It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)

★ 5.8 1h 9m IMDb

Horror Sci-Fi

The first manned expedition to Mars is invaded by an unknown life form, which stows away on the rescue ship.

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Cast

Marshall Thompson as Carruthers Died 1992 · Peoria, Illinois, USA Marshall Thompson (November 27, 1925 – May 18, 1992) was an American film and television actor. He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door g...

Shirley Patterson as Ann Anderson Died 1995 · Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Shirley Patterson, sometimes billed as Shawn Smith, (December 26, 1922 – April 4, 1995) was a Canadian born B-movie actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Patterso...

Kim Spalding as Van Heusen Died 2000 · Washington, Missouri, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Kim Spalding was an American actor who appeared on television and in film between 1950 and 1961. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kim Spalding,...

Ann Doran as Mary Royce Died 2000 · Amarillo, Texas, USA Ann Lee Doran (July 28, 1911 – September 19, 2000) was an American character actress, possibly best known as the mother of Jim Stark (James Dean) in Rebel Without a Cause (1955). She was an early memb...

Dabbs Greer as Eric Royce Died 2007 · Fairview, Missouri, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert William "Dabbs" Greer (April 2, 1917 – April 28, 2007) was an American actor who performed many diverse supporting roles in film and television for over 5...

Paul Langton as Calder Died 1980 · Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Paul Langton was an American screen, radio, and television actor best known for his role as Leslie Harrington on the prime time television series Peyton Place (1964-68)..

Director Edward L. Cahn

Cast Marshall Thompson, Shirley Patterson, Kim Spalding, Ann Doran, Dabbs Greer, Paul Langton, Robert Bice, Richard Benedict, Richard Hervey, Thom Carney

John Chard 8/10 May 30, 2019

It has to kill us or starve and we've got to kill it or die.

It's the future, 1973, and the first manned expedition to Mars is marooned. When a rescue team finally reach the stricken ship they find only one survivor - the leader, Col. Edward Carruthers. He claims that an alien life form killed his crew but this is met with scepticism as Carruthers tells the story...

Pretty much forgotten until Ridley Scott's enormously successful Alien in 1979 caused ripples on account of plot similarity, It! The Terror from Beyond Space now rightfully sits with the best of the sci-fi schlockers from the 50s. Sure it's hokey and the old man in the rubber suit issue is hardly the work of cinematic genius, but its beating science heart and the claustrophobic construction more than make up for budgetary restrictions. Set on board a classic V-2 vertical type rocket ship, Edward L. Cahn's film benefits from having Jerome Bixby on pen duties. Bixby's credentials boasts the likes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone and Fantastic Voyage, so the writing here was in good hands. For sure it's not exactly breaking new ground with the basic plot, but it has a little more to offer than what at first seems.

As for the titular creature itself? Well it proudly displays all of the limitations of its bargain basement budget. Played by Ray "Crash" Corrigan, it's a lumbering, grunting piggy type alien that we get to see too much of during the second half of the movie. However, with Kenneth Peach's toned down black & white photography at work, the creature remains a potent character as it stalks its prey around the metallic interiors of the ship. The cast are the usual assemblage of "B" movie performers, with Marshall Thompson and Shirley Patterson putting in a good shift. While Grant Whytock in the editing department deserves a mention for keeping the film free of pointless filler.

A taut and creepy little shocker that is a must see for anyone interested in the glorious days of the sci-fi schlocker and creaky creature feature. 8/10