Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

davidcarniglia Still get the creeps hearing that eerie music as people get sucked down to the underworld. Telling the story from a child's point of view enhances the horror in Invaders From Mars. It also helps make a simple plot, and the earnestness of the 'good guys'--the doctor, the scientist, and the colonel--more acceptable and believable.The sergeant disappearing into the sand, as he desperately grabs the fence rail and shoots off his rifle, remains one my earliest recollections from classic sci-fi. The dream premise is aptly created by the expressionistic Martian caves and spaceship, as well as the Kafka-esque police station.The ending hints at a further or revolving nightmare, as we're shown that the boy, after his dream, really does see the spaceship. Or is it just a thunderstorm? The taut pacing stirs fear, panic, and a sense of urgency amongst the characters.Having said all that, I came away this time wishing that the Martian scenes had begun earlier. There's plenty going on throughout, but it might have been more interesting to 'drop-in' on the Martians along with their first victims. As many others have noted, Invaders From Mars influenced many subsequent sci-fi films, most obviously Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It could use a few more scenes, but not many films of this type can match the truly alien atmosphere.

ma-cortes Acceptable , estimable and well-made science-fiction/suspense/thriller in which a kid and military are confronted by an alien invasion . This film , nowadays , has achieved cult stature and with the passing of the years has attained rave reviews . A boy named David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) tries to stop aliens that came from above and attack from below . As the aliens have taken over his town and are attempting to brainwash its inhabitants . As his parents (Hilary Brooke , Leif Erickson) are zapped by the weird and diabolic creatures . He can't convince the townspeople of this invasion because they've already possessed by the outer beings . As the people fall into a sandpit where martian slaves carry on their fiendish work guided by a malicious mastermind . As David is only helped by Dr. Stuart Kelston (Arthur Franz , also narrator) and the sympathetic Dr. Pat Blake (Helena Carter) . Later on , the boy enlists the aid of Col. Fielding (Morris Ankrum) and his U.S. Marines . The soldiers go under the surface where the Marines encounter extraterrestrials in the tunnels , leading to the powerful alien leader .The earlier first version loosely based on a story by John Battle results to be a potent lesson how to direct a film in low budget and it holds a subtle but efficient intrigue . Gradual as well as notable built-up suspense is quite superb as when the aliens are shown largely at the ending and to create a real menace . This exciting film packs chills , thrills , guessing , paranoia , absence of all characterization and spectacular FX by that time , though today dated . In fact , the sandpit opening and closing was done by cutting a long slit in a piece of heavy canvas and inserting a large funnel . And including stock footage , as it shows tanks being loaded onto train flatcars that were actually WW2 M10 tank destroyers and by the time of this film were superseded by newer models . Chilling tale of an alien invasion , this is a nice thriller/SciFi in its own right , dealing with a saucer descends on earth and takes over human beings when they fall into a sandpit . The story is told from the view point of a kid , including a surprising and unexpected finale . Several actors performed the slaves , working in shifts , which meant each performer who did the "walking" for a Martian needed his own custom-made footwear . It is one of the best of the Cold War allegories and a lot of filmmakers cited the movie as a key , influential film in their lives . Colorful cinematography by John Seitz in garish Cinecolor that gives the movie a distinctive , almost muddy look appropriate in particular to the strange underground atmosphere . This motion picture (1953) was well directed by William Cameron Menzies who shows real skill in the way that everyday things are made to carry a sense of menace . Cameron was one of the best production designers of film history and directed a few movies , such as : ¨The Maze¨ , ¨The Whip Hand¨ , ¨Drums in the Deep South¨ ,¨The Green Cockatoo¨ , ¨Thief of Bagdad¨ , and another classic Sci-Fi : ¨Things to come¨ . In ¨Invaders from Mars¨ Menzies provides a punchy suspenseful Sci-Fi in green-and-gold color about some unwelcome aliens . Although it aroused no great attention in its day and despite its commercial and critical failure , it has become a cult classic . This oddball vintage 50s SF tale is remade 33 years later with similar plot , as a Martian invasion perceived only by one young boy , being directed by Tobe Hooper again with Jimmy Hunt , who played young David MacLean in the original and the police chief in this remake , and Hunter Carson who is the real life son of Karen Black who plays a hysterical school nurse , Timothy Bottoms , Laraine Newman , James Karen , Bud Cort , Louise Fletcher , Eric Pierpoint . This second high-tech outing pays homage to the first retelling but being really inferior to precedent .

Maddyclassicfilms Invaders from Mars is directed by William Cameron Menzies, has a screenplay by Richard Blake and stars Jimmy Hunt,Arthur Franz, Helena Carter, Leif Erickson and Hillary Brooke.David MacLean(Jimmy Hunt)is awoken by a strange noise and light in the middle of the night. Looking out of his window he sees a flying saucer land near his house. He wakes up his dad(Leif Erickson)who goes and looks but doesn't come back. David's mum(Hillary Brooke)phones the police, two officers come and search and also go missing. The dad and the officers then return sometime later seemingly devoid of emotion and all bearing strange marks on the back of their necks. Later David's mother is also changed.David is convinced that aliens have done something to them and runs to the police begging them to get help. Nobody believes him except his friend the Astronomer Dr. Stuart Keltson(Arthur Franz)and Doctor Pat Blake(Helena Carter). This trio soon discover that aliens have indeed landed and must try and alert the authorities to try and stop them.This film has it's moments but too many weaknesses to make it one you'd want to watch again and again. The people controlled by aliens are very creepy(this altered behaviour precedes Invasion of the Body Snatchers by several years)and seeing the horror from the perspective of a child is quite interesting. The little girl who burns her house is very creepy(that scary smile of hers would make you run a mile in real life).There is nothing more frightening than knowing something to be true but nobody believes you and the film portrays that very well. Seeing the people being dragged beneath the sand to be altered is very creepy as it allows you to imagine all sorts of scary things. Unfortunately most of the acting is pretty bad, the seemingly endless army stock footage is unnecessary and the reveal of the alien base beneath the sand is a big disappointment, some things work better when unseen. This one has it's moments but could and should have been so much darker than it was.

Prismark10 Invaders from Mars is a B film by director William Cameron Menzies the first Oscar winner for art direction.David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) is a 12 year old kid interested in astronomy who sees a flying saucer landing in the sand pit outside his backyard. When his father, George (Leif Erickson) goes out to look he disappears. David's mom, Mary (Hillary Brooke) calls police, but who also submerge into the sand.Some time later the two cops and his father return, but they act differently like they are under a spell. David notices something in the back of their heads.David finally manages to find two people who believe him when others are sceptical and maybe under the influence of an alien entity which by now also includes his mother.Dr Blake (Helena Carter) and Dr Kelston (Arthur Franz) think there is something in David's story and call in the military who discover a Martian spaceship who are controlling people who they think are important or useful.The film taps into the reds under the beds scare of the 1950s and the supposed flying saucer sightings of the era as well. Films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers dealt with the material in a more thrilling and cerebral way.Invaders from Mars views this from a child's perspective. Something unusual is happening outside of the house, his parents have been taken over and there is no one else seemingly to turn to or trust.Some of the visual effects reminded me of the original Star Trek series which again shows the B movie origins of the film. A nice bit of hokum that probably played well in the 1950s than today.