Invasion of the Star Creatures

Last updated
Invasion of the Star Creatures
Invasion of the Star Creatures.jpg
Directed byBruno VeSota
Written by Jonathan Haze
Produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff
Berj Hagopian
StarringBob Ball
Frankie Ray
Gloria Victor
Dolores Reed
CinematographyBasil Bradbury
Edited byLew Guinn
Distributed by American International Pictures
Release date
  • May 3, 1962 (1962-05-03)
Running time
70 minutes (theatrical); 80 minutes (TV version)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Invasion of the Star Creatures is an independently made 1962 black-and-white science fiction/comedy film, produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff and Berj Hagopian, directed by Bruno VeSota, that stars Bob Ball and Frankie Ray. The film was theatrically released by American International Pictures as a double feature with The Brain That Wouldn't Die .

Contents

The theatrical version (currently on DVD) runs 70 minutes. For television syndication, a 10-minute sequence was added, bringing the film's running time to 80 minutes.

Plot

The film opens with a parody credit of “R.I. Diculous Presents". Private Philbrick and Private Penn are stuck in monotonous assignments at Fort Nicholson, a U.S. Army base near the Nicholson Mesa. The privates are assigned to a scouting mission that requires the inspection of a newly discovered cavern that was located near the base. Philbrick and Penn are part of an expeditionary squad, but become separated from their fellow soldiers. The privates are attacked by seven-foot-tall vegetable-like creatures that take them into the cavern, which is actually an alien base commanded by two statuesque women from the planet Kalar. The alien women, Dr. Puna and Professor Tanga, reveal that they arrived on Earth with the goal of conquering the planet. Philbrick and Penn find that their fellow soldiers have been placed in suspended animation by the aliens. Philbrick eventually discovers that kissing Puna leaves her temporarily powerless, allowing him and Penn to escape from the cavern and its inhabitants. After an encounter with an American Indian band, the two soldiers race back to their base to rally a defense of the Earth against the Kalar aliens. They succeed in saving the Earth by prematurely launching the alien spaceship, but are captured by the aliens. However, Puna convinces Tanga not to kill them as they have no way of returning home now and they need to rely on the two soldiers. Tanga accepts this, kisses Penn and the sparks fly. At the end of the film, the soldiers receive medals for their actions and they drive away with the aliens, now their wives. [1]

Cast

Production

Theatrical advertisement from 1962 Invasion of the Star Creatures - Theatre ad - 26 Oct, 1962.png
Theatrical advertisement from 1962

Invasion of the Star Creatures was written by Jonathan Haze, an actor best known for his starring role in the Roger Corman feature The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). Haze’s screenplay originally carried the title Monsters from Nicholson Mesa, which was intended as an inside joke reference to James H. Nicholson, the co-founder of American International Pictures. Haze was to star in the film, but he ultimately did not appear in the production. [2] [3]

It was Dolores Reed's last film before her death. [4]

Director Bruno VeSota was best known for B-level features including Female Jungle (1955) and The Brain Eaters (1958). [5]

The film opens with a parody credit of “R.I. Diculous Presents".

The film's cavern and desert scenes were shot in Bronson Canyon, a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California, often used in film and television productions. [6]

Reception

Invasion of the Star Creatures has never been well reviewed by critics. When it first opened, the film trade magazine Box Office opined: “What a lot of baloney! Such a waste of time, film and effort. The title was good, but was it a spooky film? Nope! A comedy!! Closed the first night”. [7] Film historian Bill Warren, in his 1996 book Keep Watching the Skies!, Vol. 2, called the film "astonishingly bad ... so helplessly bad that it's almost unwatchable". [1]

In 1979, the film was cited by Harry and Michael Medved in their book The Golden Turkey Awards , a tribute to bad films. Invasion of the Star Creatures was nominated in the category for “The Worst Vegetable Movie of All Time”, with the authors noting the monsters controlled by the Kalar aliens were played by actors wearing carrot costumes. [7] The Medveds also faulted an egregious comic line by Bob Ball – when given a back flip by one of the carrot monsters, Ball remarked: “Wow, that’s the first time a salad ever tossed me”! [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Thing from Another World</i> 1951 science fiction film

The Thing from Another World, sometimes referred to as just The Thing, is a 1951 American black-and-white science fiction-horror film, directed by Christian Nyby, produced by Edward Lasker for Howard Hawks' Winchester Pictures Corporation, and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film stars Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, Robert Cornthwaite, and Douglas Spencer. James Arness plays The Thing. The Thing from Another World is based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell.

<i>It Conquered the World</i> 1956 film by Roger Corman

It Conquered the World is an independently made 1956 American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by Roger Corman, starring Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef, Beverly Garland, and Sally Fraser. It Conquered the World was released theatrically by American International Pictures as a double feature with The She-Creature.

<i>Attack of the Giant Leeches</i> 1959 film

Attack of the Giant Leeches is an independently made, 1959 black-and-white science fiction-horror film, produced by Gene Corman and directed by Bernard L. Kowalski. It stars Ken Clark, Yvette Vickers, Bruno VeSota and Jan Shepard. The screenplay was written by Leo Gordon. The film was released by American International Pictures on a double bill with A Bucket of Blood, and was retitled Demons of the Swamp for its UK release. Later, in some areas in 1960, Leeches played on a double bill with the Roger Corman film House of Usher.

<i>The Creeping Terror</i> 1964 film by Vic Savage

The Creeping Terror is a 1964 horror–science fiction film directed and produced by, and starring, Vic Savage. The plot is centered upon an extraterrestrial, slug-like creature that attacks and eats people whole in a small American town. Widely considered to be one of the worst films of all time, The Creeping Terror has become a cult film.

