Thu 2 Sep 2010
Archived Movie Review: INVISIBLE INVADERS (1959).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , SF & Fantasy films[7] Comments
INVISIBLE INVADERS. United Artists, 1959. John Agar, Jean Byron, Philip Tonge, Robert Hutton, John Carradine. Director: Edward L. Cahn.
As bad as second-rate sci-fi movies are today, in 1959 they were even worse. Even so, while this one is as ineptly written as they come, the solid earnestness of the cast makes it bearable to watch. It also doesn’t manage to turn you off with an excess of stomach-wrenching special effects, as opposed to what just about every other space-invasion monster-movie supplies us with, whether we wish so or not.
Maybe that’s because the invaders from the moon, the self-proclaimed “masters of the universe”, are invisible. What is not really explained very well is why (1) they have been content to stay on the moon until now, and (2) why they need to possess the bodies of corpses while they’re on Earth.
Add number (3): while they are in possession of the bodies of corpses, why must they walk in such a vacant-eyed, lurching fashion, and speak with the cavernous voice of John Carradine, the first dead man whose body they took over?
And, well, while I’m at it, how about question (4): why do they bother “warning” Earth in the first place? If they’re so anxious to take over the place, now that mankind is on the verge of space travel and reaching the stars ourselves, why not just come in and wipe us out, without our even knowing?
Put the answers to these questions down to the fact that there are certain things that Mankind is doomed to never know. (Nor, I am inclined to believe, are we meant to.)
[UPDATE] 09-02-10. I don’t remember this one at all. It’s available on DVD from Midnight Movies double-billed with another SF film called Journey to the Seventh Planet, which maybe I ought to buy, unless you can talk me out of it. (Some reviewers on IMDB call Invisible Invaders a minor classic, but I’d rather hear from people I trust.)
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Edward L. Cahn was never a great director, or even always a good director, but he was an interesting director.
What I recall about this one — other than Carradine — is Agar’s ‘ray gun’ and protective gear later in the film. They look like he got them out of my Dad’s garage.
Come to think of it, maybe he did.
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:08 am
I’ll watch just about anything directed by Edward L. Cahn, though most of them are distinguished only by the pace he injected abnd his ability to keep a straight face– even in THE 4 SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE. Of course Cahn incredibly directed one undisputed classic, SAINT JOHNSON, from a novel by W.R. Burnett based on the Wyatt Earp story, with Walter Huston and Harry Carey.
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:46 am
I don’t think I saw this one – I did see the classic turkey Dan mentioned, THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE. As I recall it involved curare and shrunken heads and Henry Daniell.
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:48 am
JOURNEY TO THE SEVENTH PLANET is another John Agar “aliens take over his brain” turkey.
Sure, go ahead and buy it.
😉
September 3rd, 2010 at 8:37 am
You could do worse than watch this one. It’s heavy-handed and predictable, yet somehow remains watchable. Even the worst films always benefit from John Carradine’s presence — John Agar, not so much.
INVISIBLE INVADERS is what PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE aspired to be.
September 3rd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Dan
Finally some one else who loves SAINT JOHNSON (LAW AND ORDER) — and what’s not to love — despite the name changes it’s the OK Corral re told by W.R. Burnett with a John Huston screenplay and Walter Huston as Earp and Harry Carey as Doc Holiday! Love Andy Devine as the back shooting Johnny the Deuce!
Though it is hard to tell, this was remade with Ronald Reagan and Dorothy Malone as LAW AND ORDER in 1953. Unless you are a big Reagan or Malone fan stick with the original.
John Agar did a few better sf films than this (TARANTULA and PUPPET PEOPLE) and a few much worse. This one has a sort of cheesy fun all it’s own, with Carradine dominating the thing easily. All in all he should have stuck with John Ford and Shirley Temple.
Though in at least one way this is fun to watch just to see how well it works despite no budget.
Cahn did a pretty good late fifties gangster flic with Mamie Van Doren too.
April 6th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
I like “Invisible Invaders” very much and I enjoy watching it 3-4 times a year. When I show it to friends 8 out of 11 have also enjoyed it. I don’t go into watching these 50’s – 60’s Sci-Fi movies expecting Oscar level performances or stunning special effects.
Invisible Invaders effectively achieves an eerie atmosphere throughout the film despite the plot holes and inaccuracies. I think the actors all give effective performances and are all believable.
I watch these kinds of movies for the fun and enjoyment. I also liked seeing many of them on shows like MST3K. I don’t go in with the mindset of a critic looking for every mistake or goof. There are some dumb things in every movie. I think of cardboard taped to the lamps in Dracula starring Bela Lugosi! No, these movies are meant to scare,, and also for lots of fun, and Invisible Invaders achieves all of that and some more for me. I think now I will have to watch it and 2 or 3 other of the classics.