Outofthefifties'B'Science-Fictionmonstermovies,thiseasilyranksasthebest.It'smostnotableasthefilmthatALIENisanunaccreditedremakeof,thusgivingitacertainhistoricalsignificance. Theintriguingplotisabouttherescueoftheonlymaroonedsurvivor(Col.Carruthers)ofanill-fatedexpeditiontoMars.Theauthorities,pig-headedasusual,falselyassumethathemurderedhisfellowcrewmembers,sothathe'dhavemoreprovisionstosurvive;henceheisbeingbroughtbacktoEarthtofacecourt-martialformurder.(ThereisalsoasomewhatinterestingplotreversalhereMostmoviesofthisnatureusuallybeginwiththeshipleavingEarth,enroutetoitsotherworlddestination,while,inthiscase,thestoryisbelievedfinished,andbeginsasthecharacterstake-offfromtheotherplanet,returningtoEarth).AstherescueshipisleavingMars,alurking,ominousshadowisseeninthelowercompartment.(Afrightening,atmosphericmoment,accomplishedthroughsheereconomyandsimplicity). Carruthersinsistsofhisinnocencetohisfellowcaptors,claimingthathisoriginalcrewmatesweresla
2024-04-09
