revealing.
All in all, this feature-packed BD was a surprising gem.

- Great sci-fi classic on Blu-ray

Earth vs The Flying Saucers comes to HD in nicely restored black and white and newly colourised versions, with loads of extras. If you feel inclined you can even switch between black and white and colour while watching the movie, using the angle button on the remote control. I preferred the black and white version which is significantly sharper and cleaner, and with better greyscale, than the original DVD edition. But the colourised version is equally impressive in muted pastel tones which suit the era of the movie. The sound has been remixed into 5.1 surround, although the surround effects are minimal. The extras are worthwhile and add to the enjoyment of this movie. These include an informative audio commentary with Ray Harryhausen and others, Remembering Earth vs The Flying Saucers featurette (21:25), The Hollywood Blacklist and Bernard Gordon featurette (29:27), Interview With Joan Taylor featurette (17:29), Colorisation Process featurette (11:02), Original Screenplay Credits (3:16), Photo Gallery (23:20), Earth vs The Flying Saucers Comic Book, and Theatrical Trailers for 20 Million Miles To Earth, It Came From Beneath The Sea, and The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad. All featurettes are in 16:9 widescreen in SD. This is a great Blu-ray release which I score an 8 out of 10. The disc loses two points for not including the theatrical trailer for Earth vs The Flying Saucers, The Harryhausen Chronicles featurette, Earth vs The Flying Saucers featurette, This Is Dynamation featurette and original mono sound from the original DVD release. Is the Blu-ray disc worth double dipping? Yes, for the significant improvement in picture quality and the new extras, but keep your original DVD edition for the original extra features.