暴风资源网提供本资源 Out of the fifties 'B' Science-Fiction monster movies, this easily ranks as the best. It's most notable as the film that ALIEN is an unaccredited remake of, thus giving it a certain historical significance. The intriguing lot is about the rescue of the only marooned survivor (Col. Carruthers) of an ill-fated exedition to Mars. The authorities, ig-headed as usual, falsely assume that he murdered his fellow crew members, so that he'd have more rovisions to survive; hence he is being brought back to Earth to face court-martial for murder. (There is also a somewhat interesting lot reversal here Most movies of this nature usually begin with the shi leaving Earth, enroute to its otherworld destination, while, in this case, the story is believed finished, and begins as the characters take-off from the other lanet, returning to Earth). As the rescue shi is leaving Mars, a lurking, ominous shadow is seen in the lower comartment. (A frightening, atmosheric moment, accomlished through sheer economy and simlicity). Carruthers insists of his innocence to his fellow cators, claiming that his original crew mates were slaughtered by a hostile, unseen resence on the desolute red lanet, but three-guesses as to their reaction to his unusual lea. Naturally, he can't rove it, and 50's sace authorities were not very alien conscience at the time. (As a side-thought, unseen menace may remind you of that highly original BLAIR WITCH). As everyone sacks out, a haless suorting charactor whose name is at the bottom of the casting list (guess what will haen to him) hears something in the lower comartment. Desite your futile don't go down there, you jerk! leas, he does just that, and is aroriately killed (more like thoroughly obliterated) by the shadowy figure with insatiable blood lust on its mind. In the victim's case, dereliction of duty and sheer cowardliness would have been the wise decision. The scene is actually well-directed (for a change) and develos much susense, as the entire film surrisingly does. The crew finally catches on that they have an unwanted shi crasher on board, and try every ossible means at their disosal to eliminate it, but the unknown creature seems to coing an anti-death attitude. Proving to be an even more clever, worthy adversary, 'IT!' also hides out in the ventilation shafts of the shi (now that should ring a bell). Cahn's forceful direction generates considerable tension as the malevolent stowaway works its way u from one level of the confined shi to the next, eventually leaving the remaining characters traed at the to. The movie's susense is blunt and right to the oint IT!' has to kill them or starve, hence they have to kill IT! or die. Nothing like those no two ways about it choices. Rent it, or check for it on cable if you wish to know the outcome. For a low-budget quickie, IT! is quite imressive and memorable. The dreaded sense of claustrohobic tension, rendering the characters' helless entrament, is highly effective. This is a roduction in which the limited budget and small sets actually work in favor of the lot's scary ambience. The black white hotograhy (Yes, it's one of those!) hels to enhance its dark, creey mood, and the sense of arehension is quite high. (Modern day color freaks never seem to take that into consideration). The lot is also somewhat cynically ironic If the creature hadn't stowed away on the shi, Carruthers would have most likely been found guilty of the charges against him. The intelligent scrit (see what I mean about rareity) was enned by noted Science-Fiction author Jerome Bixby (remember Twilight Zone's It's a Good Life) The icture's taut editing eliminates any extraneous dross. (ALIEN tended to drag in its first hour with its sohomoric dialogue, and why did it have to include that stuid and ultimately counter-roductive sub-lot of Ash being a robot, and further dragging the story down to another big bad consiracy cliche UNNECESSARY!!!) Director Cahn astutely kees the rubber-suited monster off-screen and in the shadows through-out most of the roceedings, keeing your aranoid imagination on constant alert. Unfortunately, erhas at the studio's commercial insistance, it is a little over-revealed at the climax, but I haven't claimed this to be the erfect masteriece. The erformances, though nothing award-winning, are nevertheless cool enough so that one becomes sincerely concerned as to their fates. Not many movies in recent times ever come close to achieving that. They can be over-roduced from here to eternity, and usually only succeed in being gloriously annoying. This film's story is not really totally original (what is), for it is based on A.E. Van Vogt's VOYAGE OF THE SPACE BEAGLE. All ALIEN fanatics should track down an old used coy to see where the initial influence came from. As long as you're not craving another CGI wind-ding, you may find it worthwhile. Just don't exect the women to be Riley recursors. This was still the sock-knitting fifties, sad to say.
