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It Came from Outer Space (1953) Movie Review

It Came From Outer Space – ABC Film Challenge – Horror – I – It Came From Outer Space – Movie Review

It Came from Outer Space

Director: Jack Arnold

Writer: Harry Essex (Screenplay)

Writer: Ray Bradbury (Story)

Cast

  • Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon)
  • Barbara Rush (When Worlds Collide)
  • Charles Drake (Harvey)
  • Joe Sawyer (The Killing)
  • Russell Johnson (Attack of the Crab Monsters)

Plot: A spaceship from another world crashes in the Arizona desert and only an amateur stargazer and a schoolteacher suspect alien influence when the local townsfolk begin to act strangely.

Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: It Came From Outer Space starts when an object crash lands in the Arizona desert. Amateur astronomer John Putnam (Carlson) investigates with his girlfriend Ellen Fields (Rush). As the government starts to investigate the incident, John must persuade them something from outer space has arrived.

John must prove that an alien force has arrived on Earth and is taking over the bodies of his friends and the locals. Whoever, the more he investigates, he gets caught up in the middle of a bigger conspiracy going on.

Verdict on It Came From Outer Space

It Came From Outer Space continues the 1950s era of exploring what could come from outer space. It shows the paranoia created when an unknown visitor arrives. This sees one man needing to prove what has arrived while other people are looking to destroy them.

It feels perfect for the era of movies, getting everything, it needs to correct. This makes us feel like we are in the paranoia era of 1950s America and how quick to react military would have. Unlike many others of the era, we don’t get a big monster involved, instead, we see camera tricks being used to conduct everything we see.

Final Thoughts – It Came From Outer Space is yet another perfect era movie, highlighting the paranoia aliens created in America.

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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – R – Roman Holiday (1953) Movie Review

Director: William Wyler

Writer: Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton, Dalton Trumbo (Screenplay)

Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Harcourt Williams, Margaret Rawlings

Plot: A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome.

Runtime: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Classic

Story: Roman Holiday starts as Princess Ann (Hepburn) is on her European tour to improve relationships between the countries, her schedule is hectic, finally getting to her, forcing her into needing a break from the visits, meetings and speeches, before she decides to escape the guardians.

Getting drunk, American newsman Joe Bradley (Peck) finds her needing someone to rest, unaware of her true identity, he offers her a new view on the city, while the royal officials go in search for Ann, while she finally gets to enjoy her life for the first time.

Thoughts on Roman Holiday

Characters – Joe Bradley is the newsman always looking for the next big story, he was meant to be involved in an interview with Princess Ann, before the events of her night out came to light, only he knows who she really is and spends time befriending her and showing her Rome, in hope of getting his own story. Princess Ann is getting tired of her press tour of Europe, she wants to escape the routine, which she believes she has, when it comes to meeting Joe, she enjoys the freedom and getting to know somebody who isn’t going to be doing everything for her.

Performances – We have two of the greatest actors in the history of film here Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, both get to show why they are considered two of the greatest, showing excellent screen presence through the film.

Story – The story here follows a Princess on a European tour, who wants to escape the busy schedule and finds an American, who just so happens to be looking to interview her and the two spend 24 hours exploring Rome. This is a story that does show how the pressure a royal member has when it comes to being in the spotlight, which Princess Ann wants to escape from. The story is clever enough to have everybody know the truth, without giving the truth to each other, while managing to show that spending time together, means they will be doing the right thing once they get to know each other.

Comedy/Romance – The comedy in the film comes from how the two as they get into different situations through the day together, with the romance being more of a what if, between people from very different worlds.

Settings – The film is set in Rome, which is a wonderful backdrop for the film, one that works and does look beautiful.


Scene of the Movie – The dance together.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Nothing.

Final Thoughts – This is a classic that should be essential watching for any film fan in the world, it shows two of the greatest, with one of the simplest and most enjoyable styles of film.

Overall: Truly Enjoyable.