It! The Terror From Beyond Space

1958
Directed By Edward L. Cahn


SYNOPSIS

A rocket arrives to rescue the survivors of the doomed first mission to Mars. No one believes the sole survivor, Carruthers (Marshall Thompson,) that his 9 crew mates were killed by a monster. He is to be shipped back to Earth to stand trial for their murder. One crew member after another disappears and they are forced to believe the monster is real and aboard their ship!

 MY THOUGHTS

A very entertaining and (at times) tense thriller
'It' plays disturbingly similar to Ridley Scott's Alien, just without the overwhelming claustrophobic atmosphere (or positive female roles.) The film does have some genuine tension which is rare for a 50's monster film.
The film is also reminiscent of the 1951 version of The Thing, just set in space. The human characters are all scientists battling an alien creature. The actors portraying them are uniformly wooden in both movies. The bland acting didn't hurt The Thing and it doesn't hurt It. Also coincidentally, the monsters were both played by cowboys. James Arness played The Thing and here Ray "Crash" Corrigan is It.

The monster suit could pass for a less cool-looking relative of the Creature From The Black Lagoon. Thankfully, the director wisely kept the creature in the shadows for most of the film. 'It' is certainly more menacing and creepy that way.

The script was able to keep create an intelligent film that is not hindered by its low budget. The action essentially takes place on only two sets. (Each level of the ship is merely the same set redressed.)

Despite the smart screenplay, there are a few glaring science errors that probably went over the heads of a 1950's audience that really stick out today.
It's noted the monster breathes oxygen... so what was it doing on oxygen-free Mars?
You're in a fragile space ship, so why are you firing guns and setting off grenades? The ship must have a good ventilation system to soak up all the explosive and cigarette smoke to keep the crew from dying of smoke inhalation. These are only the tip of the iceberg...

So if you just kick up your feet and turn off your brain you will certainly enjoy this classic monster flick.