Killers from Space
Encyclopedia
Killers from Space is a 1954
American black and white science fiction
feature
film
, produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder
(brother of Billy Wilder
) from an original, commissioned screenplay by his son Myles Wilder
and their regular collaborator William Raynor, and starring Peter Graves
and Barbara Bestar. Lee Wilder's independent production company, Planet Filmplays Inc., usually producing on a financing-for-distribution basis for United Artists
, made this film for RKO Radio Pictures distribution.
At the base hospital, he does not remember what happened. He acts so strangely that the authorities bring in the FBI, thinking he may be an impostor. He is cleared, but told to take some time off. He protests at being excluded from his project.
An atomic test is set off without his knowledge, so Martin steals the data, then goes back to Soledad Flats and puts the papers under a stone. The FBI agent has followed him, but he escapes until he crashes his car. Back at the hospital, he is given truth serum
. He tells a story about being captured by space aliens from Astron Delta and held in their underground base. (The aliens have big eyes like ping-pong balls.)
The aliens plan to exterminate all humans with giant insects and reptiles, grown with radiation absorbed from the bomb tests. Martin intuits that the aliens use stolen electric power to control their powerful apparatus, and they need the bomb data to predict the energy to be released and balanced. The aliens had blanked his memory and hypnotized him into getting the data for them.
The FBI agent and the base commander are skeptical of such an incredible story, and keep him confined at the hospital.
With some calculations on a slide rule
, Dr. Martin determines that if he shuts off the power to Soledad Flats for just ten seconds, it will create an overload in the aliens' equipment. So he escapes the hospital and goes to the nearby electrical power plant, where he forces a technician to turn off the power. The alien base is destroyed in a massive explosion, saving the Earth from conquest.
, the player may turn on the TV which has two channels, one of which is a clip from Killers from Space. The other is a clip from the civil defense educational film Duck and Cover
.
The film was released on DVD with a commentary track by The Film Crew
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
American black and white science fiction
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
feature
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder
W. Lee Wilder
William Lee Wilder was an Austrian-born American screenwriter, film producer and director. He was the brother of the film director Billy Wilder.-Selected filmography:* The Glass Alibi * The Pretender * Yankee Fakir...
(brother of Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder was an Austro-Hungarian born American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, artist, and journalist, whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Hollywood's golden age...
) from an original, commissioned screenplay by his son Myles Wilder
Myles Wilder
Myles Wilder was a television comedy writer and producer.His father was director-producer W. Lee Wilder , and his uncle was Oscar-winning director Billy Wilder .-External links:...
and their regular collaborator William Raynor, and starring Peter Graves
Peter Graves (actor)
Peter Aurness , known professionally as Peter Graves, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for his starring role in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973...
and Barbara Bestar. Lee Wilder's independent production company, Planet Filmplays Inc., usually producing on a financing-for-distribution basis for United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, made this film for RKO Radio Pictures distribution.
Plot summary
Dr. Douglas Martin is a scientist working on atomic bomb tests. While collecting aerial data on an Air Force atomic blast at Soledad Flats, his plane crashes. He survives the crash unhurt, except for a strange scar on his chest.At the base hospital, he does not remember what happened. He acts so strangely that the authorities bring in the FBI, thinking he may be an impostor. He is cleared, but told to take some time off. He protests at being excluded from his project.
An atomic test is set off without his knowledge, so Martin steals the data, then goes back to Soledad Flats and puts the papers under a stone. The FBI agent has followed him, but he escapes until he crashes his car. Back at the hospital, he is given truth serum
Truth Serum
Truth Serum is an independent comic book series created, written and drawn by author Jon Adams.-Overview:Originally published as a mini comic in 2001 and given away for free, it appeared as a three-issue mini series published by Slave Labor Graphics in 2002...
. He tells a story about being captured by space aliens from Astron Delta and held in their underground base. (The aliens have big eyes like ping-pong balls.)
