- Original theatrical poster - image courtesy of Four Color Comics
In 1955, This Island Earth debuted to mostly rave reviews, with many citing its intelligent script, detailed special effects and brilliant Technicolor cinematography amongst its virtues. Forty-one years later, it had the dubious honor of being the movie-within-the-movie in the theatrical production of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a TV series dedicated to mocking what are insinuated to be some of the worst movies ever made.
While more than a few of the movies featured on that show fit that particular bill, This Island Earth is far from representative of bad cinema; rather, it’s so distinctly characteristic of the time and genre that gave birth to it as to be ripe for easy riffing.
It’s a strange little film, no doubt, full of little choices that set it apart from the less personable of its ilk. Note the scene in which a character watches a plane fly away; it’s held perhaps twice as long as you expect it to, and it says that much more about the character because of it.
Based on the 1952 novel by Raymond F. Jones, this Universal production feels practically royal in its lavish use of sets and special effects; amongst the rich era of 1950s sci-fi, it is rivaled perhaps by only Forbidden Planet for sheer eye candy value. It aims not for realism but the fantastic and vivid; that which is larger than life. The mutant from the third act has imbedded itself in our cultural consciousness, while the aliens of the film seem to have been a passing inspiration for the Oompa-Loompas of the original film version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Alas, the script (adapted by Jones with input from two more writers) can’t quite match the eclectic visuals of the film, but that’s not to say this not-really-an-alien-invasion tale does the trick. Dr. Cal Meacham (the wonderfully square-jawed Rex Reason) receives an interesting message from superior alien minds, whom intercepted his order for electrical equipment and sent him some of their own superior technology, tastefully announcing their presence and wetting his appetite. A prodigy selected along with several other scientists for an emergency rescue mission, Meacham is taken to their home world, Metaluna, which is under attack and ready to crumble.
I must admit I’ve laughed at portions of This Island Earth in the company of MST3K’s hosts Tom, Crow and Mike, but the hilarity this writer finds in that series is as often a response to bad, sometimes atrocious cinema as it is a willing and cathartic indulgence in free-form media/cultural association. Even with movies one loves, it's an approach that can be as illuminating as any.
To that end, this classic provides an excellent template, and in fact had to be edited by about 20 minutes to fit in the too-short MST3K movie. The film proper is more thoughtful and dramatically complete (obviously), and is worth consideration from anyone who enjoys their profundity with a side of cheese.
This Island Earth. Dir. Joseph M. Newman. Perf. Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Rex Reason, Lance Fuller, Russell Johnson, Douglas Spencer, Robert Nichols, Karl L. Lindt. Universal Pictures International, 1955. Running Time: 87 min. 3 out of 5 stars (no halves).
