The Strange World of Planet X (film)
Encyclopedia
The Strange World of Planet X (1958) is a British science fiction
horror film
, and a cautionary tale
about science. It was also known as Cosmic Monsters, The Crawling Terror, The Cosmic Monster, and The Crawling Horror.
The film was adapted by Paul Ryder
from the 1957 Rene Ray
novel
of the same name; a TV serial adapted by Ray aired in Britain in 1956.
Unusually, a theremin
is used in the musical soundtrack.
The film supposedly inspired the B movie
, Invasion from Inner Earth
(1974).
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, and a cautionary tale
Cautionary tale
A cautionary tale is a tale told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, location, or thing is said to be dangerous. Then, the...
about science. It was also known as Cosmic Monsters, The Crawling Terror, The Cosmic Monster, and The Crawling Horror.
The film was adapted by Paul Ryder
Paul Ryder
Paul Ryder is the former bass player and a founding member of the Manchester band Happy Mondays. He was an active member of the band from its inception in 1983 through to 2000 and was often credited for giving the band their trademark groove upon which some of their biggest hits were built...
from the 1957 Rene Ray
René Ray
René Ray, Countess of Midleton was a British film and stage actress of the 1930s and 1940s who appeared in over forty films....
novel
The Strange World of Planet X
The Strange World of Planet X is a British science fiction horror novel. Written by former actress Rene Ray, it is a cautionary tale about science.-Plot:...
of the same name; a TV serial adapted by Ray aired in Britain in 1956.
Plot
A monomaniacal scientist, Dr. Laird (played by Alec Mongo), has invented ultra-sensitive magnetic fields, which begin to attract objects from space. Strange things begin happening, including a freak storm, and insects and spiders begin to mutate into giant monsters. An alien spaceship has appeared over London and begins to warn mankind against the dangers of this scientific experiment.Cast
- Forrest TuckerForrest TuckerForrest Tucker was an American actor in both movies and television from the 1940s to the 1980s. Tucker, who stood 190 cm tall and weighed 93 kg , appeared in nearly 100 action films in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:Forrest Meredith Tucker was born in Plainfield, Indiana, a son of...
as Gil Graham - Gaby André as Michele Dupont
- Martin BensonMartin Benson (actor)Martin Benjamin Benson was an English character actor, who appeared in films, theatre and television. He appeared in both British and Hollywood productions.-Career:...
as Smith - Alec MangoAlec MangoAlec Mango was an English actor. He is best known for portraying El Supremo in the 1951 Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N., he also appeared in South of Algiers , The Strange World of Planet X , The 7th Voyage of Sinbad , Danger Man , and Frankenstein Created Woman, .-Selected filmography:* They Who...
as Dr. Laird - Wyndham Goldie as Brigadier Cartwright
- Hugh LatimerHugh Latimer (actor)Hugh Alexander Forbes Latimer was an English actor and toy maker.He was educated at Oundle and Caius College, Cambridge, where he joined Footlights...
as Jimmy Murray - Dandy NicholsDandy Nichols-References:* Dandy Nichols at screenonline.* Dandy Nichols at The Museum of Broadcast Communications.-External links:...
as Mrs. Tucker - Richard Warner as Inspector Burns
- Patricia Sinclair as Helen Forsyth
- Geoffrey ChaterGeoffrey ChaterGeoffrey Chater is a British actor who was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. He has starred in both film and television projects...
as Gerard Wilson - Hilda FenemoreHilda FenemoreHilda Lilian Fenemore was an English actress with a prolific career in film and television from the 1940s to the 1990s...
as Mrs. Hale
Trivia
The plot of this low-budget film appears to have been inspired by The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). On its original release it was not notably successful, but subsequently became something of a cult favorite due to television reruns.Unusually, a theremin
Theremin
The theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
is used in the musical soundtrack.
The film supposedly inspired the B movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
, Invasion from Inner Earth
Invasion from Inner Earth
Invasion from Inner Earth is an apocalyptic science fiction film, starring Paul Bentzen and Debbi Pick. It was directed by Bill Rebane, the same director of Monster A Go-Go , and The Giant Spider Invasion . The film was also known as Hell Fire and They...
(1974).