What's your favorite 1950's sci-fi movie?

[Wade]

As far as the original P9 in her later years I knew Ms. Nurmi was quite vocal about how Cassandra Peterson (or maybe it was KHJ) stole her Vampira look but I believe Charles Addams had introduced Morticia Adams well before either character and you can certainly see the similarity in all three.

 

[Decker]

Ah .. 1950's Sci Fi flicks ... gotta be the original "The Thing" from another world. I first saw it as a small kid on black and white TV. Of course everything was black and white but good God. As a little kid that terrified me almost beyond all reason. I have a copy of it on DVD and still sometimes will pop it in my video player and watch it. Amazing how it still seems to hold up.

Decker

 

[DaveM]

I also thought the Tim Burton Ed Wood movie was fantastic.

Landau/Lugosi's 'I have no home' speech is worth the price of the whole movie.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

It is so sad that Lugosi died in near poverty and, other than his work with Ed Wood in his final years, near obscurity after becoming a cultural icon. Universal has made no doubt hundreds of millions of dollars from Lugosi's character and likeness, but little or nothing of that went to Lugosi or his family. While his sometime rival, Boris Karloff, was far more successful financially, some years back his daughter, Sarah, was busy trying to get money from Universal from their ongoing profits for the characters he created.

 

[DaveM]

It is so sad that Lugosi died in near poverty and, other than his work with Ed Wood in his final years, near obscurity after becoming a cultural icon. Universal has made no doubt hundreds of millions of dollars from Lugosi's character and likeness, but little or nothing of that went to Lugosi or his family. While his sometime rival, Boris Karloff, was far more successful financially, some years back his daughter, Sarah, was busy trying to get money from Universal from their ongoing profits for the characters he created.

That's what being addicted to heroin will do to you.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

His problems began with using morphine to control back pain in the 1930s. He got addicted to that and other substances over the years and finally underwent a painful withdrawal process in the 1950s. But he was physically a shadow of himself and I suspect the ordeal seriously cut short his life.

 

[Creepy Green Light]

His problems began with using morphine to control back pain in the 1930s. He got addicted to that and other substances over the years and finally underwent a painful withdrawal process in the 1950s. But he was physically a shadow of himself and I suspect the ordeal seriously cut short his life.

That's too bad. You would think there would be a way for his children to get something from Universal.

 

[Goggs Mackay]

What did you think of the 1978 remake with Leonard Nimoy?

Actually Gene, it bucks the general trend of remakes by being a damn fine movie.

I may be biased as I probably saw the '78 version before the original, but they are both great. As a kid, I literally hid behind the couch at points in the film!

 

[DaveM]

Lugosi was married five times. That probably didn't help his bank account either.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

So was Karloff.

What is it about these people?

Lon Chaney, Jr. was only married twice.

 

[Sand]

I’d go with “Forbidden Planet”. I like the retro feel of it.

I also like “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, though I’m not overly fond of the scenes that feature the “Gee whiz, Mr. Carpenter” little boy.

The original “The Thing from Another World” includes a moment I find one of the more curious in film. At around 35-40 minutes in the hero (Ken Tobey) and the female star (Margaret Sheridan) are standing around talking, smoking cigarettes, and looking cool. In the midst of the conversation Sheridan pulls something off her tongue, as though she had a hair or piece of tobacco in her mouth. Why was that moment left in the film? The Howard Hawks’ production was not a low budget movie. Was pulling something off your tongue considered a cool move back in the 1950s?

 

[Decker]

The original “The Thing from Another World” includes a moment I find one of the more curious in film. At around 35-40 minutes in the hero (Ken Tobey) and the female star (Margaret Sheridan) are standing around talking, smoking cigarettes, and looking cool. In the midst of the conversation Sheridan pulls something off her tongue, as though she had a hair or piece of tobacco in her mouth. Why was that moment left in the film? The Howard Hawks’ production was not a low budget movie. Was pulling something off your tongue considered a cool move back in the 1950s?

I recall that scene you mentioned. I do not have an answer for you but this I will say ... I found Margaret Sheridan incredibly hot in that flick. She was smoking and I don't mean tobacco.

Decker

 

[Ron Away]

Plan 9 from out of space.Who doesn't love a film who's biggest star dies before release, who's replacement is significantly taller,younger and looks nothing like him.Thus necessitating the replacement to hide his face for the rest of the movie.And my childish side also chuckled at one of the other actors being called Dudley Manlove!.

 

[Randall]

I know there are a lot of great choices, but I especially like This Island Earth. That and War Of The Worlds. Love those two amongst many others. What about you?

Here's my faves from the 50s - Most made before I was born ...

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - 1954

The Day The Earth Stood Still - 1951

The Fly - 1958

Earth vs The Flying Saucers - 1956

Godzilla - If any of them count as sci-fi

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957

More of course ... but these were the first that I remember actually having seen a few times.

 

[Creepy Green Light]

Here's my faves from the 50s - Most made before I was born ...

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - 1954

The Day The Earth Stood Still - 1951

The Fly - 1958

Earth vs The Flying Saucers - 1956

Godzilla - If any of them count as sci-fi

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957

More of course ... but these were the first that I remember actually having seen a few times.

On your list Earth vs The Flying Saucers is my fav

 

[Creepy Green Light]

BTW - I love the look of the flying saucers in Plan 9 From Outer Space.

 

[Wade]

If I can be allowed to cheat by one year...

Village of the Damned, released in 1960 (possibly made in 50s though)

 

[Jeff Crowell]

Over the last three or four years 1950's scifi has been at the top of my guilty pleasures list. I got this book a while back and it's proven a handy reference on movies to track down and watch. I have to say that 'one' of my favorites is the original The Day the Earth Stood Still, but I've been a War of the Worlds fan since I was a little kid and they played it on Sunday afternoons. Another thing I enjoy doing is catching 1950's movies (in general) on MST3K....late at night......while drunk. That stuff's funny, right there!

Ooo. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. I lol'ed on a few scenes, including the time the Saucermen tossed the general and scientist out of the saucer while flying over the woods.

One movie I've heard a lot about but not been able to track down is 'Them".

 

[Creepy Green Light]

Over the last three or four years 1950's scifi has been at the top of my guilty pleasures list. I got this book a while back and it's proven a handy reference on movies to track down and watch. I have to say that 'one' of my favorites is the original The Day the Earth Stood Still, but I've been a War of the Worlds fan since I was a little kid and they played it on Sunday afternoons. Another thing I enjoy doing is catching 1950's movies (in general) on MST3K....late at night......while drunk. That stuff's funny, right there!

Ooo. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. I lol'ed on a few scenes, including the time the Saucermen tossed the general and scientist out of the saucer while flying over the woods.

One movie I've heard a lot about but not been able to track down is 'Them".

I have vivid memories of watching "Them!" at my grandmother & grandfathers house in the 70's. I was fascinated & scared at the same time. I'd get really anxious when I heard the noise that the ants make before showing up.

 

[Wade]

How could we have gotten this far without giving a nod to the king of all monsters?

Perry Mason: "Well it's big and terrible"