The aliens plan to exterminate all humans with giant insects and reptiles, grown with radiation absorbed from the bomb tests. Martin intuits that the aliens use stolen electric power to control their powerful apparatus, and they need the bomb data to predict the energy to be released and balanced. The aliens had blanked his memory and hypnotized him into getting the data for them.
The FBI agent and the base commander are skeptical of such an incredible story, and keep him confined at the hospital.
With some calculations on a slide rule
Slide rule
The slide rule, also known colloquially as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but is not normally used for addition or subtraction.Slide rules come in a...
, Dr. Martin determines that if he shuts off the power to Soledad Flats for just ten seconds, it will create an overload in the aliens' equipment. So he escapes the hospital and goes to the nearby electrical power plant, where he forces a technician to turn off the power. The alien base is destroyed in a massive explosion, saving the Earth from conquest.
Cast
- Peter GravesPeter Graves (actor)Peter Aurness , known professionally as Peter Graves, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for his starring role in the CBS television series Mission: Impossible from 1967 to 1973...
as Dr. Douglas Martin - Frank Gerstle as Dr. Curt Kruger
- James SeayJames SeayJames Seay was an American character actor who often played minor supporting roles as government officials....
as Col. Banks - Steve PendletonSteve PendletonSteve Pendleton was an American film actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1923 and 1960. He died in Pasadena, California, aged 76.-Selected filmography:* Manslaughter * Seas Beneath...
as FBI Agent Briggs - Barbara Bestar as Ellen Martin
- Shepard MenkenShepard MenkenShepard Menken was an American voice actor and character actor.Menken began his career at the age of 11, when he started appearing on children's radio programs...
as Major Clift, M.D. - John Frederick as Denab and The Tala
- Jack DalyJack DalyJack "Jackie" Daly was a Fine Gael politician from County Kerry in Ireland. He was a senator for many years.The managing director of a motor vehicle business, Daly was elected to the 13th Seanad on 23 April 1975, at a by-election on the Industrial and Commercial Panel following the death of...
as Powerhouse Supervisor - Ron KennedyRon KennedyRon Kennedy was a Canadian ice hockey player and trainer.-Career:Kennedy had played minor-league hockey in North America, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany and Austria before moving to coaching.-Coaching career:...
as Sentry Sergeant - Ben WeldenBen WeldenBen Welden was an American character actor who played a wide variety of Damon Runyon-type gangsters in various movies and television shows...
as Tar Baby 2 Pilot - Burt Wenland as Unspecified Sergeant
- Lester Dorr as Gas Station Attendant
- Robert Roark as Unspecified Guard
- Ruth BennettRuth BennettRuth Bennett is a former chair of the Libertarian Party of Washington and Libertarian Party of Colorado. She is the current Vice-Chair of Outright Libertarians....
as Miss Vincent - Mark ScottMark ScottMark Scott may refer to:*Mark Scott , semi-finalist of American Idol*Mark Scott , American talk show host*Mark Scott , TV actor and host of the TV series Home Run Derby...
as Narrator
Trivia
At the beginning of the 2006 video game PreyPrey (video game)
Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...
, the player may turn on the TV which has two channels, one of which is a clip from Killers from Space. The other is a clip from the civil defense educational film Duck and Cover
Duck and Cover
Duck and Cover are a hard rock band from Pretoria. Duck and Cover have established their presence in the local South African music scene during 4 years of gigs, festivals, concerts and publicity. The band relies on 70s rock and metal, as well as more contemporary rock music influences to guarantee...
.
The film was released on DVD with a commentary track by The Film Crew
The Film Crew
The Film Crew were a comedic team similar to Mystery Science Theater 3000, comprising former MST3K cast members Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy...
External links
(without tinting) (with green tinting)- http://www.heavy.com/video/9301 Sarcastic Mockucommentary by Sasha Tane from Accent On Film