<i>Hells Angels on Wheels</i> 1967 American biker film directed by Richard Rush

Hells Angels on Wheels is a 1967 American biker film directed by Richard Rush, and starring Adam Roarke, Jack Nicholson, and Sabrina Scharf. The film tells the story of a gas-station attendant with a bad attitude who finds life more exciting after he is allowed to hang out with a chapter of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle club.

<i>Female Jungle</i> 1955 film by Bruno VeSota

Female Jungle is a 1955 black-and-white film noir directed by Bruno VeSota and starring Kathleen Crowley, Lawrence Tierney, John Carradine and Jayne Mansfield. The production was Mansfield's first film, as well as the only American International Pictures entry into film noir.

<i>The Eye Creatures</i> 1967 television film by Larry Buchanan

The Eye Creatures is a 1967 American made-for-television comedy horror science fiction film about an invasion by a flying saucer and its silent, shambling alien occupants.

<i>The Horror of Party Beach</i> 1964 film by Del Tenney

The Horror of Party Beach is a 1964 American horror film in the beach party genre, directed and co-produced by Del Tenney. The film is described as "a take-off on beach parties and musicals".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Haze</span> American actor

Jonathan Haze is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in Roger Corman films, especially the 1960 black comedy cult classic, The Little Shop of Horrors, in which he played florist's assistant Seymour Krelboined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster movie</span> Film genre

A monster movie, monster film, creature feature or giant monster film is a film that focuses on one or more characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally large ones. The film may also fall under the horror, comedy, fantasy, or science fiction genres. Monster movies originated with adaptations of horror folklore and literature.

<i>DeepStar Six</i> 1989 American film by Sean S. Cunningham

DeepStar Six is a 1989 American science-fiction horror film directed and co-produced by Sean S. Cunningham. Its plot follows the crew of the titular underwater military outpost, who struggle to defend their base against the attacks of a sea monster. The film's cast includes Greg Evigan, Taurean Blacque, Nancy Everhard, Cindy Pickett, Miguel Ferrer, Nia Peeples, and Matt McCoy.

<i>The Brain Eaters</i> 1958 film

The Brain Eaters is a 1958 independently made American black-and-white science fiction-horror film, produced by Ed Nelson, and directed by Bruno VeSota. The film stars Nelson, Alan Jay Factor, and Joanna Lee and includes a brief appearance by Leonard Nimoy. The Brain Eaters was distributed by American International Pictures as a double feature with either Earth vs. the Spider or Terror from the Year 5000 in different markets.

<i>Monsters vs. Aliens</i> 2009 film by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman

Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 American animated science fiction action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman from a screenplay written by Letterman, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky, and the writing team of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger based on a story by Vernon and Letterman. Featuring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Stephen Colbert, the film involves a group of misfit monsters hired by the United States Armed Forces to stop the invasion of an extraterrestrial villain and save the world in exchange for freedom.

<i>Monster from the Ocean Floor</i> 1954 film

Monster from the Ocean Floor is an American 1954 science fiction film about a sea monster that terrorizes a Mexican cove. The film was directed by Wyott Ordung and starred Anne Kimbell and Stuart Wade.

<i>The Beast with a Million Eyes</i> 1955 American film

The Beast with a Million Eyes is a 1955 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by David Kramarsky, that stars Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, and Dona Cole. Some film sources have said that the film was co-directed by Lou Place. The film was co-produced by Roger Corman and Samuel Z. Arkoff. and was released by American Releasing Corporation, which later became American International Pictures.

Jerry Warren was an American film director, producer, editor, screenwriter, cinematographer, and actor. Warren grew up wanting to get into the film business in Los Angeles, California. He appeared in small parts in a few 1940s films such as Ghost Catchers, Anchors Aweigh, and Unconquered.

Bob Burns is an American actor, consultant, producer, archivist and historian of props, costumes, and other paraphernalia from science fiction, fantasy, and horror motion pictures. He is notable for his work with and collection of movie props, particularly from horror and science-fiction movies. He has also had numerous acting roles, including Tracy the Gorilla in the 1975 television show The Ghost Busters.

Creature of the Walking Dead is a 1965 horror film re-edited by Jerry Warren from a 1961 Mexican horror film La Marca del Muerto, which translates as Mark of the Dead Man. The original Mexican film was directed by Fernando Cortés, written by Alfredo Varela Jr., and released in Mexico on October 12, 1961. The special effects was handled by Nicholas Reye.

<i>Monsters vs. Aliens</i> (franchise) DreamWorks Animation media franchise

Monsters vs. Aliens is a media franchise made by DreamWorks Animation. The franchise began with the 2009 film Monsters vs. Aliens and has since grown to include two short films, a television special, a television series, and a tie-in video game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruno VeSota</span> American actor (1922–1976)

Bruno William VeSota was an American character actor, director and producer who, between 1945 and 1974, appeared in hundreds of television episodes and over 50 feature films. He is remembered for prominent supporting roles in 15 Roger Corman films as well as for having directed three low-budget features: Female Jungle (1956), The Brain Eaters and Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962).

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 “An Impossible Picture: Truth and Lies about the Invasion of the Star Creatures” by Martin Kottmeyer, Talking Pictures
  2. “Invasion of the Star Creatures,” Turner Classic Movies
  3. Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p161
  4. Clemens, Samuel. "Tall and Tawny", Classic Images. September 2022
  5. “Biography for Bruno VeSota,” Turner Classic Movies
  6. Rothel, David (1991). Ambush of Ghosts: A Guide to Great Western Film Locations. Madison, Wisconsin: Empire Publishing. pp. 39, 150–5. ISBN   978-0-944-01910-8.
  7. 1 2 3 Medved, Harry; Medved, Michael (1980). The Golden Turkey Awards. New York: Perigree Books. pp. 134–135. ISBN   978-0-399-50463-1.

Bibliography