This Island Earth (1954)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1954
Running Times: 87 mins
Format: Technicolor     35mm
Ratio: 1.37:1
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Universal-International presents
Copyright: © MCMLV by Universal Pictures Company, Inc
Produced by: William Alland

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Franklin Coen and Edward G. O'Callaghan
Based on the Novel by: Raymond F. Jones

DIRECTION
Directed by: Joseph Newman, Jack Arnold (uncredited)
Assistant Director: Fred Frank

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Clifford Stine
Technicolour Color Consultant: William Fritzsche
Color by: Technicolor

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Film Editor: Virgil Vogel

MUSIC
Music: Henry Mancini, Hans J. Salter, Herman Stein (all uncredited)
Music Supervision by: Joseph Gershenson

SOUND
Sound: Leslie I. Carey, Robert Pritchard
Western Electric Recording

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make-Up: Bud Westmore
Gowns: Rosemary Odell
Hair Stylist: Joan St Oegger

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Charles Baker (uncredited)
Mutant Designer: Milicent Patrick (uncredited)
Mutant Built By: Robert Hickman, Jack Kevan, Chris Mueller (all uncredited)

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Photography: David S. Horsley and Clifford Stine
Optical Printing: Roswell A. Hoffman

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen, Richard H. Riedel
Set Decorations: Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron

CAST
Starring
Jeff Morrow (Exeter)
Faith Domergue (Dr Ruth Adams)
Rex Reason (Dr Cal Meacham)

With
Lance Fuller (Brack)
Russell Johnson (Steve Carlson)
Douglas Spencer (The Monitor of Metaluna)
Robert Nichols (Joe Wilson)
Karl L. Lindt (Dr Adolph Engelborg)

Lizalotta Valesca (Dr Marie Filchner (uncredited))
Spencer Chan (Dr Hu Ling Tang (uncredited))
Robert Williams (Webb (uncredited))
Jack Byron (photographer (uncredited))
Richard Deacon (pilot (uncredited))
Coleman Francis (express deliveryman (uncredited))
Mark Hamilton (Metalunan (uncredited))
Edward Hearn (reporter (uncredited))
Edward Ingram (photographer (uncredited))
Eddie Parker, Regis Parton (mutants - both uncredited)
Olan Soule (1st reporter (uncredited))
Les Spears (reporter (uncredited))

Mysterious scientist Exeter assembles a team of top flight scientists at a high-tech research facility where they are put to work on a secret project involving nuclear energy. Exeter turns out to be an alien from the planet Metaluna which is danger of being destroyed in its endless war with the planet Zagon. Two of the human scientists are taken off to Metalune in a last ditch effort to save the planet from total destruction.

A cracking piece of 50s SF that isn't as widely regarded as some of its contemporaries but which nevertheless has much to commend it. The Metalnua mutant is a welcome addition to Universal's pantheon of monsters and is the real star of the film, despite it's brief on-screen appearance. It's certainly more interesting than the rather bland and forgettable human characters with only Jeff Morrow's suitably weird Exeter making any real imapct. The poor performances aside, this remains top-notch entertainment, quite undeserving on its lampooning in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996).

Japan
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer

UK
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer (PLFEB 36061)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Video Distributor: MCA; Facets Video; Universal Studios Home Video
DVD Distributor: Image Entertainment (ID 4268 USDVD)
Laserdisc Distributor: MCA Home Video (40327)

Finland
Rating: K-16

Germany
Rating: 12

USA
MPAA: 17098

1955
June
1: USA - theatrical release

July
29: Finland - theatrical release

September
26: Sweden - theatrical release

1959
January
12: Denmark - theatrical release

1997
October
Day Unknown: UK - laserdisc release (Pioneer (PLFEB 36061))

1998
April
8: USA - DVD release (Image Entertainment (ID 4268 USDVD))

2006
August
20: UK - television broadcast (om Film 4 / Film 4+1)

The supreme excitement of our time!

Two mortals trapped in outer space... challenging the unearthly furies of an outlaw planet gone mad!

2 1/2 Years in the making!

War of the Planets

SEE ALSO
Contact (1997)
The Creature Wasn't Nice (1981)
Matinee (1993)
Remote Control (1987)
UHF (1989)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
E.T. and Friends (NO DATE)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Explorers (1985)
Il mondo di Dario Argento 3: Il museo degli orrori di Dario Argento (1997)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)
Tribulation 99: Alien Anomalies Under America (1992)

REFERENCES

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

aliens, spaceships, space travel, scientists, mutant, other planets, war

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008